The B&H Cup (now called the Friends Provident Trophy)

[Yorkshire Blue]

Essex play Somerset needing to win and preferably handsomely, as its all very close and far to complicated to work out.

Somerset have a ridiculous top 6 of Trescothick, Trego, Langer, Hildreth, White and Blackwell. Their keeper Kieswetter at no.8 is also adept at applying the long handle. This is a batting line-up capable of scoring 350+ on its day, particularly on pitches like Chelmsford.

Saggers is looking like an inspired signing though, and has got Trescothick early.

[Museshrimper]

33-2 after 10 overs, Trego out for 6 now too.

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

3 down for 49, Napier has just snared White in his 1st over

[Yorkshire Blue]

3 down for 49, Napier has just snared White in his 1st over

Massive wicket that. Cameron White is a very dangerous batsman if he gets in.

The top 4 are all equal on 5 wins. It looks like Hampshire (who also tied a game and so are a point clear) will top the group as they have Statski's boys, sorry Surrey, in trouble at 37-6.

Essex obviously need to win, so the other game we are interested in is Second place Kent playing fourth place Gloucestershire. These two teams are equal on points with Essex. Kent have a marginally better run-rate than Essex, so Essex either need a bigger win than Kent, or Gloucestershire to win, but not too easily.

[Museshrimper]

Surrey are 44-6 against Hampshire, so it looks like Hants will win so they'll be through. Kent are playing Gloucs, who are both on the same points as us but beat us, so they're above on head-to-head. So, basically, unless that's a tie we're out.

EDIT: Ah, YB beat me to it, but looking at the tables the head-to-head rule is in force.

EDIT AGAIN: Sky Sports just said that most wins is the first determining factor, so I think we're still out on that?

[Yorkshire Blue]

Surrey are 44-6 against Hampshire, so it looks like Hants will win so they'll be through. Kent are playing Gloucs, who are both on the same points as us but beat us, so they're above on head-to-head. So, basically, unless that's a tie we're out.

Ah, YB beat me to it, but looking at the tables the head-to-head rule is in force.

I hope you are wrong, as IIRC the two games we lost were against Kent and Gloucs, and so would need Essex to win and their game to be called off, or a tie.

According to the Beeb:

If teams finish on equal points then the one with most wins will go through

If they are still level, the team with the higher net run-rate in the group matches will be placed in the higher position

If still equal, the side with the highest number of wickets taken per balls bowled in the group games in which results were achieved will be placed in the higher position

In the event that teams cannot be separated by any of these, lots will be drawn

[Museshrimper]

Even on most wins we're likely to go out too, though, if Surrey lose, correct?

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

No, we would be level on wins with whoever won the game between Kent and Gloucs, so we could really do with a Gloucs win, as I can't see them making up the NRR diff if we win.

[Matt the Shrimp]

Do I presume that, since wickets have fallen, we're not playing on the car park which doubles up as the square at Taunton...?

[Yorkshire Blue]

Even on most wins we're likely to go out too, though, if Surrey lose, correct?

I think its the top two who go through, so assuming Hampshire and Essex both win the table will be

Hampshire 14 pts
= Essex and the winner of Kent v Gloucs 13 pts

Both teams will have 6 wins.

Essex' NRR is currently 0.94, Kent's is 1.15 and Gloucs 0.03.

Obviously these will change depending on today's results, but if Kent win, Kent are likely to go through, baring Essex thrashing Somerset.

[canveyshrimper]

Do I presume that, since wickets have fallen, we're not playing on the car park which doubles up as the square at Taunton...?

I thought this match was a Chelmsford.

Welcome back Andy Bichel to the Essex colours.

[Yorkshire Blue]

I thought this match was a Chelmsford.

Welcome back Andy Bichel to the Essex colours.

Another wicket for Essex. Hildreth caught behind off Danish. Somerset 102-4. A couple of quick wickets here - particularly Langer's - might yet give Essex a chance of beating Kent's NRR.

[Museshrimper]

Cheers for clearing that up for me. Come on Gloucs!

[MrB]

My head hurts.

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Too much lager last night ?? :)

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Gloucs in the process of setting Kent a reasonable target

154 -3 off 33.3 overs

Somerset 122-4 off 30

[Museshrimper]

Danish has got Parsons out. 134-5 off 33.

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

We still need Langer out though...

[BLUEBLOOD]

I'm surprised Ravi hasn't had a bowl, he always seems to have this habit of picking up wickets in his first over

[Museshrimper]

We still need Langer out though...

Danish obliges! 158-6.

[Yorkshire Blue]

We still need Langer out though...

And Kaneria obliges!

Somerset 156/6.

Gloucs 219/5.

[BLUEBLOOD]

GET IN THERE DANISH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Langer out for 82 158 / 6 off 40.2

[BLUEBLOOD]

Certainly not a typical Chelmsford wicket, but i'm certainly not complaining just yet :D :D :D

[Museshrimper]

And Kaneria obliges!

Somerset 156/6.

Gloucs 219/5.

Beat you to it that time :D :p

Blackwell run out! 165-7, cant say i'm surprised someone his size got run out!

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Gloucs 241-5 off 45.4

[Museshrimper]

170-8 off 44.1, Kieswetter out. Into the bowlers now.

[BLUEBLOOD]

Aaarrrggghhh !!!!!

My Cricinfo desktop scorecard has just crashed and reverted to 10:30am

Please keep the updates coming until i can get the bugger up and running again

[Yorkshire Blue]

Certainly not a typical Chelmsford wicket, but i'm certainly not complaining just yet :D :D :D

I still think Chelmsford is a fairly lifeless wicket (not that I've actually been there for a while) and for the quicks any assistance tends to come more from the atmospheric conditions than off the pitch.

I think Chelmsford is actually quite a strange ground when it comes to that, as every so often you'll get a day when it doesn't do much and then it will start boomeranging around late in the day.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Aaarrrggghhh !!!!!

My Cricinfo desktop scorecard has just crashed and reverted to 10:30am

Please keep the updates coming until i can get the bugger up and running again

Just done the same to me. BBC says 173-9. Gloucs are 267-6 in the final over.

[Museshrimper]

SportingLife is what I use, the desktop scorecards a good. 180-9. Gloucs made 275-6.

[BLUEBLOOD]

I can't access Sportinglife from my work PC as its considered a gambling site, and our firewalls are set against them :( ... that said Cricinfo is now up and running again 186 / 9 Happy with the score but would like to keep them under 200 (or 187 for that matter :D )

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

193 all out

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

27-0 off 5 in reply

Kent 26-1 off 6 chasing 276 to win

[Museshrimper]

Stevens just gone, Kent now 55-2 off 11.3. We're 52-0 after 9.

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Essex 84-1 off 13, Chopra out for 25, Pettini 54* off 44 balls

Kent 79-2 off 16 overs

This like BT on a Friday !

[Yorkshire Blue]

Both Essex and Kent look like winning. The question is within how many overs do Essex need to win it in?

[number11]

WEll looks like Essex and Kent are in the driving seats. If they both win and it comes down to run rates we are gonna have to really finish somerset off quickly. I hope word will be sent out to them of what kind of rate we will require to perhaps ensure some 20/20 style hitting near the end. Anyone good at maths work out roughly when we will need to get the runs by if say Kent knock their target off with 3 or 4 overs to spare?

[Museshrimper]

We'll get our 75 needed to win in the next 10 I reckon.

[Yorkshire Blue]

If anyone is bored, here's how to calculate NRR (http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ABOUT_CRICKET/EXPLANATION/NETRR.html)

[Museshrimper]

I called well so far, we got 16 off last 2 overs when I said that.

Great news! Kent lost 2 wickets, and are now 134-4 with 2 new batsmen at the crease :D

[Yorkshire Blue]

I called well so far, we got 16 off last 2 overs when I said that.

Great news! Kent lost 2 wickets, and are now 134-4 with 2 new batsmen at the crease :D

MtS will be feeling the full force of my rep, if Kent knock out Essex from this position.

[Museshrimper]

We've slowed up a bit, losing Pettini and Flower. 139-3. Anyone worked out NRR stuff yet?

[number11]

MtS will be feeling the full force of my rep, if Kent knock out Essex from this position.

Well Pettini has gone.

Key may be 4 down but, unlike essex, they have a front line batsman coming in at 6, mainly due to playing Geraint Jones as an opener, which is a free which these days (sadly). Matt Walker (the cricketing one) and Key are a pretty useful 5th wicket partnership....

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

I tried to have a quick work out earlier, as if Essex had knocked the runs off in 40 overs, but it didn't make a lot of difference. I think we are relying on Gloucs.

[Museshrimper]

Key's gone. Denly and Walker at the crease, so another wicket still needed.

[number11]

Key's gone. Denly and Walker at the crease, so another wicket still needed.

Arafat is in next and he can have a slog, and I beleive has even got one or two first class centuries, so a decent tail. Two wickets for Gloucester puts us back in it. Exciting afternoon!

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Essex 184-3 off 33, so obviously trying to up the NRR. I'll have a quick add up, after the game as finished, and see if it's got us above Kent.

[Museshrimper]

We won after 34.2 overs, by 7 wickets.

Kent need 101 off the last 15 with 5 wickets.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Essex 184-3 off 33, so obviously trying to up the NRR. I'll have a quick add up, after the game as finished, and see if it's got us above Kent.

Essex win it in 34.2 overs, which should nicely increase our NRR.

Kent's run-rate is now over 7 an over, so they are going to struggle to improve their run-rate by much.

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Unfortunately, our crushing victory hasn't quite been enough to push our NRR above Kent's. However, Gloucs cannot catch us if they win. So Kent win and we're out, Gloucs win and we're through.

COME ON GLOUCS !!!!!

[Museshrimper]

91 needed off 69 balls. That looks tough!

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Kent now 6 down, although MtS is still in.

89 needed off 11 overs

[Museshrimper]

One more should do it I think.

[Museshrimper]

189-8, we're in the semi's :D

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

One more should do it I think.2 definitely will, Kent 189-8
EDIt - Beat me to it Muse :)

[Museshrimper]

2 definitely will, Kent 189-8
EDIt - Beat me to it Muse :)
I've outscored the scoring bitch :D ;)

[Matt the Shrimp]

MtS will be feeling the full force of my rep, if Kent knock out Essex from this position.

LOL... I've just got that. I presume my namesake had a good game...

:p

[Museshrimper]

Surrey ****ed up their campaign superbly :hilarious: Away to Durham it is then, shame as I'm a member this year so a home tie would've been preferred. Oh well, they'll be on TV I'm sure.

[BLUEBLOOD]

Surrey ****ed up their campaign superbly :hilarious: Away to Durham it is then, shame as I'm a member this year so a home tie would've been preferred. Oh well, they'll be on TV I'm sure.

I have to admit i was tempted by a trip to Durham next week, good practise for a few long trips SUFC have next season, but considering there is a Test at The Riverside between Friday and Tuesday i think its a nailed on certainty that they will leave the cameras in place for the semi the next day, so a day off work in front of the telly methinks ;)

[canveyshrimper]

Surrey ****ed up their campaign superbly :hilarious: Away to Durham it is then, shame as I'm a member this year so a home tie would've been preferred. Oh well, they'll be on TV I'm sure.

Not even on the TV as Sky are covering Hants v Warwicks, so another day glued to cricinfo, bugger.:fury: