the cricket season is upon us again, and what a start.

in the meeting of the country bumpkins, gloucestershire snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against somerset.

hoping that this early season optimism will continue for a bit longer than it did last year.

watching the cricket: aust v. w. indies. 4 for 411, looking good! am enjoying watching steve waugh bat, he's wearing his baggy green cap (no helmet!)

that hat is 18 years old, he's worn the same one since his test debut in 1985. (someone likes tradition) it's a bit worse for wear, but the commentators say that it has been repaired and cleaned up and looks like it should have a few good years in it yet.

4 for 413 now. go aussies!

Anyone know how Hampshire are doing?
Having been to see them yet...

played 4 drawn 4, comfortably mid-table.

gloucestershire meanwhile are still top

Kent are bottom

I'm thinking of going to see Notts v Lancs in the 20's at Trent Bridge on June 16th..........should be amusing as one of the rules is that after a wicket falls if the incoming batsman is not at the crease within 45 seconds he's automatically out. Should be a good afternoon for the princely sum of £6.00

it will be interesting to see whether or not the 20's catches on with the public. there will undoubtedly be a lot of opposition from the traditionalists, but if it introduces a bigger audience to cricket then it has to be a good thing in my book.

as a result of the early finish in the england test match i was fortunate enough to witness a superb innings by brian lara against sri lanka on sky today. unfortunately, the buggers put the sri lankans reply on a channel i don't receive.

.........went today and very jolly it was too !! Lanc's first in to bat.................120 all out. Nottt's 124 for 3 in 19.1 overs

watched a few of the games on tv. have to say it has been quite entertaining. especially watching glos beat worcestershire on saturday.

A mate at work told me about recently taking his girlfriend to a match. Halfway through she asked loudly "When they all play in white how do they know who's in their team ?"

I have to point out Aqua that this is probably because she is stupid and not because she is a girl!!

I really like this new 20/20 tournament, I think it will get more people going to games which can only help the sport. Personally I can't see what the problem is with sitting in the sunshine for 5 days at a time while a group of (sometimes) athletic men move round a field.

And James Anderson? Hello nurse....
Not bad bowler either!

oops, sorry SL - twas the comment that amused me, as he said they were surrounded by 'serious' cricket followers, the source just happened to be his girlfriend.

Well done to England on the slaughter of Pakistan yesterday to make it 1-1.
Twas a great spectacle and lets hope we repeat it tomorrow.

Went to the 20's again today..............Nott's lost to Leicestershire by one run on the last ball (Nott's 258 for 5, Leic's 259 for 9)

gloucestershire thumped somerset by 10 wickets

i doubt if there is a meaner 1-day bowling attack in the country at the minute, and i wouldn't swap any overseas player for ian harvey - the man is becoming a legend in these parts.

On test match special they've just been discussing a possible 'new innovation' in television coverage. It's something that they're calling a 'periscope' camera which would pop up out of the pitch to give extra views...................shades of the 12th Man eh Moster ??

but does it test humidity in the jock-strap ?

"Let's see how that looked from the Protecto-cam"

getting back to a sensible level

i would say drop gough who is living on past reputation, and also troughton who is not quite ready yet, bring in blackwell and harmison, possibly snape as well.

ian harvey scored the first century of the 20/20 cup today. booking glos' place in the finals day.

gloucestershire la la la, gloucestershire la la la

Heady days indeed Moster, long may it continue.

What a poor effort by England today.
I reckon they thought they only had to turn to win the game.
Heres hoping the lesson will be learned and it wont happen again in this series

hopefully saturday's performance will have cheered you up hitman.

fine batting performances from tresco & solanki.

The Boys done Good !!

todays abandonment hasn't done us many favours points wise, and domestically glos would have beaten hampshire had it not pissed down

You reckon!

Sorry, automatic reaction from a defensive Hants fan...

Have just finished reading Mike Athertons autobiography 'Opening Up' - very interesting (if you like that sort of thing)

I wonder if my dads got that one - he's read so many cricket biogs that its getting harder and harder to find him new ones!

normal service is resumed, both south african openers have scored centuries, (256-0 at the moment)

338 for 0 now

338 for 1

rain, rain, rain

438 for 2 - Smith on 199 not out

Farewell Nasser. You did better than most English captains have for a long time.

He said he wanted to 'step down' for Vaughan............but is that definate ??

i think it was the right time for him to go, his tactics have become increasingly conservative, and his own form doesn't necessarily warrent a place in the side at the moment. best to go whilst still fondly remembered as being responsible for dragging the test team off its knees.

Like so many great players, he always plays better when he's not captain anyway! Lets hope the same fate doesn't fall to Vaughan.

i expect that is the first time that darren gough has topscored in an england innings. dismal batting performance, with lots of them getting out to poor shot selection.

I don't think we really need to say anything about today's play!

Boo hoo hoo and some more hoo

Glad I missed all of the England play today looking at the score!!
I went to watch Glos v Yorks at cheltenham as it is only 1/2 hour away.
Was a pretty good days cricket really and I enjoyed it especially the sight of Jack Russell
running around like a teenager with so much enthusiasm it was a pleasure to watch him.
We were missing Ian Harvey & Jonty Rhodes ( although they had a few missing )
Just a shame I was driving as I had my son with me so alcohol intake was zero.
My son watched for about 1 hour of the whole day and spent the rest of the time playing in the nets behind the stand !!

get 'em playing young hitman, we need all the help we can get

He now wants to be a footballer, cricketer or extreme sports skateboarder!!
Going to the 1 day Glos v Yorks game on Sunday, I am getting a liking for this cricket lark

Nothing like it is there Hitman?!
My parents and my little brother are going to watch Hampshire at the Rose Bowl on Monday and the weather is supposed to be glorious. Snot fair - I have to work!

No Comment

i bloody well have, drop stewart and gough, both fine players in their day but they have both gone on to long, bring in read and johnson who is probably the pick of the fit bowlers.

also someone needs to get butcher to bat in the first innings the way he does in the second. so much talent, so little concentration.

and if we could field like a test side rather than a club side that would help too

I'd keep stewart in for the series. He's still scoring more than read would even when he's past it. If you had to bring in anyone, I think I'd go for Geraint Jones.

I agree with you on Gough. He should never play for England again. I think I'd bring in Hoggard if fit enough. The big question then would be what to do with Thorpe. I think a man of his talent has to have a place found for him. But where? I would have said Nasser, but he seemed to have recovered his apetite for the game in the second innings.... hmmmm.

And take on Boycott as a batting coach. The England batsmen have to learn the art of not giving their wickets away!

it's more the amount of byes that he is conceding rather than the runs scored. 25 byes in this match alone, get a proper keeper in. jack russell would never have conceded that many.

if the top six are doing their job properly the wicketkeeper needn't average more than 15-20 runs