Who Will Start For Somerset?

[jf2001]

With 28 players in Somerset's squad this season, there will be plenty of competition for places. However, that also means that a number of top players might have to watch from the pavilion.

Who would your strongest Somerset XI be? (Without Trescothick and Caddick assuming they will miss the bulk of the season)

 

[Rik]

For those who haven't seen the updated list can you put down all the players then we can all pick our best teams for a bit of fun?

 

[jf2001]

2003 Squad

Rik, keep an eye on the headlines on www.somersettalk.co.uk as the full squad was on there. But for those keen to do a little Somerset fantasy cricket, here's the full list. (I'll add mine when I've had a think....)

GM Andrew
ID Blackwell
PD Bowler
JDC Bryant
MP Bulbeck
*M Burns
AR Caddick
J Cox
WJ Durston
KP Dutch
NJ Edwards
SRG Francis
CM Gazzard
JC Hildreth
PCL Holloway
RL Johnson
PS Jones
AW Laraman
NAM McLean
MK Munday
KA Parsons
M Parsons
AV Suppiah
ME Trescothick
JP Tucker
+RJ Turner
T Webley
MJ Wood

 

[Rik]

Ok, so without Caddick and Tresco this is my team:

MJ Wood
J Cox
PD Bowler
*M Burns
ID Blackwell
KA Parsons
+ RJ Turner
KP Dutch
NAM McLean
RL Johnson
MP Bulbeck as long as he doesn't loose confidence. If he does then P Jones

Batting all the way down

 

[jf2001]

Somerset 1st XI

Haven't decided yet but your is a good choice. I would find a place for Bryant as he has yet 203 not out in the SA domestic season and is an awesome fielder apparently. Also Cox is more middle order now as he is batting there in his last season. I reckon Bowler and Matt Wood will open.

 

[Rik]

Re: Somerset 1st XI

Haven't decided yet but your is a good choice. I would find a place for Bryant as he has yet 203 not out in the SA domestic season and is an awesome fielder apparently. Also Cox is more middle order now as he is batting there in his last season. I reckon Bowler and Matt Wood will open.

Bryant in place of Parsons and Blackwell going down to 5? Cox at 3?

 

[jf2001]

Somerset 2003

I am writing an article/headline for Somerset Talk at the minute on who might be expected to play. I imagine Bowler and Matt Wood to open, middle-order of Burns, Cox, Bryant and Blackwell, Turner, Dutch, Johnson, Mclean, Bulbeck.

Batting right the way down, not a rabbit in sight.
Bowling of Johnson and McLean backed up by Bulbeck, Dutch and Blackwell.

JF - www.somersettalk.co.uk


8D

 

[JAB]

Pretty much agree with your team except...

I reckon we'll see Bryant batting at three - burns was only ever really a stopgap there, and will probably revert to five.

Also, would not be too surprised to see dutch left out in the championship, particularly if we find some seamer friendly pitches early season (although the shockingly good weather we're having at the moment makes this less likely than normal). Theyl probably go for jones if they do leave out dutch with the bottom three all moving up a place, although if they are as impressed by laraman as they say they are, having him as the seam bowling all rounder at number 8 would offer some good balance to the team.

Who ever they pick, i think we're looking pretty strong for this year, and we should show that last years nightmare was just a blip!

 

[Langeveldt]

Good to see Tom Webley and Hildreth in, ive played matches with and against them.


Here is my strongest XI

1.Cox
2.Bowler or Trescothick
3.Wood
4.Bryant
5.Burns
6.Parsons
7.Blackwell
8.Turner
9.MacLean
10.Caddick or Bulbeck
11.Johnson

 

[Rik]

Errrm, Blackwell's a better batsman than a number 7. Also Johnson is a better batsman than Caddick or Jones and maybe even better than McLean so I don't know why you put him at 11. Cox won't open now.

 

[Anna]

Originally posted by Langeveldt
10.Caddick or Bulbeck

If you knew what was good for you, you'd choose Bulbeck. :P

 

[marc71178]

If you knew what was good for you, you'd choose Bulbeck. :P

Depends if he wants the team to do better or not!

 

[marc71178]

Errrm, Blackwell's a better batsman than a number 7. Also Johnson is a better batsman than Caddick or Jones and maybe even better than McLean so I don't know why you put him at 11. Cox won't open now.

In that line up, I'd say Johnson is a number 9 - certainly would rather have McLean at 8.

 

[Rik]

In that line up, I'd say Johnson is a number 9 - certainly would rather have McLean at 8.

Well I'm going on the fact that 2 seasons ago Johnson averaged 20 odd batting at 8...

 

[marc71178]

And I'd bat McLean above him, but not at 7, since that's a bit too high...

For me an average of 20 or so isn't that good for a number 8, so by putting Nixon ahead of him you strengthen the batting, and allow him to concentrate a little bit more on his bowling.

 

[Rik]

And I'd bat McLean above him, but not at 7, since that's a bit too high...

For me an average of 20 or so isn't that good for a number 8, so by putting Nixon ahead of him you strengthen the batting, and allow him to concentrate a little bit more on his bowling.

If you put Nixon at 8 then you will have a number 8 who averages less than the number 9...

Also Johnson doesn't need to think about his bowling much, he's been averaging in the low 20s for the last 2 seasons...in fact ever since he left Middlesex and joined Somerset...

 

[marc71178]

I didn't realise that, for some reason I always thought of him as a better player than that average!

I still don't think Johnson is good enough to go in at 8 though.

 

[Rik]

I didn't realise that, for some reason I always thought of him as a better player than that average!

I still don't think Johnson is good enough to go in at 8 though.

Yeah he's allways had ability just has a careless attitude too and just bats for fun.

Who would you put at 8 then? Still Nixon?

 

[Langeveldt]

If you knew what was good for you, you'd choose Bulbeck. :P

Well unfortunatly i dont share your same enthusiasm about Bulbeck. I doubt Caddick will play much so Bulbeck it is then!

 

[marc71178]

Yeah he's allways had ability just has a careless attitude too and just bats for fun.

Who would you put at 8 then? Still Nixon?

What about Dutch? Or Laraman seems to have a reasonable effort so far with the bat.