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April 29, 2008
Journalists get on their bike
Posted 1 week, 5 days ago in Miscellaneous
How do you get from the Brit Oval to Lord's without crossing the Thames? Six intrepid cyclists are about to prove it can be done and all in a good cause.
They are cycling from Kennington to St John's Wood the long way round, taking in all 18 first-class county headquarters - a trip of more than 1,000 miles over 16 days.
The tour has been devised by two cricket writers who spend most of their time pedalling opinions on the game: David Lloyd of the London Evening Standard and Colin Bateman of the Daily Express.
Continue reading "Journalists get on their bike"
April 22, 2008
Hildreth extends Somerset deal
Posted 2 weeks, 6 days ago in Somerset
James Hildreth has signed a new deal with Somerset which will keep him at the club until 2011. He is considered one of most promising up-and-coming batsmen in the country and toured India with England Lions during the winter.
"I am delighted to have signed a new contract and am pretty excited about the prospect of where Somerset are going," he told Somerset's website. "I love it here and I am always going to play here. I feel that this squad squad can take Somerset forward, not just in the coming season but also in future years."
March 7, 2008
Cancer Tests for England cricketers
Posted on 03/07/2008 in Miscellaneous
All first-class cricketers in England will be tested for skin cancer this season. In an initiative by the Professional Cricketers Association about 400 players will have checks for the disease.
March 6, 2008
Caddick resumes training
Posted on 03/06/2008 in Somerset
Andy Caddick has resumed training following major surgery to address an ongoing back problem. “I went back to the Nuffield Hospital last weekend to see my surgeon who gave me the all clear to start training again which is great news. Since then I have been swimming every day. I am feeling OK and will be going back to see the surgeon for my next check up in six week's time, just before we fly out to Abu Dhabi for the pre-season tour.”
Marcus Trescothick and Ben Phillips are also back in full training.
March 4, 2008
Somerset membership tops 5000
Posted on 03/04/2008 in Somerset
Somerset have announced that membership numbers are fast approaching 5,000. Commercial manager Guy Wolfenden said: "We have just enjoyed our busiest ever January regarding membership, during which over 2,000 signed up, which looks very good for the coming season when we will be back in the first division in both the county championship and the Pro 40 one-day competition."
September 30, 2007
Langer discusses his pitch-perfect tactics
Posted on 09/30/2007 in Somerset
Justin Langer reveals what he said to help Somerset to promotion to the top flight of the Championship. Read the interview in The Guardian.
September 25, 2007
MCC Young Cricketers snapped up
Posted on 09/25/2007 in
Joel Pope, a wicket-keeper batsman on the MCC Young Cricketers’ books, has signed a two-year professional contract with Leicestershire CCC. He will now compete for a place in the county’s team with Paul Nixon.
Two team-mates have also earned county contracts. Alex Hales, a tall right-hand opening batsman has signed a two-year deal with Nottinghamshire, while Andy Sutton, a right-arm fast bowler, has been signed by Somerset.
Leicestershire also signed England Under-19 batsman James Taylor. The
17-year-old previously played for Worcestershire's academy and second XI and
appeared in this season's Minor Counties Championship for Shropshire.
September 20, 2007
Andrew joins Worcestershire on two-year deal
Posted on 09/20/2007 in
Gareth Andrew has joined Worcestershire from Somerset on a two-year contract. Andrew, the 24-year-old medium fast bowler, found only limited first-team opportunities at Somerset – while he expects to have more chances at Worcestershire.
Continue reading "Andrew joins Worcestershire on two-year deal"
September 19, 2007
Time for salary caps?
Posted on 09/19/2007 in
A fascinating report in The Guardian looks into how county cricket pays for itself… if it does… and whether or not salary capping is a good idea.
August 11, 2007
Somerset to invest in Banks?
Posted on 08/11/2007 in Somerset
Omari Banks, the West Indies offspinner, is playing for Somerset 2nd XI with the county deciding whether to sign him for the 2008 season. Banks, who was born in Anguilla, would be available through the Kolpak route, a path not yet taken by many West Indians. Next season counties will be limited to one overseas player, so will need to find other routes to strengthen their squads.
July 23, 2007
Some county players earn less than minimum wage
Posted on 07/23/2007 in Miscellaneous
In The Sunday Telegraph , Steve James highlights the disparity between the high earners in English cricket and those at the bottom of the food chain.
The Professional Cricketers' Association estimates that a cricketer works about 50 hours a week (including play, travel, training and time spent away from home). This means, in broad terms, that a player needs to earn more than £7,000 per season to be over the minimum wage. There are definitely players earning less than that; indeed there are players earning as little as £3,000 per season.
July 1, 2007
McKenzie joins to replace White
Posted on 07/01/2007 in Somerset
Neil McKenzie, the South Africa top-order batsman, will replace Cameron White for the latter part of the season. White is expected to be involved with either Australia's Twenty20 World Championship squad or the A tour to Pakistan.
April 8, 2007
Trescothick on the double
Posted on 04/08/2007 in Somerset
Marcus Trescothick returned to the Somerset side with a bang as he smashed 256 off 117 balls in a pre-season friendly against Devon. His innings included 25 fours and 19 sixes as he continued his rehabilitation from the illness which forced him home from the Ashes tour before the first Test. His comeback action continues with a match against Cornwall on Wednesday before a one-day outing against Gloucestershire a three-day fixture against Loughborough UCCE starting on April 14.
January 1, 2007
Langer to lead Somerset
Posted on 01/01/2007 in Somerset
Somerset have confirmed that Justin Langer, who is retiring from Test cricket after the final Ashes Test at Sydney, will be their captain for the 2007 season. In a brief period at Taunton last summer Langer scored a career-best 342 against Surrey and amassed more than 400 runs in the Twenty20.
The Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose told the Press Association: "I was delighted to agree a provisional contract with Justin at the end of his highly successful five-week spell with the club in 2006, which he has now confirmed.
"We are absolutely delighted that Justin is coming back to join us as captain for the whole season, initially on a one-year contract with a provision that he may come back again for a further year in 2008.''
Langer have endured a barren period despite having the short-term assistance of players such as Ricky Ponting, Graeme Smith, Sanath Jayasuriya and Langer. Their Twenty20 title in 2005 is their only recent silverware.
"Over the last four seasons, Somerset have lacked consistent leadership - and this is what we expect Justin to bring, especially after his vast experience in Test match cricket and as captain of Western Australia,'' Rose added "His presence and influence on the side will boost our experienced players as well as helping us develop the younger players we have on the staff.''
October 25, 2006
Johnson keen to stay with Somerset
Posted on 10/25/2006 in Somerset
Former England seamer Richard Johnson is keen to stay at Somerset after talks with Kent and his old club Middlesex.
"I have spoken to a couple of counties but I am trying to sort things out with Somerset. I am very keen to stay," he told the Western Daily Press. "It is a little bit of an uncertain time at the moment but I don't want to make too much of it and I am hoping things are sorted out fairly soon."
October 17, 2006
White wash cannnot hide the cracks
Posted on 10/17/2006 in Somerset
Our transatlantic cousins would call them the losingest side in town – 24 all told – but such is the investment in youth and ground, it would be a pity to panic, albeit tempting. Except for the batting monologues of Cameron White and the accumulated nous of Andrew Caddick and Charl Willoughby – the Championship’s deadliest new-ball duo, with 129 wickets – the growing pains might be intolerable. James Hildreth’s career-best 227 against Northamptonshire could not mask dismay at the inability of himself, Arul Suppiah, Neil Edwards or even Matt Wood (despite plenty of one-day runs) to make a century in any other Championship match. That shortcoming was rammed home when the 22-year-old Australian White amassed 773 Championship runs in seven matches while deputising in the prolonged absence of the captain Ian Blackwell. If White returns and he has signed up to do – Bill Alley’s standing as Taunton’s best-loved Cobber may be in peril. As for gains, a lack of top-order runs prompted a change of keeper, with Sam Spurway an impressive substitute for Carl Gazzard. And, if Marcus Trescothick has to return to the shires to rediscover his oomph, they will be boogieing in the streets of Bridgwater.
Rob Steen The Wisden Cricketer
White wash cannnot hide the cracks
Posted on 10/17/2006 in Somerset
Our transatlantic cousins would call them the losingest side in town – 24 all told – but such is the investment in youth and ground, it would be a pity to panic, albeit tempting. Except for the batting monologues of Cameron White and the accumulated nous of Andrew Caddick and Charl Willoughby – the Championship’s deadliest new-ball duo, with 129 wickets – the growing pains might be intolerable. James Hildreth’s career-best 227 against Northamptonshire could not mask dismay at the inability of himself, Arul Suppiah, Neil Edwards or even Matt Wood (despite plenty of one-day runs) to make a century in any other Championship match. That shortcoming was rammed home when the 22-year-old Australian White amassed 773 Championship runs in seven matches while deputising in the prolonged absence of the captain Ian Blackwell. If White returns and he has signed up to do – Bill Alley’s standing as Taunton’s best-loved Cobber may be in peril. As for gains, a lack of top-order runs prompted a change of keeper, with Sam Spurway an impressive substitute for Carl Gazzard. And, if Marcus Trescothick has to return to the shires to rediscover his oomph, they will be boogieing in the streets of Bridgwater.
Rob Steen The Wisden Cricketer
September 27, 2006
Phillips heads to Taunton
Posted on 09/27/2006 in Somerset
Ben Phillips, the former Northamptonshire allrounder, has joined Somerset after moving for family reasons.
Brian Rose, the director of cricket, told the club websote: "When we learned he wanted to leave Northants for family reasons we acted quickly and I believe he will be a big asset.
"Ben can open the bowling, but he is also good at operating in mid-innings and at the death."
Phillips asked to leave Northants with a year remaining on his contract as his family had struggled to settle in the area.
September 19, 2006
Somerset secure White
Posted on 09/19/2006 in Somerset
Cameron White, the Australian allrounder, will be returning to Somerset next season after agreeing a new deal with the club. White, who hit two Twenty20 centuries in 2006 including a world record 141 against Worcestershire, will be one of the club's two overseas signings, with a second to be announced at a later date.
Brian Rose, the director of cricket, told the club website: "We are delighted to have reached agreement with Cameron for the 2007 season. He proved himself a one-day match-winner with the bat this summer and I am sure our supporters will share our pleasure in signing him again.
"He is still young and improving so we look forward to helping his development as a world class performer. The prospect of having him and Ian Blackwell in our one-day batting order is tremendous.
"Our other overseas target will also be a batsman so we are looking forward to being exceptionally strong in that department next season."
White also spoke to the website and said: "I thoroughly enjoyed my first English summer of cricket and I hope I can make a strong contribution towards the team's success in 2007."
September 14, 2006
Somerset sign two more
Posted on 09/14/2006 in Somerset
Following their signing of Steffan Jones from Derbyshire, Somerset have added two more names to their squad for next season.
Mark Turner, an England Under-19 seamer from Durham, is heading to Taunton along with Stefan Kieswetter, the South African Under-19 wicketkeeper who played at the World Cup in Sri Lanka.
Kieswetter has hit two centuries for the second XI this season and has a UK passport. Brian Rose, the director of cricket, told the club website: ""Both signings are part of our long-terms strategy. We need to nurture players from a young age and the more talent we have to work with the better."
August 24, 2006
Pitch problems
Posted on 08/24/2006 in Somerset
Brian Rose, director of cricket, has responded to mounting criticism of the Taunton square by promising to even things up.
“We want the pitches to be fair to bat and ball. In recent years, overall, they’ve been heavily loaded in favour of the bat. I’m thinking of the club’s future and developing our own bowlers. I’d like to skim the top off – the surface has become a bit bowed over the years, so this would make it flatter – re-dress it and put on an even cover of grass.”
But what does the oft-decorated groundsman Phil Frost feel about all this? “I’ve worked closely with him, we’ve both met the consultants who’ve taken core samples and there haven’t been any problems.” So, is South Australian Dan Cullen the next Tim May? His services were not re-sought after he left for Australia A duty. “Hard to judge,” says Rose. “He played two Championship games on seamers’ pitches before leaving. Jackie Birkenshaw said he had a nice loop and could go far. But it’s tough being an offie these days.”
The Wisden Cricketer, Rob Steen
July 30, 2006
Players thrive on steep earning curve
Posted on 07/30/2006 in Derbyshire
Steve James, the former Glamorgan and England opener, has revealed that the average salary for a county player is around £40,000. Surrey top the pay league, with their players earning an average salary of £60,000, and that excludes the bumper earnings of their overseas recruits. Yorkshire are at the bottom of the pay league, with an average salary of £30,000.
Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, James's article has gone a long way to dispelling the belief that county cricketers are sports paupers. While they still might to be able to hold a candle to any footballers in the Premier League, their pay is not as bad as it once was.
Click here for the full story.
July 18, 2006
Somerset five to learn fate
Posted on 07/18/2006 in Somerset
Richard Johnson, Keith Parsons, Simon Francis, Michael Parsons and Neil Edwards will all learn in the next few weeks whether they will be offered new contracts. All their deals run out at the end of the season and Brian Rose, the director of cricket, says decisions will be made soon.
Somerset are also already scouting around for next year's overseas players. They have approached Justin Langer about returning, but he won't decide his future until after the Ashes, but the county are in the market for a batsman and a bowler.
Rose said: "I am inundated with details of players who might be interested in joining us, but I need to be very selective indeed."
June 25, 2006
Blackwell targets September
Posted on 06/25/2006 in Somerset
Ian Blackwell, the Somerset captain, is hopeful he might return to action before the end of the season. He injured his shoulder in May and the early prognosis was that he would struggle to make a comeback this summer.
However, he is making good progress and told the Somerset website: "All being well I can bat again in six weeks, bowl in seven weeks and two weeks after that start throwing.By the second week in September I might be in a position to play again."
June 20, 2006
Virtuous circle
Posted on 06/20/2006 in Somerset
With many members pushing for the inclusion of homegrown youngsters, Brian Rose felt compelled to defend the signing of the Kolpak recruit Charl Willoughby. “One of our biggest concerns was our seam attack, which last year lost more than 150 playing days through injury,” says the director of cricket. But already his statement that Willoughby and Australians Cameron White and Dan Cullen “may not all play together at one time” has been reassessed – a sober reflection on the progress of those youngsters.
Still, the allrounder Peter Trego’s circuit of the shires – Taunton to Canterbury to Lord’s to rejoin the family in Weston-super-Mare – is bearing fruit, notably May’s maiden Championship century. “I went to see Peter play for Middlesex twice last year without him knowing,” says Rose a little sheepishly. “I was very impressed. I had a long chat with Embers [Middlesex coach John Emburey]. He said he has limitations but there was plenty to work with. He hits hard, can field brilliantly and swings it a bit – which will help at Taunton. And he’s very competitive.”
Rob Steen, The Wisden Cricketer
June 19, 2006
Langer arrives in Taunton
Posted on 06/19/2006 in Somerset
Justin Langer, the Australian opening batsman, has arrived in Taunton for his stint with Somerset. He will make his debut in the Twenty20 warm up match at Exmouth CC, on the Wednesday June 21.
May 30, 2006
White to lead Somerset
Posted on 05/30/2006 in Somerset
Australian allrounder Cameron White has been named Somerset skipper in the absence of injured Ian Blackwell, who has been ruled out for up to four months with a shoulder injury.
April 25, 2006
Slow over rate for Somerset
Posted on 04/25/2006 in Somerset
Somerset have been docked half a point for their slow over rate during their Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol
April 12, 2006
Redevelopment study to be revealed
Posted on 04/12/2006 in Somerset
A Press Conference will be held in the Colin Atkinson Pavilion at the County Ground in Taunton on Wednesday, April 19 at 10am, to unveil the results of a SWRDA funded Feasibility Study on the redevelopment of the ground.
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