Sunday 4 July 2010

Bad calls Rory

Your first two overs go for 28, coming in to the last over the opposition require 10 runs to complete a victory which at one stage looked pretty unlikely, so would you bring yourself on to bowl that over?

That's just what Rory Hamilton-Brown did today, whether it was a case of over-confidence or just a big old miscalculation, I don't know, but it was the wrong call.  On a pitch where spin had played a significant part, Glamorgan's spinners kept Surrey on a leash and Matthew Spriegel had already taken two wickets, it might not have seemed such a bad call, but Hamilton-Brown's bowling today was poor.  The first ball of the final over he speared down the leg side to concede two wides, and the next ball went for six, leaving Glamorgan a very simple task.

The batsmen got us off to a rollicking start, Lancefield and Ramprakash making the most of the powerplays and going along at better than 10 an over.  However Lancefield's dismissal signalled a quieter period for Surrey and Roy and Symonds (again, at least a place too high in the order, when will they learn?) both departed cheaply.  Hamilton-Brown contributed 18 and credit to Stewart Walters who despite collecting a couple of fortunate boundaries did well to batter 31 off 19 balls to lift the total to a competitive looking 168.

The Glamorgan innings began well for Surrey, Spriegel and Tremlett were tight but it soon became clear that Surrey were a bowler light (Tremlett was unlucky to pick up a wicket in his first over too as Hamilton-Brown shelled a sharp chance at slip).  Meaker might have that fantastic ball in his locker somewhere, but today he was too erratic and the captain had no confidence in him.  Symonds was given three overs and rarely threatened, offering up a couple of boundary balls an over which were gratefully accepted, Schofield too was expensive despite picking up the key wicket of Cosgrove.

Tom Maynard batted superbly, we've been on the end of some cracking innings this season, his was certainly one of the best, but we lost a game today we really should've won.

That puts us on the back foot, and Glamorgan now have an outside chance of picking up a quarter final spot.  Despite there being four games still remaining for us, our negative net run rate may ultimately count heavily against us in the final reckoning for a quarter final place.  Disappointing show today Surrey, and Schofield looks to have picked up an injury too, not an ideal Sunday afternoon!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I couldn't quite believe it when RHB brought himself on in that last over. Tremlett had just bowled a great second to last to give us a chance. What must he have thought when the captain took the ball for the last one? Surely the last over RHB bowled - four 4s and a single - should have suggested to him he needed to look elsewhere for the final one.

Bewildered of SE22

GreenJJ said...

Tremlett just reinforced what pretty much all Surrey fans now know, he is a class act and a very good signing! Couple of times in games RHB has given himself one too many overs and this isn't the first time its cost us, its just the most obvious. He does pick up wickets because batsmen get after him, but his economy rate is only just under 10, we can't really afford those runs...

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