Another, pretty much full strength, team:-

Yates (Captain)
Jani
Mousley
Shaikh
Smith (Keeper)
Garton
Dandy
Taz Ali
Bamber
Simmons
Sylvester.

Interesting that Kai is keeping (rather than Dandy) and Bamber is playing. I would'nt be surprised if 6 of that side (Yates, Mousley, Shaikh, Garton, Simmons & Bamber and Smith, keeping), might be in contention for the Blast on Friday.

Somerset won the toss and chose to bowl.

So has Dan pulled out of the Lions game starting Friday I assume?

Surprised OHD isn't playing. Looks like they are trying to instill some confidence in Yates and Garton. Good sign Mousley is in so presumably he has been released from Lions duty.

Century for Yates so that will do him the world of good!

KingofSpain wrote:

Century for Yates so that will do him the world of good!

Yep, a really well played, quick century as well. And a quick 42NO from Kai. Both very promising for the Blast.

ExiledBrummie wrote:

So has Dan pulled out of the Lions game starting Friday I assume?

Probably not, I guess he's just been released for this 2nds game.
I forgot he should be playing for the Lions on Friday, so almost certainly won't be available for the Blast game, as I suggested.

And Jani got a quick 34 (off 24 balls), in a 117 stand for the first wicket with Yates, in 10 overs, so he might not be far away from a Blast game.
Somerset already 3 down - 2 wickets for Mousley, 1 for Sylvester. Sylvester, first change, already looking more effective than Garton & Bamber, opening (Bamber, 16 runs off his first over - not far off, what Sylvester was hit for in his last Blast game!).

Somerset all out for 129, a win by 89 runs.
Wonderful bowling from the Bears, particularly Adam Sylvester, who clearly has sorted out some of his demons from the Blast game on Saturday - 3 overs , 3 for 11 !
Dan M also took 3 wickets (for 25 runs in his 3 overs), Taz Ali, 2 wickets for 22 (3.2 overs) and 1 apiece for Garton (18 runs, off 3 overs) and Simmons (an expensive 35 runs, off 3 overs). Bamber did just have 1 over - for 16 runs ! 2 catches behind the stumps for Kai Smith.
On the basis of this game, I'd say Yates must be a shoo in for Friday's Blast match (but who for?) and Smith could well be keeping. Can't see Bamber forcing his way in (or Sylvester being given another chance) and so the expensive, but effective Simmons, will probably play.

Got to say never paid so much interest to 2nd XI games as these last couple as a rangefinder for the first team. Of today's I think Kai Smith was probably the most useful contribution. Though he came in at five that's the sort if impetus we need from seven in the first team and a good indicator they want him to take the gloves - which is needed to balance the side.

Not sure how much Garton took from it but his figures seem OK and must help as I think management want him back in the firsts. Yates obviously had the most success today but I think it slightly muddies the water. Having a firing Yates means he can only really replace Latham and that doesn't add much firepower to our side.

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

ExiledBrummie wrote:

So has Dan pulled out of the Lions game starting Friday I assume?

Probably not, I guess he's just been released for this 2nds game.
I forgot he should be playing for the Lions on Friday, so almost certainly won't be available for the Blast game, as I suggested.

According to the ECB Mousley has returned to the Bears https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/4278117

Good figures from Slim Sylvester so he has something, we should get him fitter and bring him back for the One Day Cup campaign.
It seems T20 isn't Bamber's game so we should go with OHD or Simmons. Garton needs to step up next go, he is a senior player we have invested good money on.
I'm excited by Kai Smith. He's got that X Factor about him. We are lucky to have a talented young keeper. Only a few years ago we were struggling to find a good wicketkeeper batsman.

Tayls79 wrote:

Got to say never paid so much interest to 2nd XI games as these last couple as a rangefinder for the first team. Of today's I think Kai Smith was probably the most useful contribution. Though he came in at five that's the sort if impetus we need from seven in the first team and a good indicator they want him to take the gloves - which is needed to balance the side.

Not sure how much Garton took from it but his figures seem OK and must help as I think management want him back in the firsts. Yates obviously had the most success today but I think it slightly muddies the water. Having a firing Yates means he can only really replace Latham and that doesn't add much firepower to our side.

I was going to post on a dedicated thread but this is as good a place as any:

looking at the development of Ethan Brookes in all formats, does anyone not regret letting him go and paying (what I imagine to be) decent money for GG to be a one-format flop?

I have been following Ethan at Worcs, nearly won the CC game against Essex with an explosive rescue job with the bat smashing boundaries all over the place, gets wickets or bowls tidy spells in white ball as a really good 4th seam option with his varieties, superb fielder who takes worldy catches.......

and then we have George Garton. lol.

i will admit i can understand entirely why he left and I can kind of understand why we didn't give him more chances, but that kind of 'sliding doors' moment where his and Garton's careers crossed, his went upwards, and GG... well we have all seen the results. Alanis Morissette wrote something about it, once...

Brookes was coming through at the same time as Bethell and Mousley. If you need to ration salaries, you could understand focusing on the latter pair. Only then do you find that they'll hardly ever play for you because England/IPL/Undead keep pinching them. Perhaps we shouldn't be developing the best players?!

UrsaMinor wrote:

Brookes was coming through at the same time as Bethell and Mousley. If you need to ration salaries, you could understand focusing on the latter pair. Only then do you find that they'll hardly ever play for you because England/IPL/Undead keep pinching them. Perhaps we shouldn't be developing the best players?!

yeah, like i said I can understand why we didn't give him more chances. like I also said, we could have kept him instead of taking on Garton's salary.