The Editor
Postbag
Somerset County Gazette
St James Street
Taunton
Somerset

23 July, 2001

Dear Sir,

I am sorry that your correspondents Mr Foyle and Mr Wight feel grumpy about the side selected to play the Australians. The Club has made it quite clear that its base priority is to maintain Division I status in both leagues. To do that, the bowlers have to be protected and kept fresh because to win, a side obviously has to plan to take 20 wickets in any match. The recent victory over Lancashire is a splendid illustration of this which I hope lifted the spirits of even Mr Foyle and Mr Wight.

Tourist matches are spread around non-Test Match grounds on a rotational basis. They are non-competitive matches which most counties lucky enough to stage them look upon as a chance for supporters to just see the Tourists and to make some money for the benefit of the Members.

As the Chief Executive, I try to put pressure on the Coach and Captain to field our best side but invariably lose that discussion. The side included seven capped players, two imported international players and two who have made first team appearances this season. Hardly an "invitation" side then as asserted by Mr Wight. The Captain did not wish to play against his fellow countrymen and the Club has to respect his wishes.

In his grumpiness, Mr Foyle has forgotten that Somerset has continually called for centrally contracted players to be released more often to play for their counties. He has also conveniently forgotten that at the Club AGM of five years ago, a mandate was given by the members authorising the Club to investigate the possibility of selling the ground. His assertion that it is not on the agenda of any members is clearly wrong. What he means is that it is not on his because living in Taunton the future loss of car parking around the Ground, which will happen, will not affect him. Our supporters are geographically spread throughout the South West and maybe, just maybe, Mr Foyle is not listening to members from those areas. I am!

The playing of the two Pakistani Internationals did not undermine team confidence. What Mr Wight could not know is that sensibly, the proposition to play them was put to the first team squad who endorsed the decision to do so.

Finally, it seems okay in the minds of your correspondents that Both England and Australia can rest key players ahead of Test Matches but not okay for Somerset to do the same ahead of key county matches. Doesn't add up, does it!

Yours sincerely,

P W Anderson
Chief Executive
Somerset County Cricket Club

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