Surrey v Hants - rain for four days

And Ollie Pope with eight catches, six of them at second slip, as contender for MOTM?

I think I'd give the MOTM award to Rory Burns for stabilising the batting and a definite return to form - and for his captaincy. Jordan Clark, Dan Worrall and Ollie Pope were great too - and the groundsmen.

Also, just wondering, when there are first and second slips which position takes more catches? (OK, it's going to be first slip, isn't it, but what might the percentages be?)

I think 2nd slip get the most Catches close to the wicket
that’s where Graham Roope used to swallow them up

You probably want your most agile close catcher at second, but your safest pair of hands at first.

1st Slip never gets the amount of Catches of a 2nd Slip. The keeper also quite often take catches to the left side of 1st Slip.

Great team performance. Now we need Somerset to help us against Essex .

Somerset look a stronger more difficult team to beat this season.

Jackers wrote:Not only is Rory Burns returning to his best form with the bat after two pretty lean years

In 2022 Rory Burns scored 842 runs at 40.09 including 3 centuries - hardly a "lean year"!

I think Rory suffered a hangover from losing he’s England place.

I think England ruined him technically and psychologically, as they did Stoneman. It's more than just disappointment at losing his place. Thankfully he has received good coaching in a patient, supportive environment, away from the billy big bollocks club.

Away from the billy big bollocks club? Do you mean 'at the'?

Jackers wrote:I think England ruined him technically and psychologically, as they did Stoneman. It's more than just disappointment at losing his place. Thankfully he has received good coaching in a patient, supportive environment, away from the billy big bollocks club.

The same thing happened to Robson,a prolific scorer before being picked by England but never the same after being dropped!

There’s no doubt in my mind that Popes mind is getting frazzled playing under bazzball. These players are under unnecessary pressure to hit every ball for a boundary.its mad when we have five days. God knows what goes through poor old Foulkes head when he gets to the crease!

Isn't it inevitable that a player might lose their appetite?

What a good week to have a "bye".......rain, rain, rain!  Tomorrow should be fine, but more of the wet stuff on Sunday and Monday.  Just a shame that Essex also have their feet up!

Jackers wrote:What a good week to have a "bye".......rain, rain, rain!  Tomorrow should be fine, but more of the wet stuff on Sunday and Monday.  Just a shame that Essex also have their feet up!

Was looking at the weather in Manchester too!!! shame

Jackers wrote:What a good week to have a "bye".......rain, rain, rain!  Tomorrow should be fine, but more of the wet stuff on Sunday and Monday.  Just a shame that Essex also have their feet up!

Aren't Essex at Taunton where the weather is set fair?

Yes, they are. Weather ok today and tomorrow but rain around Sunday and Monday. Guess they'll pick up a handful of bonus points and a draw. We can haul them in next week - Warwicks at home are our bunnies.

This is the Taunton pitch.  Never seen one as green as that.  Whenever I go, it looks as if a family of badgers has been at it.  Still Somerset have won the toss and having a bowl.

Well this is going rather well so far

Wait till Porter and Cook go to work on it.

VauxhallRey wrote:This is the Taunton pitch.  Never seen one as green as that.  Whenever I go, it looks as if a family of badgers has been at it.  Still Somerset have won the toss and having a bowl.

Notoriously, Somerset changed the pitch at the last minute for a match against Middlesex in 2016 when they twigged that Tim Murtagh was not playing, swapping a strip which would not have suited him for one was apparently barely distinguishable from the outfield. Middlesex still won the match. Later that season they went the other way to Ciderabad and went from relegation possibilities to near Champions in a few weeks, partly as a result - to be fair they did beat Yorkshire at Headingley in that period as well.

IIRC (there's one for Chinaman if he's reading) the most notorious spinners' paradise in Somerset used to be at Bath. Was that where Brian Langford bowled eight maidens out of eight in a John Player League match?

VauxhallRey wrote:Wait till Porter and Cook go to work on it.

That's my fear too.

Essex are currently 122/6. Whilst that doesn't sound great for them, it moves the game on towards a positive result and one which they certainly could still win with an attack always very capable of taking 20 wickets.

guildfordbat wrote:

VauxhallRey wrote:Wait till Porter and Cook go to work on it.

That's my fear too.

Essex are currently 122/6. Whilst that doesn't sound great for them, it moves the game on towards a positive result and one which they certainly could still win with an attack always very capable of taking 20 wickets.

Essex 149-9 - so atleast they shouldn't get any batting bonus points.

Does mean Somerset get full bowling points and they would go top of the Championship if they beat Essex

But Essex did bat dreadfully, looking at the dismissals. No one was prepared to get their nut down as Rory did last week.