Tayls79 wrote:

Webster gets a para on his own. I can see why someone mentioned he was chewing up balls early stages but that hitting makes it up. He was driving at length balls which most other players couldn't reach.

he got to his 50 off 35 balls which by his standards this season wasn't too slow- got a couple of early boundaries which helped.

there seems to be a massive difference between Beau on a decent pitch with smallish boundaries at Taunton, and on absolute puddings at Worcester/Bristol or slow turners at TB.

He was driving at length balls which most other players couldn't reach.
wasn't he just! at least a couple of times both the radio and Somerset CC comms teams were almost in awe of the lengths he could drive off. he was getting serious connections and even shots along the ground were going like bullets, his offside driving through the line was a dream to watch.

Nice to see a big man scoring so many runs and not all of it just going over cow, there was a lot more than muscle to that ton.

Andy wrote:

Yeah was thinking this about Yates, he's done well in the PP, and yes he's been pretty unselfish. From a technical point of view, he's better when he stands and plays from the crease, he's quite a clean hitter and plays fast bowling very well.

I've always felt he's a bit of a better t20 player than he's given credit for, decent record in this comp.

yeah, he had a season with Davies a couple of years back where they were very consistent getting to 50 partnership and put up a decent gross total of runs between them, but he's scored at a military-medium strike rate in the 130s exclusively. His strike rate has greatly increased this year and it seems to have been done with him playing against his natural instincts/natural game, which is why I'm so impressed at his team ethic and adaptability.

by the way, what a funny bunch of fans the Somerset crowd are. well, I say funny, i mean....

It sounded like some of the most vociferous heckling i have ever heard when Tarig was bowling- the Radio Somerset guy on BBC was audibly discomfitted, he must have said 3 or 4 times how it wasn't nice to listen to, sounded really hostile

and yet when Webster got his 100 and when he made his way to the pavilion he got an extremely generous hand from them like you'd hope from proper cricket fans. even though he'd basically won the game for us. Mousley got a good hand for his 50 too as did Davies for his knock in the QF last year.

Webster's pull shot for 6 off Gregory in the 12th over was brutal.

Well, we needed something special to win that game and we got it from Mousley & Webster in particular.

Despite bowling poorly in one game & batting poorly in the other we have at least competed in the last 2 matches.

ITE7376 wrote:

by the way, what a funny bunch of fans the Somerset crowd are. well, I say funny, i mean....

It sounded like some of the most vociferous heckling i have ever heard when Tarig was bowling- the Radio Somerset guy on BBC was audibly discomfitted, he must have said 3 or 4 times how it wasn't nice to listen to, sounded really hostile

and yet when Webster got his 100 and when he made his way to the pavilion he got an extremely generous hand from them like you'd hope from proper cricket fans. even though he'd basically won the game for us. Mousley got a good hand for his 50 too as did Davies for his knock in the QF last year.

To be honest Tariq is getting this everywhere - saw and heard much the same in the crowd at New Rd last week. And FWIW as a lifetime cricket fan and Bears supporter and member I'm distinctly uneasy about his action. I know he's been cleared twice and the bend/extension is within the ICC guidelines but that doesn't make me feel any more comfortable. I'd also question whether he's giving us anything worth the money he's being paid. For my money a very average acquisition in a long line of similar T20 signings by the club.

To be fair, after six matches, Tariq has our second best economy rate (7.04) and our second best average (25.83). But I agree that once the novelty of his action(s) wears off, he may be less effective.

At first I didnt think he was illegal, but the more ive watched him run through his variations I think his 'leggie' is illegal. That's all though.

Andy wrote:

At first I didnt think he was illegal, but the more ive watched him run through his variations I think his 'leggie' is illegal. That's all though.

i haven't put the time in to watch him closely enough but with the mystery spinners its often the 'leggie' that they have to ummm push the envelope a little

albeit, it seems to be his side-arm delivery that gets the most stick from the crowds?

anyone remember Maurice Holmes? I remember being confused by his action, when he got his sanction for chucking it was an 'aaaah thats why its seemed a bit odd' moment.

GerryShedd wrote:

To be fair, after six matches, Tariq has our second best economy rate (7.04) and our second best average (25.83).

don't take it too harshly on his behalf, people were saying the same about Hassan Ali when he was our leading wicket taker! we're a pretty tough crowd on here mate

SC_Bear wrote:

ITE7376 wrote:

by the way, what a funny bunch of fans the Somerset crowd are. well, I say funny, i mean....

It sounded like some of the most vociferous heckling i have ever heard when Tarig was bowling- the Radio Somerset guy on BBC was audibly discomfitted, he must have said 3 or 4 times how it wasn't nice to listen to, sounded really hostile

and yet when Webster got his 100 and when he made his way to the pavilion he got an extremely generous hand from them like you'd hope from proper cricket fans. even though he'd basically won the game for us. Mousley got a good hand for his 50 too as did Davies for his knock in the QF last year.

To be honest Tariq is getting this everywhere - saw and heard much the same in the crowd at New Rd last week. And FWIW as a lifetime cricket fan and Bears supporter and member I'm distinctly uneasy about his action. I know he's been cleared twice and the bend/extension is within the ICC guidelines but that doesn't make me feel any more comfortable. I'd also question whether he's giving us anything worth the money he's being paid. For my money a very average acquisition in a long line of similar T20 signings by the club.

I just found it such a contradiction, i really wouldn't have expected the warm applause for webster given how partisan they were towards Tariq

I think Somerset fans are a breed apart! They are genuinely big cricket fans and devoted to their team. It could just be that they (or some of them) have a bit if a chip on their collective shoulders about the fact that they have never won the County Championship and that maybe they don't get full respect from other counties.
Anyway, if Somerset fans are a funny bunch, thank goodness us Bears fans are totally normal.

They are a very weird crowd down there who really do like to think the entire world is against them.

I probably prefer them to Hampshire though who are just downright nasty.

ITE7376 wrote:

Andy wrote:

At first I didnt think he was illegal, but the more ive watched him run through his variations I think his 'leggie' is illegal. That's all though.

---

i haven't put the time in to watch him closely enough but with the mystery spinners its often the 'leggie' that they have to ummm push the envelope a little

albeit, it seems to be his side-arm delivery that gets the most stick from the crowds?

anyone remember Maurice Holmes? I remember being confused by his action, when he got his sanction for chucking it was an 'aaaah thats why its seemed a bit odd' moment.

Ive no issue with his side arm delivery, it's fine.

Gerryshed, how dare you. 'Normal' , I have never been so insulted in my life to be called such a challenging description. I am mad and proud of it. I remember one time (True Event) this woman said to me, "No point in being mad unless you show it" and I said to her, "Yeah, thanks Mum".

paulbear wrote:

Gerryshed, how dare you. 'Normal' , I have never been so insulted in my life to be called such a challenging description. I am mad and proud of it. I remember one time (True Event) this woman said to me, "No point in being mad unless you show it" and I said to her, "Yeah, thanks Mum".

Fair comment!
As someone said, normal is just a setting on a washing machine.

In the 80s Somerset were the cricket hooligans with a lot of drinking and bad behaviour.

They were also a glamorous side by then with Botham, Garner and Richards

I thought behaviour had improved a lot more recently whenever I’ve been to Taunton.

As for round arm bowling it’s always been a thing!

There was also the less glamorous side to having Botham Richards and Garner. Not so sure about Garner but at the time the 2 overseas players were released by Somerset (Which is why Botham left), there were loads of complaints from some of the players about the treatment by Botham and Richards of some of the younger players being openly criticised especially young bowlers who heard the remarks coming from the slips. They were visibly upset at having to hear how awful their bowling was from 2 cricketers who should have known better. We all know Botham has never been well behaved and the stories about Richards marching into opposition changing rooms and threatening journalists are also well documented. I know that Somerset were a happier team when they left though less successful but just don't remind them that they have never won the title.

Ive always thought Viv Richards comes across as being a bit of a prick. Botham too, obviously, that doesn't need saying.

Add into the mix that 1980s Somerset were captained by the ultimate (and eventually tragic) oddball in Peter Roebuck.