CrawlingFox

Yeah probably pushing it but they average 6.5k and it's a small city.

Perhaps, but it's a huge geographical area with abysmal transport links and Bristol on it's front door and Exeter at it's back door, both far better connected than Taunton and with well supported rugby teams as well as football clubs. If Somerset can sell out a T20 then we should be aiming to do the same in the future. Not being shite is the starting point to growing some interest and we seem well on the way to that.

Need to target Blast attendances. Somerset sell out 8.5k seats for every game or near enough and their catchment area is small.

Yeah think our best bet is to get him back the other side of the white ball stuff for the run in.

Ian Holland is the divisions top wicket taker with 27 at 15. Ben Green is third with 21 at 18. Scrivo has 15 at 25 Hull 8 at 27 Van Beek 19 at 27 Mike 10 at 30 Absolutely superb and definitely where our success this season stems from. With the bat Handscomb is averaging 57 and Budinger 40. Mike, Hill and Cox between 35 and 40. Patel 22, Ahmed 25 and Holland 25. Mahmood coming in to shore up the top 3 might actually be ideal as the Summer goes on but really hope we can get Green back for more Championship games. Green and van Beek have also provided over 200 runs each with the bat so won't just be missed for their bowling.

Top order looks a bit ropey with both of Budinger and Ahmed in the top 3 at the same time. Probably the main weakness in the side.

Holland just loves ripping out a top order.

Guess it's just a bit extra income from food and beers etc.

Bowling is fine with Scrivo, Hull, Mike and vdB for pace and Ahmed and Trevaskis for spin. Trevaskis is a good bat and Mike was threatening to be a very good t20 batter at one stage so I think batting depth is ok. My concern would be Budinger and Kimber who are both clearly capable of big hitting innings but are also both very inconsistent and Kimber hasn't looked in good knick in the red ball games he's played so far. Budinger should be tailor made for this format but has an awful t20 record averaging 13 from 26 games. Hopefully this year he turns that around.

It's definitely a model we need to have a good look at. They've also been able to invest in their facilities during that time including the ground. However I'd guess their playing budget is the lowest of any county. I think they've invested in their academies and pathways too though and so far have Harry Moore to show for it but further time required to judge that.

Just seen Budinger was out for 39 off 24! Was he playing t20?

Sounds like England material no?

Agree with this. Swindells is 26 so not like he's a young prospect anymore. I think his current role in the squad as Cox's backup suits him well and gives us good solid cover but can't see him displacing the older man anytime soon. Suspect Handcomb might take the gloves were Cox to get injured to be honest. Is Swindells a strong enough bat to make the side? I think he's OK but I'm not sure he's pushing any of the players we've seen in the top 6 or 7 so far.

He's class. He, Hill, Holland and Handscomb give the side a real spine with great experience and as you say, grit. You can almost guarantee at least a couple will perform very well in any given innings.

Given that Trevaskis seems unfavoured we could do a lot worse than Ahmed and Parky as a spin pairing for the Blast if Parky would otherwise be sat doing nothing. Would prefer we just play Trevaskis though as he's a good player.

Bracey is a very good bat, his England call up seemed to somewhat derail his career but towards the end of last season and so far this season he's turned it back around and he's been superb so no issue with not not being able to shift him. He can do that. Frustrating to see the tail hanging about so long though. Hull's figures are again poor, we could do with him finding his England form as think that's the best he's bowled outside of white ball cricket. Credit to Green who stepped up today with the 5fer.

I think it's great that we've made a positive start especially given we've either missed or mostly missed: Out best batter - Patel Our best bowler - Wright Our best (or at least most hyped) bowling prospect - Hull You've got to give credit to the likes of Ahmed stepping in to open to good effect, Holland who has bowled superbly, Scriven with a 5fer that given better weather might have been match defining and Ben Mike has 10 wickets at 30 so far. Great to see so many players stepping up and when everyone is fit Thomas will have some genuinly tricky selection decisions to make. Given the squad hasn't been transformed you've got to give the coaching staff credit for the progress made over the Winter.

Proving to be a really solid acquisition with both bat and ball for us. Does whatever job we need as well, whether it's opening the bowling or the batting he steps in and does a steady job.

Need to break the partnership of he and Madsen. The longer they're together the more I don't like it!

I suspect given the win last week they're looking to make sure we follow up with a draw at worst so perhaps a bit of a safety first approach. Would have taken a win and a draw from the first 2 games before the season started but does feel like we could have been a bit more ambitious today. Needed to score faster yesterday afternoon really, feels an opportunity missed now.

Good position to be in at this point. Piles the pressure on them to score as well and whilst they have the runs in that batting lineup, I don't think they can score them at the same pace.

Clearly has bucket loads of ability but so far for us has failed to make match winning contributions in either four day or more worryingly given his playing style t20 cricket. Hopefully this season he turns that around.

I noticed Ahmed batting at 3 during some franchise stuff in the Winter. He's moved around all over the order for us but wonder if he's targeting a top order role now he's a bit older and worked on/knows his game a bit more.

A knock for Wright is a blow but in theory Hull who was apparently near a return is exactly what we need in the attack so we do have someone to come in. Left armer, rapid, homegrown, already capped by England... He's generally been pretty poor for us in four day cricket so far. 16 wickets in 10 games at 63. But he's going to come good eventually and if it was to be this season we could be in serious business. This is the first innings I think where Budinger played normally and even though he didn't go on it looked promising I thought, especially if Patel will miss a few week (admittedly another blow). Guessing Kimber will come in and any of Hill, Holland or Kimber could open, based on previous selections they'll draw straws.

Mike's a capable bat when he's in the mood. Think if he'd converted that 99* where he got stranded a few seasons ago then he might have pushed on on that regard. Would have given him great confidence.