ESSEX V SOMERSET - 11/07/2010



Crafty Stan will be trading the T20 game between Essex and Somerset starting at 14:40 BST on 11/07/2010. Crafty will be starting with a trading balance of 500 points.

2:37pm - Hi all. We are all set for todays game between Essex and last years T20 champions. Essex will be batting first.

2:45pm - This looks a very good track with a lightning outfield. Essex could put on a big score today. Bopara will be crucial to this in the absence of Ryan Ten Deschate. Alfonso Thomas bowls an economical first over. Essex 3-0 off 1.

2:47pm - An early back of Essex of 75 points for me. 9-0 off 2 overs. Position is -75 Somerset, +82.50 Essex.

Apologies. These are the respective teams: ESSEX - A.Cook, R.Bopara, M.Walker, M.Pettini, G.Flower, S.Styris, J.Foster, T.Phillips, J.Mickleburgh, D.Masters, C.Wright.
SOMERSET - M.Trescothick, P.Trego, J.Hildreth, K.Pollard, Z.DuBreyn, J.Buttler, A.Suppiah, B.Phillips, A.Thomas, M.Karthik, M.Turner.

2:50pm - Essex starting to increase aggression here. Bopara hits two lovely powerful straight drives. 27-0 off 3.3 overs.

2:55pm - Great start here. 41-0 off 5 overs. I've gone in again. 50 more on Essex @ 2.00. -125 SOMERSET +132.5 ESSEX

3:01pm - Silly shot for me. Cook moves across his stumps to Pollard and gets cleaned up. End of the powerplay. 47-1. Honours even I'd say now.

3:10pm - I'm hoping for 100-1 or better off 13 overs. I'd probably be looking to trade a bit out of my position at that stage. Alternatively I may have to wait for trading opportunities down the line. This Somerset attack has two great bowlers in Karthik and Thomas but the rest are very ordinary for me and this batting line up can get a big score.
Essex 60-1 off 8 overs.

3:30pm - Didnt quite get the price I was looking for trade wise. Essex are 115-2 off 14 overs. Good position but market loves Somerset too much for me.

3:48pm - 147-4 off 18 overs. Should get 165-170. A little short of what I was looking for so hoping for some big acceleration here. Bopara on for a ton here potentially.

4:00pm - Well well well. Like I said at the beginning, Bopara the key. Just as Essex looked to have lost their way, Bopara smashed the last three balls of the innings out of the park. Essex score 173-6 in total. Bopara gets a brilliant not out 105

4:18pm - Somerset off to a useful start. 15-0 off 2 overs. An excellent second over from Styris has stifled the oepning over blaze from Trescothick and Trego.

4:23pm - A simply pathetic over from Wright ends fortuitously as he gets a wicket to end it. 14 overs the cost. Trego didn't need to go hell for leather having eased fourteen off the first five balls. 29-1 off 3 overs. Essex slight favs. Will hold my position for now.

4:31pm - Tresco making a mockery of me holding my position by smashing the ball to all parts. 55-1 off 5 overs. Need a breakthrough badly.

4:46pm - Somerset looking good at the moment. 86-1 off 9 overs. 88 needed off 11 over at exactly 8 an over. Couple of tight overs and a quick wicket or two could turn this one around but Tresco the key.

5:00pm - Laid Somerset at 1.14. Look comfortable but I could still see them mucking it up if the big blow of Trescothick's wicket is landed. Phillips looked like he was causing problems out there. 57 needed off 7 overs.

5:03pm - Styris on to bowl. Hildreth gets himself a very lucky boundary top edging. Trescothick spoons one up in the air.. oh dear its six. This is destined to end in tears it seems. To end the over Tresco sweeps it up in the air just landing short of the fielder. Frustrating. 45 needed off 6 overs.

5:04pm - Phillips get his man! Trescothick is caught on the rope by Grant Flower. 130-2. 44 required off 35 balls with 8 wickets left. Here comes the big fella Keiron Pollard.

5:07pm - End of the over. Pollard seeing himself in. 134-2 off 15. 40 needed off 30 balls @ 8 an over.

5:11pm - The terribly mediocre Chris Wright comes on. Goes for nine off the over. Waste of space that lad. 31 needed off 24 balls @ 7.75 per over.

5:13pm - Length delivery from Masters. Pollard hits it to Colchester. Moronic bowling there.

5:17pm - WICKET - Probably too late. Bopara bangs one in short and Pollard obliges by lofting one to Mickleburgh. 18 needed off 16 balls with 7 wickets left.

5:21pm - And another. Definitely looks too little too late. Hildreth trapped in front by Bopara. 12 needed off 13 balls. Still the six wickets in the bank.

5:24pm - Wright continues.. oh dear. 11 off 11.

5:26pm - He's gone for six off the first four balls. 6 off 8 needed.

5:28pm - What kind of idiot must Foster be to bowl this clown. Take his 1-45 off 4 out of the game and Essex could well have won. 1 needed off the entire last over. Apologies folks. Hope you have more fun with the World Cup.