ralphindevon

He’s there at the moment, which may have fuelled the rumours or may be there to sign.

There was something inevitable about this match from the moment Essex won the toss. They would score a shed load of runs, we’d struggle under the pressure of those runs then we’d bowl and bat much better but the game would already be lost. I think we’ve seen this pattern before a number of times but when we get a game where we start on the front foot then we’re easily capable of winning. Fair play to Surrey, that’s an incredible run chase.

True, though for those looking at the other end of the table a Kent defeat wouldn’t be a bad thing

Harmer and Overton having a longish face to face chat at the wicket. The commentator suggesting it was a friendly chat, I’m not so sure. Would love to have heard the convo.

I wasn’t at Northampton but remember it well, listening to either commentary or updates. It was a Sunday in September and we’d been picking apples. As you say, there was fight in the very youthful team and although it was a shock hearing us let in 7 it did feel at that time that we had already hit rock bottom and thing’s would improve. The two games that confirmed our phoenix like rise from the ashes for me were, one nil down two one up we knocked Rovers out the cup and Chester. I must admit after what we’d been through I wasn’t expecting to reach the top tier anytime soon but remember thinking how brilliant it would be being an established 2nd tier club. Well that’s what we are now and after over 40 years maybe it will be our turn to experience the top flight again……soon!

It’s funny you say that. I was living in Carcassonne in 2005 so well out of reach for any English radio. But during the 3rd test, I had a job at a house high up in the Black Mountains. After a couple hours there one day I got fed up with the station I was listening to and decided to retune. Imagine my surprise when all of a sudden I could hear a voice say “and Trescothic plays that back down the pitch to McGrath” It was a very dodgy reception that would come and go but at least I could keep up with the score. A French electrician working in the house thought I was mad listening to this barely audible radio. He was even more incredulous when days later he found me unsuccessfully trying to tune in again, asking if it was another cricket match I said no, the same one still going and it’s looking like a draw!

A tad before my time but John Shaw?

Me and a couple friends decided the night before we couldn’t possibly miss this match. So in a pub in Minehead, where we all lived nearby, we arranged to meet in the morning and my old car would be fine to get to Bristol and we’d get on one of the coaches. Nothing booked. luckily when we arrived at Ashton Gate Beryl (a real genuine City legend) soon sorted us out with some seats on the final coach, it was something between a mini bus and a proper coach, maybe 20 odd seats. We took up the back seat and radio 1 was playing some bank holiday best of the 80s or similar. Such a brilliant and exciting journey up. The journey home was just a party bus all the way home, I remember stopping at a service station which had a few coaches of Swansea fans, they didn’t know what had hit them when a dozen City coaches pulled in. If the days of your life are represented by pebbles on a beach, very occasionally you come across a gem. This was a gem of a day.

Yeah the 3 clubs below us that are olaying are all in top in their matches. I reckon we'll get enough points in the remaining games to maintain our record breaking stay in the top flight

Agree but as the Indians are the main offenders, they can’t even get a T20 match played in a reasonable time, I doubt much will change

Great to see both teams docked money, India 100% of their match fee, Australia 80% for slow over rate. Great interview with Tres just now on Sky talking about the 2005 Ashes. What a series that was, barely a boring session never mind day

I did have a lovely photo of Mark Gavin scoring a penalty v Walsall the day we won promotion in 1990. I was stood behind the goal in the open end. A very hot May day, promotion and a 4-0 victory but most of us were still in shock from what had happened a few days before.

I was at Chester and it still remains my favourite away days, trouble is my smartphone battery went dead so no photos. Seriously, it was a great day but a bank holiday and as most photographers had worked Saturday they didn’t seem keen on working Monday too. There was some good photos in the WDP the next day, including Terry Cooper being lifted on a players shoulders and nearly falling off, which would have been catastrophic as they were stood up in the stand with a big drop. I’d love to see them again.

I think they, the commercial dept, we’re worried it may all be over by lunch tomorrow. If the umpires have had any feedback, which I’m sure they have, there’s no way they were giving that not out.

Bit surprised they haven’t enforced the follow on

Clear LBW, out! Now what was I saying about us visiting Essex?

Very good toss to win but we rarely get anything go our way at Essex. That's how it feels anyway. Cook hasn't been too prolific this season but we turn up, he gets dropped and off he goes

Why do we even bother going to Chelmsford. Already wondering if we can bat out a draw

Difficult start for Somerset but what a cracking first 1st class over for Bashir. Not that the annoying Don Topley recognised the fact it was his first ever over. I love Bashir more each day.

The one and probably only thing I like about BT sport is they don’t waste ages apologising when someone swears. If that was Sky when Pep dropped the F word even at this time of night they would have spent 5 minutes saying sorry.

And then Grealish admitting he was rubbish. Wonder if Inter wished they had gone on the front foot more early on

If you’ve got a smart tv it should have the BT app, I’m watching via that and it’s perfect

I’m still disappointed Haaland didn’t get on the pitch at Ashton Gate, would have loved to see him play live even for 20 minutes. Shame Pep thought the opposition too tough for him.

Excellent spell Shoaib. Excellent. Star of thr future hopefully Nearly but not for a home draw quite

Well it soon went from game on to winning at a canter