PHILINFRANCE

VdeM has just bowled Howell. KN-B Caught. 5 down and getting tighter.

OK, I read on Grockles a few minutes ago that the sun was shining, but it was raining. In any event, D/L will be against us now - we were ahead when I posted, but 3 4s from TG have ruined that. We shall just have to win normally now - Cockbain out as I type.

When does the D/L kick in? Is it after 5 a minimum of 5 overs?

Regardless of the 'strange' D/L calculation - how can Essex be set a target 2 runs less than our score when they know from the outset they only need to bat 29 overs - we only scored 22 runs for 6 wickets in the last 5ish overs, let Essex, with 1 wicket left, score 33 from their last 3 overs and 15 from the last. Astonishing.

So what sort of time do you get up and have breakfast, then .

Out of interest, what is the general preference for a thrilling match? Almost 900 runs in one day - exceptional. A high-scoring and tense finish, with a one wicket victory (Glos/Somerset). Or a low-scoring Championship game, seeing a certain Mr Batty go red in the face (for a change) with another tense, one-wicket victory.

And Northants, despite scoring 425 runs at almost 9 runs an over, lost by 20 runs - and they still had 10 balls left!

It would seem so.

Yes, a difficult one. I mentioned during/after the Sussex match that a top class bowler would have been a good idea, but one can't overlook that, just like a goalscorer in football, a batsman like CG puts bums on seats.

I see CG has got off to an excellent start this evening 36 off 13. Does, say, one fantastic innings every three innings justify his fee?

By all accounts, he (Ryan Davies) is an excellent keeper and, potentially, a good batsman. Given his lack of experience, he is probably batting too high in the order at present, but all the talk from Taunton is that he will come good (eventually).

I am not sure I agree totally with the 'all eggs in one basket' argument - they did sign Jayawardene after all, but I do think they should have considered, probably given preference to a top class bowler, given that the batting is not too bad in the one day (50 or 20 overs) format. Chris Gayle, however, (and I grimaced/winced, rather than laughed, when he was out - to a cracking ball, it must be said) does sell tickets, and I don't think we are in any doubt as to the why he was signed: to be fair, and despite all the negative comments yesterday, when he plays a good innings he is something else and well worth the entrance fee for that alone.

CG seems a bargain! How much again? A decent bowler might have been a good idea.

Good start for Somerset! Chasing 223 and Jim Allenby is bowled 2nd ball. So CG and Trego to show it should be done.

That's interesting. I didn't realise he had signed again for this season. Somerset kept that pretty quiet .

All over. Won by 5 wickets with centuries for both Taylor and Klinger, who went to 102 with a 6 off the last ball!

And I note that the slow bowlers have just been replaced with Leach (RFM) and Morris (RMF). Coincidental, I am sure. I may be mistaken, but I don't think the batsmen are 'offered' the light any longer, are they? Don't the umpires now decide by themselves? Oh Dear. Never Mind. Somerset are on later, and they have floodlights at Hove just in case. They are back on again!

At the end of last season. Against all odds, however (hopefully), we have got off to a pretty good start this morning and, weather permitting, might yet escape from this debacle later today/tomorrow.

There we are - 300 up and, without wishing to tempt fate, quite a tidy partnership developing between Treeego and Gregory.

Especially as CG was somewhat scathing about CR in his recently released biography!

I saw Allenby's shot on that site - a shocker indeed. Apparently the pitch is very, very slow and destined to deteriorate further - some balls keeping low, but this morning's fall of wickets (Allenby excepted) appears to be due to a combination of new ball and weather (muggy and cloud cover). I can't recall whether Gregory's recent wonderful performance was at Lords or the Oval.

I see that Tomarse's favourite 20/20 specialist is in the news again for all the 'right?' reasons. By the way Tom, i see from that other site you are sceptical we shall reach 300 - at 11H51 I am quite confident, even with five wickets down.

Although, interestingly, Allenby came good yesterday - with his batting, anyway.

Does anybody (Tomarse,Phantom?) have any idea who dropped Bell-Drummond early on in his wonderful innings?

Not too dramatic a change due to the Test match, though - 'only' missing Root and Bairstow. I think Yorkshire have also been hit by a number of injuries to their bowlers (Bresnan, Fisher and now Willey), although their squad is so strong this will be barely noticed.