Time for Somerset to be cast into minor counties?

[Rachael]

Well, Somerset have been serial offenders for so many years than mere fines and point deductions would be a joke.. and as many seem convinced this country has too many domestic sides I propose that an example be made of a county that has just produced a pitch on which 1283 runs have been racked up by just a handful of batsmen with no bowler able to even compete let alone dominate.

For producing a pitch that creates NO prospect of a contest between bat and ball... and which might as well have been coated in the world's finest tarmac... relegation to the minor counties would surely be a mild reprimand.

[greg]

The pitch is obviously a joke but sending them to the minor counties is a little over the top.Maybe dock them all the points they win in this game and tell them not to replicate the situation again.

[adamberry]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Somerset relaid their square this winter. Quite frankly, if they've made the pitch a batsman's paradise when Taunton is already such a small ground, then some sort of penalty should really be implemented. Greg's idea, plus a fine, seems adequate to me.

That said, Somerset's bowling attack isn't exactly the greatest.

[Vrock]

Surely producing pitches of this type are punishment enough to Somerset? They practially guarantee a draw every game and are losing 10 points (14 for a win, 4 for a draw) nearly every time they play at home. I know they will get the 5 points for batting quite easily but it's not as if it's helping them in terms of promotion; they are still stuck in CC2.

[pie_chucker]

Thats true Vrock, with their bowling attack they will struggle to win anything, especially on pitches that flat. Why cant the club officials see that itches that flat arent good for the development of players, just as the seamers paradises of the early '90's were bad for English cricket.

We need pitches that have a bit in it for everyone, but to Excel you have to have that bit of extra talent coupled with commitment.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Vrock

Surely producing pitches of this type are punishment enough to Somerset? They practially guarantee a draw every game and are losing 10 points (14 for a win, 4 for a draw) nearly every time they play at home.

True - but they are also restricting visiting teams to less than the 14 points for a win, also it's punishing the crowd with boring cricket.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Ernest

True - but they are also restricting visiting teams to less than the 14 points for a win, also it's punishing the crowd with boring cricket.

If they market the game as "cricket" they might get prosecuted under the trade descriptions act on the grounds that cricket requires a contest between bat and ball

[cantplaycantalk]

Perhaps they are trying to bore the opposition out?

Or maybe it is an attempt to ceer Marcus up?

[pie_chucker]

If Gordon Brown figures out how many runs are flying around at Taunton he may bring out a "run tax"

[cantplaycantalk]

Originally Posted by pie_chucker

If Gordon Brown figures out how many runs are flying around at Taunton he may bring out a "run tax"

Naah the Aussies would raise blue murder about us putting an import tarriff on Justin Langer.