The Reverse Sweep

County Championship XI of the week #11

The Championship returned at long last, but the weather was just as bad as when the Friends Life T20 interrupted proceedings at the start of June, but we still managed (just) to cobble together an XI of the week...

Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) - Scored 50 out of his side's dismal 1st innings total of 98 and then demonstrated he is ready for the South Africans with an unbeaten 127 against Notts at Uxbridge.

Joe Root (Yorkshire) - Many believe the young Yorkshireman is the heir apparent to Strauss at the top of the order of England's Test side and a classy unbeaten career best 222 at Southampton certainly confirmed his candidature.

Kevin Pietersen (Surrey) - Amidst the soap opera of the has he or hasn't he retired from limited overs international cricket, KP's rare foray into county cricket produced a quite stunning 234 not out off just 190 balls against the county champions at Guildford. 

Steven Croft (Lancashire) - Hit a career best 154 not out at Guildford but was ultimately overshadowed by the rain and Pietersen's remarkable innings.

Jim Allenby (Glamorgan) - Steered his side to their first win of the season and lifted them off the bottom of Division 2 with a brisk half century at Northampton as the Welsh side successfully chased down 351.

Chris Read (Nottinghamshire) - Struck his fifth fifty plus score of the season to put his side in the ascendancy at Uxbridge before the rain fell again. 

Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire) - Hit his third hundred in eight Championship innings to help secure maximum batting points at Edgbaston and then added three wickets to lift Warwickshire to the top of Division 1. 

Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire) - Took his tally of Championship wickets for the season to 46 (at just 15.5) with a six wicket 1st innings haul at Uxbridge before the rain prevented Notts from going clear at the top of Division 1. 

Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire) - Not for the first time this season the rain fell on Edgbaston, but the New Zealander's five for 77 at least ensured maximum bowling points for his side.

Tim Murtagh (Middlesex) - Grabbed four wickets at Uxbridge to take his season's tally to 34 at 25.

Reece Topley (Essex) - The 18 year old future England Test bowler took three of the four wickets to fall as rain ruined the first part of the Cheltenham Festival.

Where next?

Read our previous County Championship XI's of the week

Kevin Pietersen's retirement from limited-overs cricket: the case for the defence

Hedley Verity - a proper hero with 'no breaking point'

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship of the week #7

Paul Horton (Lancashire) - Seven and a half hour vigil saved Lancashire from defeat at Edgbaston. It was his first hundred in the Championship for two years and could prove a turning point in the champions faltering defence of their title.

Wayne Madsen (Derbyshire) - The skipper struck his second ton of the season as Division 2's surprise packet beat Glamorgan to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (Leicestershire) - Whilst the West Indies top order struggled at Lord's the man with 15 Test tons made hay at Grace Road with innings of 117 and 98 against Essex.

Simon Katich (Hampshire) - Australia's loss, Hampshire's gain and Yorkshire's pain as Michael Clarke's favourite ex-team mate stroked 196 and 61 not out at Headingley.

James Hildreth (Somerset) - High-class hundred gave Somerset the early initiative in a highly competitive and entertaining draw at The Oval. 

Michael Bates (Hampshire) - Purists have raved about his high-quality keeping, but could he improve with the bat? A maiden hundred at Headingley suggests he can - see also Our County XI to watch in 2012.

Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire) - No wickets in the draw with Lancashire, but his fine year with the bat continued with a second championship ton of the season at Edgbaston. 

David Wainwright (Derbyshire) - Took a five wicket second innings haul at Derby to put his side into a winning position against Glamorgan.

Stuart Meaker (Surrey) - Brought his side storming back into the match at The Oval with a second innings haul of eight for 52 and grabbed 11 in the match.

David Masters (Essex) - Last season's leading wicket taker grabbed six first innings Leicestershire wickets in the draw at Grace Road. 

Monty Panesar (Sussex) - Took five wickets and probably deserved more in 37 probing overs at New Road.

Where next?

Our County Championship predictions - Thank God for Yorkshire

Hedley Verity - a proper hero with 'no breaking point'

Read our previous County Championship weekly XIs

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #3

Arul Suppiah (Somerset) – Stepped up in the absence of his skipper and usual opening partner to prove that a top order batsman can flourish at the bowling mecca of Trent Bridge.

Phil Jacques (Yorkshire) – Looked a class apart (along with our number four) as he eased to an effortless hundred at Headingley. How the Australian selectors saw fit to give him just 11 Test caps - despite an average over 47 - defies belief.

Nick Compton (Somerset) – Grandad Denis’ 1947 haul of 3816 first-class runs for the season is still some way off, but Compton is in the form of his life and took his tally to 685 (and we’re still in April) with his second double ton of the season against Notts. Alas, rain prevented Somerset recording a deserved win.

Ravi Bopara (Essex) – After a winter mostly serving drinks and twiddling his thumbs, the unluckiest batsman in the country gave the selectors something to think about with a brilliant unbeaten 117 out of an Essex total of 199 at Headingley.

Sean Ervine (Hampshire) – He may not have reached three figures like Ben Wright did in the same match, but the Zimbabwean’s 75 off 92 balls helped Hampshire chase down a tricky target in the nick of time at Cardiff.

Chris Read (Nottinghamshire) – Baled out his red-faced batsmen with a superb unbeaten 104 (out of a total of 162) against Somerset and now averages in the high forties since the start of 2009. Indeed, he has saved Nottinghamshire’s skin so many times, that Marvel Comics are reportedly developing a super hero in the diminutive Read’s image.

Darren Maddy (Warwickshire) – The veteran had a game to remember at Aigburth with four Lancashire wickets in the first innings followed by a courageous hundred made mostly in partnership with Rikki Clarke that saw Warwickshire turn likely defeat into victory against the team that pipped them for the title last season.

Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire) – Strode to the crease with his side in desperate trouble at 81/7 against the Champions but was unafraid to play his shots in a stand of 224 with Maddy, duly collected 140 runs and promptly turned the match on its head.

Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire) – There weren’t many pickings for spinners on a dismal weekend of weather, but a week after blasting his side to victory with the bat against Somerset, Patel took five Lancashire second innings wickets to help his side to a second win out of two.

Graham Onions (Durham) – Got the first ten-wicket match haul of his career, took the England captain’s scalp in both innings and was the best bowler on show from either side at Lord’s. That's not nudging the selectors that is giving them an almighty shove.

Alan Richardson (Worcestershire) – Some have questioned his inclusion as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year – as if almost single-handedly keeping his county in Division 1 last season wasn’t enough. Ten wickets at The Oval should quieten the doubters for now.

Where next?

Naughty boy nets - 2012 style

County Championship XI of the week #2

County Championship XI of the week #1

County Championship preview: Our XI to watch in 2012

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship 2012 Preview: Division 1 - Warwickshire

We tipped them for relegation last season. They finished second and would have won the title but for a tremendous Hampshire rearguard on the final day of the season. We won't be making that mistake again. Or will we?

Strengths

The seam attack is one of the best in the country with Chris Woakes, Boyd Rankin and Rikki Clarke all having outstanding seasons in 2011. The addition of Jeetan Patel as overseas player completes the bowling picture. On the batting front, Varun Chopra finally showed his talent last season whilst Ian Bell could feature more than usual given that he is not currently in England's limited overs squads.

Weaknesses

Other than Chopra, none of the regular top six batsmen who will feature this season averaged above 35.50 last year. An injury or international call-up for Woakes or Rankin would seriously affect the potency of the bowling.

Main man

That Chris Woakes has fallen down the pecking order for England's limited overs squad is a surprise. If he can repeat his performances of last season with ball (56 wickets at 22) and bat (nearly 600 runs at 48), the Bears may punch above their weight again.

Look out for

The silky smooth skills of Bell on show in several championship games. His struggles against spin on slow Asian pitches are unlikely to be replicated once he returns to English shores.

Prediction

4th - There or thereabouts but not good enough to win the title.

Where next?

Read our Division 1 previews: Durham, Lancashire, Middlesex, Notts, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Division 2 previews: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northants and Yorkshire

2011 County Cricket Review: including Heroes of the Season, Best and Worst XIs, and a whole host of other nonsense

County Championship 2011 Preview - Warwickshire

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship Division 1 XI of the season

 
Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) - 1673 runs at 79.66: Scored 300 runs more than any other batsman despite missing his side's last three games and has once and for all usurped Mark Ramprakash as the premier batsman in domestic cricket. Agonisingly fell just 22 runs short of achieving the Holy Grail of a 1,000 runs before the end of May. Smashed six hundreds including one in each innings against Yorkshire in May.

Stephen Moore (Lancashire) - 1013 runs at 40.52: Others scored more runs (principally Alex Hales with 1023 runs at 51.15 from just 12 Championship matches), but Moore's knack of making vital contributions at critical times played a leading role in Lancashire's title success. His unbeaten 124 anchored his side in a stiff run chase at Trent Bridge, his 169 not out against Hampshire set up a crucial last gasp win in the penultimate round of matches and the former Worcestershire batsman finished off with 71 from 55 to spur the charge to victory on a tumultuous final day at Taunton.

Michael Carberry (Hampshire) - 793 runs at 56.64: His successful comeback from a life-threatening debilitating illness was one of the feelgood stories of the summer. Three splendid hundreds in nine games included a career best 300 not out against Yorkshire and a hundred on the final day of the season to help deny Warwickshire the title. Carberry's return coincided with Hampshire's revival but came too late to save them from relegation.

Murray Goodwin (Sussex) - 1372 runs at 52.76: Zimbabwe's loss was yet again Sussex's gain as Goodwin anchored a steady return to Division 1 for the county he helped inspire to three titles in the noughties. Four hundreds were topped by his 274 against Division 1 whipping boys Yorkshire. Gets into our XI ahead of Vikram Solanki (1148 runs at 42.51) who performed a similar role as Worcestershire defied the odds to stay up with Sussex. 

Dale Benkenstein (Durham) - 1353 runs at 61.50: Durham's title charge may have spluttered, but Benkenstein was consistency personified with 13 scores of 50 (including four hundreds) or more from 26 innings to once again prove that he is definitely not a mercenary.

Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire) - 1015 runs at 46.13: Having finally removed the monkey from his back in reaching his maiden ton in his 59th first-class innings (and promptly turning it into a double), the sublime Bairstow didn't look back. An impressive season culminated in a stunning ODI debut at Cardiff and Bairstow should clearly be exonerated from the ire heaped on his team-mates by Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves after their ignominious relegation. Scores his runs quickly as a Championship strike rate of a touch under 70 ably demonstrates and looks to have the talent and nerve to forge an international career as a specialist batsman. 

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) - 56 wickets at 21.78; 579 runs at 48.25: Injury may have restricted him to 11 matches, but that did not lessen the impact he made with both bat and ball, as well as the huge influence he had on Warwickshire's title challenge. His performance with the ball was particularly telling and a strike rate of 43.5 is indicative of the regularity with which he struck. Pips team-mate Rikki Clarke as well as Samit Patel, Ben Stokes and Ian Blackwell to the all-rounder's spot in our XI.

Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire) - 67 wickets at 22.61; 551 runs at 23.95: Last year's champions may have faltered badly in their attempt to retain their crown, but that wasn't down to 2010's leading wicket-taker Adams who was once again outstanding and pips Alan Richardson (the leading wicket-taker in Division 1 with 73 wickets at 24.42), Boyd Rankin and Ryan Sidebottom as the third seamer in our XI. Adams also added vital ballast to the lower order with five fifties and a strike rate of 100.

Glen Chapple (Lancashire, Captain) - 55 wickets at 19.81; 365 runs at 19.21: Despite battling leg problems all season, the lion-hearted Chapple battled on to inspire his troops and write his name in Lancashire folklore. Delivered time and time again with the ball - no more so than in the final game at Taunton where he took three 2nd innings wickets despite a bad hamstring tear - and also added useful late order runs. Clearly, a man you would want in the trenches with you, Chapple epitomised the spirit and togetherness that took Lancashire to the promised land after 77 long years in the Championship wilderness. And Yorkshire fans, he was born in Skipton...

Kyle Hogg (Lancashire) - 50 wickets at 18.80; 365 runs at 21.47: Started the season late but immediately made up for lost time with an 11 wicket haul at the Rose Bowl and ended up with a half-century of wickets at a phenomenal strike rate of a wicket every 37 balls - the best by far of anyone with more than 10 wickets. Also contributed several useful cameos with the bat.

Gary Keedy (Lancashire) - 61 wickets at 23.63: With Chapple and Hogg plundering wickets at one end, the experienced Keedy waded in at the other with 61 priceless wickets. His success rubbed off on his spin twin and likely successor Simon Kerrigan. Keedy is the slow bowling option in our XI ahead of Monty Panesar who may have taken more wickets (69), but did so at a higher average and ten balls more per wicket.

Where next?

10 reasons why neutrals should be glad Lancashire won the County Championship

Ten to watch in 2011: Half-Term report - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

County Championship XI of the week: Division 1 Half-Term XI

County Championship XI of the week: Division 2 Half-Term XI

Read our 2011 County Championship XIs of the week

Read all our County Cricket coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Warwickshire up to their necks in dastardly Chanderpaul scandal

Forget the twin furores of pink cricket balls and the FA's lenient stance against drugs, the real scandal in town involves Warwickshire's challenge for the County Championship.

They stand accused of a crime far more serious and underhand - the shadow of performance enhancing runs now hangs over their title tilt.

The evidence became irrefutably clear yesterday when Shivnarine Chanderpaul eased to his third Championship ton in just four matches. If that wasn't performance enhancing enough then look at the effect of the dastardly West Indian veteran on the rest of his new batting colleagues.

Messrs Westwood, Troughton, Chopra and Clarke could hardly ever be called prolific run scorers, but Shiv has obviously supplied them all with the same thing that he has been taking. There is no clearer proof than the fact that Troughton hit his first Championship ton for 25 months against Notts last week. Even Clarke came to the party with his first century of the season in the same match.

And then yesterday in their final match against Hampshire where victory and maximum bonus points will give them the title, Chopra scored his third hundred of the season, but (and this is the crucial point) his first since scoring back to back double hundreds in the first two matches of the season.

Chanderpaul has got previous too - he was on the field when Durham won their consecutive titles in 2008 and 2009, so it seems incredible that the ECB didn't notice. Whilst they have been too busy tossing their pink cricket balls in the air, Warwickshire and the evil Shiv have been stealing away the County Championship from 77 year title famine victims Lancashire.

It also looks like ensuring that our County Championship casserole will come to the boil far too early.

The rotters. 

Where next?

Warwickshire, Lancashire or Durham? The County Championship reaches another thrilling conclusion

Is it time for the County Championship equivalent of Match Of The Day?

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Read all our County Cricket coverage

County Championship XI of the week #18

County Championship XI of the week #10: Division 1 Half-Term XI

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #18

Stephen Moore (Lancashire) - Beautifully timed unbeaten 169 (off 230 balls) to set up Lancashire's pre-lunch declaration on the final day of their must-win game against Hampshire.

Ian Westwood (Warwickshire) - Solid 171 laid the foundations for victory over Nottinghamshire as Warwickshire took the top spot in Division 1 for the first time this season.

Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire) - The lone star for last year's champions with 72 (out of 238) before carrying his bat for 106 (out of 222) in the innings defeat to rampaging Warwickshire. 

Joe Denly (Kent) - On a week where opening batsman shined, the newly resurgent Denly's career best 199 and second innings 68 were still not enough to save Kent from defeat against Derbyshire.

Jim Troughton (Warwickshire) - The skipper picked an opportune time to score his first Championship ton for 25 months to pip the likes of Zander de Bruyn and Will Durston for a spot in this week's XI.

Sean Ervine (Hampshire) - Nearly denied Lancashire with an uncharacteristically watchful three hour vigil for a first-innings 128 and also picked up three wickets.

John Simpson (Middlesex) - The promising wicketkeeper-batsman impressed again with 95 in Middlesex's rain affected encounter with Glamorgan.

Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire) - Took his season's tally to 45 wickets, but it was his barnstorming 126 (from just 101 balls) that caught the eye at Edgbaston and nearly ruined our casserole.

Ryan Sidebottom (Yorkshire) - Ensured Yorkshire at least went down fighting and ended their disappointing season with a win by taking 11 for 98 - including a second innings seven for 37 - against Somerset.

Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire) - It may not have been Old Trafford, but Kerrigan's convincing take on Jim Laker kept Lancashire in the title hunt at Liverpool. The final wicket of his nine for 51 (and match haul of 12 wickets) came just in the nick of time.

David Balcombe (Kent) - The on-loan paceman took his tally to 33 wickets in just five matches with nine against Derbyshire.

12th man: Chris Jordan (Surrey) - We don't normally select a 12th man, but we'll make an exception this week. Jordan hit two career bests with the bat - following up his 1st innings 71 with an unbeaten 79 second time around. He then got a career best with the ball too as Surrey's promotion charge gathered further momentum.

Where next?

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Cricket XIs: Cricketing Criminals

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Rikki Clarke nearly ruins our County Championship casserole

Every chef knows that the secret to a good casserole is the cooking time. The meat is at its most succulent and the flavours most prevalent if the casserole has been heated gently over a long period of time.

Unfortunately, we left Rikki Clarke in charge of our County Championship casserole yesterday. Now Rikki may have plundered a hundred off just 90 balls against Notts, but he doesn’t have a clue when it comes to cooking casseroles.

We blame ourselves.

We’ve seen enough of Clarke over the years to know that he can be a bit hit and miss. However, he’s been more hit than miss this season, allying his usual brilliant fielding with a steady flow of wickets. So it was only a matter of time before his excitable batting came off. His innings may have been great for Warwickshire’s title challenge, but it was potentially disastrous for our casserole.

Fortunately, we got back just in time to save the day and with Warwickshire and Lancashire both looking good for wins after two days, our casserole now looks like it will simmer along nicely until the final exciting throes of this tumultuous County Championship race comes to its conclusion next week.

Where next?

Watch Zimbabwe bowler Keegan Meth losing four front teeth

The most exciting league in the world

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Cricket XIs: Cricketing Criminals

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week (#2 2011)

 
The second round of the County Championship saw some surprise results none more so than at Taunton where pre-season favourites Somerset were humbled by Warwickshire.

We took in some of the first day of the Middlesex-Essex encounter on our pilgramage to Lord's and saw 17 year old Reece Topley take a second successive five-fer.

But does Topley make our County XI of the week? Find out below: 

Varun Chopra (Warwickshire) - The former England under-19 captain never really made the grade at Essex and had a disappointing first season at Warwickshire, but managed more than half his total for the entire 2010 season by hitting a dominant 210 against Somerset at Taunton.

Wayne Madsen (Derbyshire) - Ground out 106 in a five-hour vigil at the crease to put his side into the ascendancy against Leicestershire.

Dale Benkenstein (Durham) - Durham's stand-in captain makes it into our XI for the second successive week thanks to a commanding 150 against a strong Yorkshire attack at Headingley.

Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire) - One of our 10 to watch in 2011 demonstrated his class with a brilliant hundred for the reigning county champions just when Hampshire appeared to be on top at Trent Bridge. Not bad for a fat lad. 

Andrew Hall (Northamptonshire) - The game was in the balance when the captain strode to the crease against Kent at Northampton, but by the time he departed for a masterful 146 victory was almost assured.

Michael Richardson (Durham) - The son of former South African Test keeper Dave Richardson, had had to wait for his chance due to the form and fitness of regular keeper Phil Mustard, but a late injury gave the understudy his chance and he took it with both hands with 67 and 73 not out at Headingley. 

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) - Once again demonstrated his all-round abilities with a run-a-ball 129 and swung the ball both ways to record match figures of nine for 101 as Somerset were crushed at Taunton.

Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire) - Surprised a shellshocked Somerset with pace, bounce and control to grab seven wickets in just 11.4 overs at Taunton; that's a strike rate of a wicket every ten balls. Impressive. 

Tim Groenewald (Derbyshire) - Another of Derbyshire's Kolpak legion to star against Leicestershire, Groenewald took eight wickets in the match and added a useful late order 60 to get his team up and running. Who said Derbyshire were wooden spoon favourites? Oh yes, we did...

James Harris (Glamorgan) - One of our 10 to watch for 2011 bowled beautifully to produce impressive match figures of 45.5-11-101-8 as Glamorgan beat Gloucestershire.

Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire) - Last year's leading wicket-taker in the championship with 68 picked up where he left off with a career best match haul of 11 for 76 as Nottinghmashire crushed Hampshire at Trent Bridge.

12th man - Graham Onions (Durham) - We don't intend to always pick a 12th man, but it is hard to ignore Onions' claims after he returned from a 15 month lay-off with a serious back injury to take a first innings five wicket haul against Yorkshire. That's what we call a return.

Where next?

County Championship XI of the week #1

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

An England under-23 XI - the future looks bright

County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire,  Kent,  Leicestershire,  Middlesex,  Northamptonshire,  Surrey

County Championship Previews - Division 1:  Yorkshire,  Worcestershire,  Warwickshire, Sussex,  Somerset,  Nottinghamshire,  Lancashire,  Hampshire,  Durham

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Somerset has a really, really bad day at the office

 
We all know what it is like to have a bad day at the office. The big deal didn’t come in. The boss acted like a prick. You had an argument with a colleague. All are eminently possible.

But have you ever had a cataclysmic day at the office? Did you set the building on fire? Were you got caught with the Managing Director’s PA in a compromising position in the disabled loo? Was the aforementioned PA also the MD's wife? Or maybe you are just Nick Leeson.

Somerset had one of those days on Saturday.

On paper, the favourites for the Division 1 County Championship should have had too much firepower for what had seemed to be a weak Warwickshire side.

But after winning the toss and putting the opposition into bat, Somerset captain Marcus Trescothick presided over a disaster akin to the Titanic’s maiden voyage – albeit without the drastic loss of life.

Firstly, Ajantha Mendis didn’t bamboozle county batsmen as had been predicted. Indeed, he bowled like a drain as Varun Chopra and Chris Woakes helped themselves to hundreds and Warwickshire racked up 642. Somerset’s much vaunted bowling attack was as impotent as a particularly inebriated drunk with a chronic problem of erectile dysfunction.

But surely Somerset’s stellar batting line-up would be able to play out a draw? It was the batting featherbed of Taunton after all.

Not a bit of it. If capsizing in the first innings for 210 was bad enough, what happened when they followed on was downright embarrassing.

50 all out in just 88 deliveries.

The losing margin of an innings and 382 runs was the sixth largest margin of defeat since 1921.

It was Somerset’s largest defeat since 1895.

You know things must be bad when Rikki Clarke takes seven wickets in less than 12 overs.

And who predicted that Somerset would finally win its first Championship and that Warwickshire would be relegated?

Guilty as charged, your honour.

Where next?

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

An England under-23 XI - the future looks bright

County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire,  Kent,  Leicestershire,  Middlesex,  Northamptonshire,  Surrey

County Championship Previews - Division 1:  Yorkshire,  Worcestershire,  Warwickshire, Sussex,  Somerset,  Nottinghamshire,  Lancashire,  Hampshire,  Durham

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep