Inviting the opposition to bat first at Taunton was always likely to prove a risk, but in Marcus Trescothick’s worst dreams he can barely have imagined how badly the decision would backfire
George Dobell at Taunton15-Apr-2011Stumps
Scorecard
Inviting the opposition to bat first at Taunton was always likely to prove a risk, but in Marcus Trescothick’s worst dreams he can barely have imagined how badly the decision would backfire.By the time Warwickshire were bowled out, deep into the second afternoon, they had amassed an eye-watering 642 runs. That represents the sixth highest total in their first-class history and, by some distance, the highest score they’ve made having been inserted.It left Somerset’s pre-season tags as championship favourites looking highly questionable. While no-one disputes they have some quality batsmen, their bowlers will have to improve markedly on this performance if they’re really to claim that elusive first title.For this is not nearly such an easy batting surface as Warwickshire’s scoreline might suggest. While it’s clearly no mine-field, there is enough help to assist anyone pitching the ball in the right area, but the Somerset attack lacked the pace, consistency or skill to exploit it.If that was not apparent when Warwickshire batted, it certainly was when they bowled. The Taunton pitch suddenly appeared a seamer’s dream as ball beat bat more in an hour than it had in the previous day-and-a-half as Somerset lost six wickets in the final session. Though bad light spared them the final six overs of the day, they will resume on day three requiring another 346 just to avoid the follow-on.There are a couple of mitigating factors. Firstly, Warwickshire have played some very good cricket in this game and secondly, Somerset were obliged to bat in unusually gloomy conditions that would, only a few years ago, have prevented any play.But Somerset would be fooling themselves if they hid behind those excuses. The truth is they have, to date, been out-batted and out-bowled by a team who were tipped by the bookies to suffer relegation.There have been two key differences. Firstly, Warwickshire’s batsmen have appeared more willing to work for their runs. They’ve appeared more patient, more disciplined and more hungry, while their bowlers have appeared quicker and more able to exploit any help available in the surface.And then there’s Trescothick’s captaincy. If his original decision to insert Warwickshire was questionable – and, despite the score that remains debatable – his tactics during the Warwickshire innings were bewildering. The lack of a third man cost Somerset heavily, while his decision to employ Steve Kirby – who remained on the field throughout and whom the club insist is fit – for just two overs on the second day was mystifying. The bowlers must take some of the blame for conceding nearly four-and-a-half an over throughout, but they were not helped by some curious field placingsWith Peter Trego and Gemaal Hussain unable to stem the flow of runs, it left Ajantha Mendis and Charl Willoughby carrying a heavy burden. The Sri Lankan, who bowled immeasurably better than the previous day, finished with the most expensive figures of his career, as did Hussain, while the 36-year-old Willoughby appeared exhausted after his 34 overs.The chief architect of the Warwickshire innings was Varun Chopra. Having invested in a patient start to his innings, the 23-year-old reaped rich rewards by completing a maiden first-class double century. Very well he played, too.But, almost as impressive as Chopra, was the batting of Chris Woakes. The 22-year-old swing bowler recorded his fourth first-class century as Warwickshire turned the screw on the second day, punishing a tiring attack, and timing the ball with a sweetness that few young players can match. Truly, if Woakes couldn’t bowl, he’d still be a decent England prospect.His century here occupied just 106 balls and contained an array of strokes all around the wicket. It’s interesting to note that this was Woakes’ third championship century; as many as Eoin Morgan has managed to date.Though Mendis finally found one to nip back and end Woakes and Chopra’s 123-run stand for the seventh-wicket, Woakes then added 110 in 24 overs for the eighth wicket with the increasingly fluent Ant Botha. Every run seemed to grind away at Somerset’s spirit and heads had dropped long before Woakes drove to mid-off, Andrew Miller missed a straight one and Botha drove to long-off.Somerset’s reply actually started pretty well. Though Trescothick fell in the first over after tea, edging a loose drive to first slip, Arul Suppiah and Nick Compton took the score to 118 for 1 without undue alarm. Suppiah, neat off his legs and elegant through the covers, looked particularly fluent.All that good work was undone, however, when Suppiah cut a short ball straight to gully to precipitate a collapse that saw Somerset lose five wickets for 24 runs in 7.5 overs. Compton was left groping by Woakes’ swing, before James Hildreth’s timid poke only saw an inside edge on to his stumps. Jos Buttler edged a beauty from the sharp Rikki Clarke that bounced and left him before Criag Kieswetter’s oddly frenetic innings ended when he edged a drive to slip.Had Trego, on five, been caught, as he should have been, by Botha at gully, it could have been even worse for Somerset. But for a side with title aspirations, this has been a remarkably chastening experience to date.
