Somerset at the Oval

On commentary: the old blue ear sets don't appear to be working this season. Streaming BBC London via mobile is always a ball behind. Frustrating.

A few showers around, the forecast suggests it should be dry by 10.30 and sunny spells after that, so we should get on by 11.30. Plenty of time to finish it.

SimonH wrote:

Steve wrote:Why did Roach only bowl 4 overs? Is he injured?

Don't know, looked like he was on the field all yesterday.

In weather news, it's windy and grey, but dry, in S London so am thinking of taking my laptop up to the Oval at lunchtime to see a Surrey win this afternoon. FLW, as it'll either start raining or we'll lose, or perhaps both.

pissing it down now

Hopefully we have the same team of groundstaff that got the last Ashes test pitch fit and ready to play on so quickly.

Jason wrote:On commentary: the old blue ear sets don't appear to be working this season. Streaming BBC London via mobile is always a ball behind. Frustrating.

Hi Jason - That was also my experience for this game. Anyone know why, please?

Who was on BBC London Churchy? Lord Barran?

Steve wrote:Who was on BBC London Churchy? Lord Barran?

Neither of them this game, slightly curious as to why not.

Barran tweeted that he was back at The Oval on comms duty. I didn't hear him anywhere all weekend. Kind miss him, tbh.

I'm all for choice, but it got a little confusing. There's the pointless YT commentary. Then a separate team on BBC London. Plus also 5 Live Sports Extra with their own commentators.

I'm all for choice. But ideally I'd like Church with the YT pics if I'm at home. Plus also Church on BBC London and the blue ear pieces.

Yes, he's extremely partisan. But he's embedded in the dressing room and understands the club and the players like no one else.

Harry Everett
BBC Sport at The Oval

"Wet, but rain has stopped at The Oval

The covers are pegged down sufficiently so have not been blown away by the wind. There's little chance of play before lunch you’d guess but nothing official yet."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/live/crg315m6p1mt

Steve wrote:Who was on BBC London Churchy? Lord Barran?

Barran has been on the PA over the weekend. It is a bit odd that Mark Church isn’t there. He was on the Lancs Live Stream last week so hopefully it’s just temporary.

A 12pm start is very fortunate - if we don't get over the line then that first hour yesterday feels like a deciding factor

Alex! wrote:A 12pm start is very fortunate - if we don't get over the line then that first hour yesterday feels like a deciding factor

I'd add most of the last three hours of Saturday's play, too. Foakes, Steel and Clark were too pedestrian (Lawrence gets a pass as he wasn't in long enough courtesy of a shocking decision).

Lawrence dismissal very similar to his last time batting for Essex at the Oval.

A bit more rain and a potential 100+ lead and Surrey will rue the go slow. Not sure what that was about.

Churchy is Uncle Dick apparantly. Maybe Roach is too only bowled 4 overs!

7 overs so far, Somerset have added 24 for 0 wickets

Overton 4-1-14-0
Steel 3-0-10-0

.. and Steel bowls a 4th over

You wonder if we shouldn't be trying something else, seems too easy for Somerset, stick on Roach or Atkinson, yesterday we opened up with Lawrence and Clark

Overton looks very ordinary,again !! Doesn’t look like getting a wicket.Hopefully,Worrall will be fit soon.

Well if we didn't seem to miss Lawes's mercurial wicket-takung knack in the first innings we are sure missing it here #firstnameontheteamsheet

Roach takes the new ball so he is ok.

dougieginn wrote:Overton looks very  ordinary,again !! Doesn’t look like getting a wicket.Hopefully,Worrall will be fit soon.

Agree, we're obviously waiting for the new ball but both batsman will be well set by then and the match could be drifting away.

Slowly drifting away, this

My money is edging towards the draw if there's not a wicket soon. At this rate they'll be 200 ahead by tea. Surely Lawes should have played ahead of Overton or even Roach. Both look under par.

Roach looked fairly threatening with those two overs with the new ball. Huge 10 overs after lunch while there is still likely to be swing. It’s just so frustrating that we missed the chance to get Aldridge on 0. It’s not the first time Overton’s put down a fairly regulation chance. Aldridge looked a walking wicket at that point but now so much more comfortable.

Chinaman wrote:My money is edging towards the draw if there's not a wicket soon. At this rate they'll be 200 ahead by tea. Surely Lawes should have played ahead of Overton or even Roach. Both look under par.

At lunch - Somerset lead Surrey by 109 runs with 4 wickets remaining

Morning session - Somerset 48-0 off 14 Overs.

We have to bowl them out before tea! This Gregory fella is a total pain in the back side.

Trying to be positive:

First innings they only had 2 decent Partnerships, 2nd Wicket = 178 runs and last wicket = 49 runs.
We have to hope as soon as we break this partnership the rest fall like a pack of cards, like they did from 196-2 to 236-9.

Roach has a wicket. I reckon to win we need to get them out for under 320, which should give us about 40 overs to try to knock off 180 or so. Any more than that in any less time and I don't think we'd do it.

Jackers wrote:Roach has a wicket. I reckon to win we need to get them out for under 320, which should give us about 40 overs to try to knock off 180 or so. Any more than that in any less time and I don't think we'd do it.

The run rate when Sibley and Burns bat we'd need to get them out pretty much immediately. No one seems to be in any great nick to score at 5 or 6 an over either.

Min Overs Remaining today = 50

Somerset Lead = 140

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Somerset 300-7 - Overs Remaining 45, lead 157 runs

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Min Overs Remaining today = 40

Somerset Lead = 170

I think we're screwed