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The Forumer's Ashes

Howe_zat

Howe_zat

Audio File
Day One

Somerset Invitational XI: BeeGee, Mork, Phlegm, Teja, Hildreth, Jansen, Dharan, Dong, Thomas, Dockrell, Overton
Australia XI: Cassidy, Lewis, Super, Monk, Spark, Loblaw, Haddin, Wayne, Suifdadny, Player, Stephen


The visitors won the toss and chose to have first use of the easy batting surface at Taunton.


Cassidy was in trouble early on, gifting the easiest of catches to Phlegm off the third ball of the match, but recieved a life as the allrounder fluffed the take. He failed to take advantage, being out to Alfonso Thomas instead for a 10-ball duck. Thomas then endured a battering at the hands of Super, who raced to 41 off 34 balls, but found himself bowled by Dong within the hour to leave the visitors on 63/2. Monk and Lewis made progress with their stand of 46, but Thomas came back on just before the interval to have Monk caught at slip, and allow the home side to claim the opening session.


Thomas would continue to hassle the Australians after the break, Spark making only 9 before becoming the South African's third wicket and leaving Australia vulnerable on 117/4. Through all this Lewis was still there, and with new batsman Loblaw the tourists began to take control of the afternoon session. Lewis raised his fifty off 137 balls, and Loblaw soon caught up, taking advantage of some wayward bowling by Dong to reach the half century from 63 balls. At tea the stand had reached 95 and the 200 was up.


Half an hour into the evening session that had been extended swiftly to 151, with both batsmen eyeing hundreds. Lewis was not to make it, caught on the boundary off Phlegm for 91, but Loblaw completed his ton soon after from only 108 deliveries. Hakon Mork was brough on with the old ball, and conceded nine off his opening over to the rampaging no. 6 batsman, but got his man an over later, caught in the gully for a run a ball 122. Haddin was to follow, the medium pacer getting his lbw for 14, and as the hosts delayed taking the new ball Wayne fell to Dockrell for 20.


Australia had slipped from 314/5 to 341/8, but Suifdadny was able to chip in to raise his team's 350 in the dying light, and would survive until the following morning.


 
Howe_zat

Howe_zat

Audio File
Day Two

The remaining two wickets were claimed within quarter of an hour of the new ball, with one each for Overton and Thomas.





The surface remained a fine one for batting, and as Mork and Beegee compiled their fifty stand there were fears among the Australian camp that they may have compiled a sup-par total, but the introduction of Stephen just before lunch gave them an inroad with the wicket of Mork, lbw for 27. After the break Phlegm, promoted to his favoured position of three, also departed in the 20s. But Beegee raised a composed fifty while taking the Invitational XI into three figures. By tea he had reached 70*, and with support from Teja the home side were well on the way to a first innings lead on 167/2.


After tea the pair continued the way they had begun, carefully seeing off a tight spell from Lewis before putting away some of the looser stuff from the legspinners. Teja raised his fifty with the same shot as his team's 200. He was dropped on 60 by Haddin, though it would have been a remarkable take had he landed it, and for the most part the attack looked to be waiting for the new ball.


Even after it came, with the score on 233/2, the breakthrough continued to evade the Australians and Beegee brought up his century, from 262 balls. Stumps could not come quickly enough for the tourists, whose lead was down to only 111 with eight first-innings wickets still to take.

 
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Howe_zat

Howe_zat

Audio File
Day Three


Things only went from bad to worse for the Australians on the third morning. Not a single wicket arrived as Teja raised his ton, Beegee his 150 and the score advanced to a humiliating 355/2 at the interval.


With the lead down to just 4, Lewis finally got the breakthrough as the offspinner bowled Teja for 118. Lewis had Hildreth next, caught at slip for 4, and having been by far the most economical bowler his figures were suddenly looking good with 2-33. The hosts advanced steadily past 400, Lewis continued to be the threat, trapping Jensen lbw for 33. Two overs later he got the big one as Beegee edged him to slip for a fine 183. With the two seamers on a combined 0-193, Australia eschewed the new ball and Lewis rewarded the faith. Just before the tea break he got Dong caught out for 15, completing a five-wicket haul and single-handidly keeping his side in the game. The score was 444-7.


Eventually Suifdadny was granted the new ball, but Haddin dropped the edge he induced off Dharan. Further breakthroughs kept on eluding the opening bowlers, and the fifty stand came up between Dharan and Thomas. A run out of Thomas ended that partnership, and though the 500 came with a couple of lusty blows from Overton, Lewis took his sixth to remove him before Wayne ended the innings by claiming Dockrell. Australia would begin their second innings 154 behind.





Lewis would not be able to drag Australia through yet again in the third innings as he fell to Overton for 9, and the away side would have grave need of their batsmen to fire on the fourth day.


 
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