I wonder what score Essex are targeting - at this rate around 600 i reckon.

Today is the fifth time in the Championship this season that Davies has won the toss. In the previous four games, he has chosen to field twice and to bat twice. He is currently unbeaten when winning the toss, with one win (Yorkshire) and three draws, so let's hope he can keep his unbeaten run going in this match, although at the moment fielding first is not looking such a good call!

As i said in my previous post, if Hain & Bethell are available then i think Taz Ali & Yates will miss out. Super Ed opened for us in the one day cup last season, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was asked to do the same against Essex next week IF we have to play Bethell.

Possible Team:

Davies
Barnard
Mousley
Hain
Malik
Webster
Bethell
Smith
Rocchiccioli
Bamber
OHD

If Hain is back then Taz Ali will miss out, i'm fairly sure of that. If Bethell is available, then Yates could miss out with maybe Barnard being pushed up to opener?

This morning i thought we'd be in a relegation fight after Essex won, now we have an outside chance of the championship!

Great innings from Mousley, Malik, Webster and well done to Kai Smith for batting so well in both innings. Webster is a quality player and i hope we can get him back for next season at some point (Aussie commitments permitting). Malik was particularly impressive, he has a good temperament for the game. If Sam Hain is back for next week's match, where does Malik move to in the side? He can't be left out after today's innings.

It's been an excellent innings from Malik, he has played a responsible innings so far. Webster too has been very good, if these two can stay together for another hour then we should have a great chance of winning this match.

Big win for Essex, they are just behind us in the table now. And we play them next match!

Hampshire & Yorkshire looking like draws, we desperately don't want to lose to the bottom club today.

As i speak we lose a wicket! Webster in now, he'll probably think we can still win the game from here.

Davies should resign after this shambles of a performance. If he doesn't resign then Westwood needs to wield the axe and replace him with Barnard. Should we lose this match and at Essex next week, we'll be looking over our shoulder at relegation.

200 runs for Ethan now in the match - can't we swop him for Davies?!

Come on young Kai, give us an innings to remember.

Mousley really struggles batting at 3 in four day cricket, i really think it would be best for him to move down the order and bat at 6 or 7. I think Malik is a more responsible batter so either give him or Shaikh a run at 3.

I would also like to see Simmons given a run over the last few games of the season, as an opening bowler not 5th or 6th change at 2.30 in the afternoon.

Sums Davies up though - not inspirational in any shape or form.

Westwood surely has to make a change soon, enough is enough.

I think Gilchrist will be a replacement for Rushworth, who surely has come to the end of his playing days with us. Let's just hope he doesn't have a similar injury record!

A great performance this evening with both bat and ball, although the opposition weren't the best! Good to see Lintott take some wickets, and for Davies & Latham to get big scores.

So Somerset away, they're a decent side but not unbeatable by any means. We've batted pretty well throughout the Blast but our bowling has been inconsistent, we'll need to get the right blend in our bowling attack on the day.

Will Booth be fit for the quarter-final? Also is Beau Webster returning?

That's a blow to be without Hain. Yates will probably bat at 6, and hopefully Lintott will produce a decent bowling performance tonight.

Today's result sums us up - inconsistent. We will be extremely lucky to get 4th place now. Our bowling today was shambolic, far too short during the powerplay then bowling lots of full tosses. Apart from Bethell & Mousley, all our bowlers are very experienced, it's hard to understand why all of them managed to bowl such rubbish. Why did none of them try something different? Bowl a bit wider, change the angle, go around the wicket. And there didn't seem to be many slower deliveries today, when they started to get bashed about for some reason they tried to bowl quicker.

As for our captain, where was he today? When things go against us he is so uninspiring, there is no authority about him at all. For me, the first step on the ladder to build a successful team is to start with a decent captain, under his leadership we will achieve absolutely nothing. It's probably too late to do anything this season, but for next year there has to be a change.

I can't believe that Derek Randall bowled and got the wickets of Kallicharran, Amiss & Smith - a real feather in the cap for Arkle!

So with the crunch game coming up tomorrow will Westwood stick with the out-of-sorts Latham or replace him with Yates?

I personally would go with Yates, much better fielder plus i thought he batted well for his 19 runs against Lancs in the week. However, i suspect Westwood will stick with Latham.

Everyone being fit i reckon it will be an unchanged side.

At the moment Durham, Lancs, ourselves & Northants have 28 points, Leics & Notts have 24. Lancs currently look as though they will lose to Yorks.

Durham, Lancs & Leics have 3 games to play, ourselves, Northants & Notts have 2.

To play::

Durham: Lancs A, Leics H, Northants H

Lancs: Durham H, Yorks A, Notts A

Bears: Northants H, Derbys A

Northants: Bears A, Durham A

Leics: Worcs A, Durham A, Yorks H

Notts: Worcs A, Lancs H

Notts have just beaten Durham - that puts them 4 points behind us with two games to play. On the other hand it keeps us on the same points as Durham, although they have a game in hand.

Northants win as well, puts them level on points with us. Tasty game coming up on Sunday!