That's what makes them Beau-tiful
Gloucestershire claim the Taunton spoils.
And this season’s Cider Derby spoils go to…Gloucestershire. Sad but true. Fair play to them. Yes, fair play to them.
Sometimes you simply must tip your hat to them. Even if the them happens to be that lot up the road. So here we are, proverbial head wear in hand, doffing it in Gloucestershire’s direction.
Let us start with yesterday’s visitors. Painful as admitting it is, they were, as was so a few weeks back, deserved victors.
One wonders if there is something a little special brewing up at Bristol. For a moment, please ignore the financials (£1.2 million according to recent accounts – more than double the projected amount – as you asked). Similarly, peer past the noises about shifting Nevil Road onto someone who presumably wants to stick as many flat-pack apartments on the site as possible. That isn’t to say those issues aren’t important. Quite the contrary: the balance between red and black is vital for existence.
But for now, let’s focus on the cricket. There was more than a frisson of excitement when Gloucestershire announced Mark Alleyne as Head Coach back in February. Alleyne – or BooBoo to his pals (I’m reliably informed that he is not a fan of the term “Boo-ball”) – is the poster-boy of that Gloucestershire side of the late 90s and early 00s. You know, the one that visited St John’s Wood a-half-dozen times and lifted **checks notes** a-half dozen trophies.
Star-studded that team was not. But it was a collection of fine cricketers, blended perfectly to offer something the sum of which exceeded its parts. In Alleyne, they had a savvy leader, a man capable of winning games with both bat and ball. In Jack Russell, they had an all-time wicket keeping doyenne. Ian Harvey added a touch of international class, as did the likes of Jon Lewis, Jeremy Snape, Mike Smith, Kim Barnett. One could go on.
Point is this: there are definite parallels to be drawn between then and now. Cam Bancroft and Beau Webster provide Australian grit and, while it was a different format, led the Sheffield Shield run-scoring charts last season. The former has a Baggy Green, and the latter has long-leavers. He also, as displayed yesterday, biffs it.
In James Bracey, the Glosters have a Bristolian who loves the club with all his heart. England hardly helped his career with that single Test but make no mistake – the boy is quality. While he will never be the glove man Russell was (few will), he is still very good behind the stumps (as proven last week in Gloucestershire’s thrilling tie with Glamorgan). He is also an exceptional batter and got his team off to a Sunday flyer with 31 from 17 balls.
David Payne – whose last over in the (other) recent tie at Surrey was unbelievable - and Marchant de Lange provide international nous. Marchant can, as the people of Taunton know full well, go around the park. But Marchant can also, as the people of Taunton know full well, thunder in, put the jumpers up batters and keep it tight. Sunday was a case of ‘Option 2, please’.
And then beneath them are a gaggle of excellent county players. Your Miles Hammonds, your Jack Taylors. And in that middle order, the so-called engine room, Ollie Price and Ben Charlesworth, the Oxford boys are starting to come of age. It was Charlesworth who smote the winning six on Sunday, treading where Price had walked previously in the return fixture.
And so, Gloucestershire are deservedly in with a Quarter-Final shout with four group games remaining. Their latest annual accounts might have cast "significant doubt on the Club's ability to continue as a going concern", yet no such concerns exist when they step onto the field.
Ok, so we’ve banged on about the oppo for a while. What of Somerset? Well, they had an off day. That can happen. It is T20 – pretty much anyone can beat anyone.
Tom Banton - who took a stunning catch - batted beautifully but was dropped three times. But for that, defeat may have been heavier. Trudging to Essex on Friday night was hardly ideal prep, even if the rain meant a bedtime somewhere nearer midnight than last orders at the night-club bar. The schedule is brutal and unforgiving.
Craig Overton was sorely missed, as was the couple of overs Riley Meredith was unable to bowl. Worryingly, Gregory later confirmed Meredith had a back-spasm. His genuine gas at the death may have made the difference.
But there is little merit in bemoaning that, nor in the decision that Ben Green bowl the last – sadly the social media cesspit is full of it. The Cider Press view? Kudos to Ben for stepping up. Green is as competitive as they come, varies his pace brilliantly, and was brimming with confidence after his week up at Leicestershire. There he made first-class career bests with bat and ball, and added career-best T20 runs return here.
To repeat is T20: anything can happen. As Green pointed out when chatting to Cider Press recently, on one day a set of balls can bring a frugal, wicket-laden return. On another day that same set of balls can go the distance. Bowling at a left-hander hitting to a short boundary with the wind…sub-optimal.
Was the plan at the start of the innings for Green to take over 20? Unlikely. But circumstances dictated it necessary, and it very nearly came good. Energy must be first restored and then re-focussed. There is work to do.
Sam Dalling