STEVE KIRBY TO MICHAEL ATHERTON: “I’ve seen better batters in my fish and chip shop…”

In launching my new cricket website business for 2011, www.cricketyorkshire.com, I recently chatted to Steve Kirby to discuss his phenomenal Yorkshire debut back in 2001, his reasons for moving on and his reputation and reasons for sledging.

If you’re interested in the feature length article on Cricket Yorkshire, here it is – http://bit.ly/i3UQwg

If you’d rather skip the Yorkshire stuff, fear not, Steve had plenty to say on his Somerset move and England ambitions. Very nice bloke and I hope he gets a truck-load of wickets this season. As for England, if Liam Plunkett is still dusted off now and then, why not Steve Kirby I ask you. Thanks to Cheryl at SCCC for setting it all up.

THE REAL REASONS FOR SLEDGING:

 ”I believe that there’s a time and there’s a place for it and certain players you’d do it to and certain players you wouldn’t. I’ve overstepped the mark on a few occasions in my youth but that fire and that desire to want to win a cricket match, you can’t put that out. I found that that was the only way I could get up and perform really by being that aggressive.”

“I think all players in county cricket or in professional sport suffer with self-doubt. I liken it to a little man on your shoulder and me being that way on the cricket field was me being in control of that self-doubt really. So, I was the man in charge and it was just me flicking a switch on those negative thoughts. And by me being fired up for the match, that was the way I did it.”

HOW DID THE MOVE TO TAUNTON COME ABOUT?

“A couple of things happened really. I had a benefit year this year with Gloucestershire and I also had a year or two years left on my contract. But I was weighing up and I was thinking I want to be finishing my career with no regrets.”

“I felt as though that if I played next year, I’d be playing for the wrong reasons. I’d be playing for how much money I could get for my benefit year rather than the desire and the will to want to win a Championship and be successful. I’ve got three or four years left in my career and I want at the end of my career to think I did this and I achieved that, not what if.”

ENGLAND AMBITIONS: 

“I’ve still got a massive, burning ambition to play for England and I know it might be waning away a little bit but I’m not going to give in. That’s one of the main reasons I moved because I wanted to play First Division cricket. I’m not going to lie to you, I’m 33 and there are a lot of fantastic young bowlers coming through. I do feel my opportunity has maybe slipped me by but the one thing I won’t do is I won’t give in.”

“As long as I can carry on playing cricket to the best of my ability then I’ll always want to put three lions on my chest. I’ve played a lot of England Lions and England ‘A’ but I’ve never been able to make that next jump yet. Who knows? You just never know in this game. I realise that a young bowler might need to take 50 wickets and I need to take 70 or 80 wickets to get noticed now but I like that challenge.”

 THE SOMERSET APPEAL:

“If you’re playing in a successful side, which Somerset are, and you’re doing well then people are going to look at you. More to the point, I want to be successful and I want to win some trophies. I won a Championship and one-day title with Yorkshire and the cupboard’s bare a little bit since then. I’ve got a real desire and I want to win something. I feel that the best opportunity to do that is at Somerset. If you do win something and you are successful then who knows what might happen next.”

Thanks also to Peter Meade for his Kirby image. Check out Peter’s excellent photostream on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjmeade/

West Indies is fast becoming the English cricketer’s destination of choice if January 2011 is anything to go by. Take the Friends Provident T20 finalists, Somerset and Hampshire, who are entering the Caribbean T20.

For both counties, it provides a sense of recompense for missing out on the Champions League that was held last September in South Africa but which clashed with the end of the English county season.

Peter Trego, playing club cricket in Australia and Nick Compton, currently in Zimbabwe, will both join up with the Somerset squad while Craig Kieswetter is expected to feature after the WorldT20 winner was overlooked for England’s one-day series that follows the Ashes.

It ought to be acknowledged that the tournament in the West Indies ticks all the boxes in terms of invaluable experience for younger player players like Jos Buttler who made such an impact on the domestic English season in 2010.

Meanwhile, the English Lions, effectively the England ‘A’ Team as it was once known, also head to the West Indies in January to immerse themselves in four-day cricket by competing in the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) regional tournament involving Barbados, Combined Campuses and Colleges, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Windward Islands.

For the next generation of English cricketer hoping to oust members of England’s Ashes-winning side, however unlikely that currently seems, then this tour is vital. There are a crop of young, talented English cricketers that are eager to make their mark, particularly when some, including leg-spinner Adil Rashid at Yorkshire, are included in England’s preliminary World Cup squad.

Others who are likely to be pushing hard for an England shirt in any form of the game include Somerset’s James Hildreth who was named captain for the Lions tour, Andrew Gale who is Yorkshire’s county captain and has been around the Lions setup for several years, as well as fringe England squad members like Craig Kieswetter and Ravi Bopara.

The West Indies in January is far from being the worst place in the world to find yourself, whatever your line of work. For an English Lion looking to make the national selectors take notice, there is hard work ahead but it provides a welcome diversion away from artificial lights and indoor nets back home. When England announces its final World Cup squad for India & Bangladesh, there might yet be a new name ready to light up international cricket.

LIONS SQUAD:

James Hildreth (Somerset, capt), Jimmy Adams (Hampshire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Danny Briggs (Hampshire), Maurice Chambers (Essex), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Steve Finn (Middlesex – first half of tour only), Andrew Gale (Yorkshire), James Harris (Glamorgan), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Adam Lyth (Yorkshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Leicestershire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire – second half of tour only).

While England dominate Australia in the Ashes (day two of at the WACA notwithstanding), there were several undercard performances for Somerset lads who have caught the selectors’ eye. James Hildreth continues to impress. He kicked off the England Performance Squad’s tour of Australia with an unbeaten double century and his quality has been rewarded with the captaincy for the England Lions tour to the West Indies in January. While Eoin Morgan kicks his heels, Hildreth surely is right behind him for a middle-order slot in any form of the game internationally.

Kieswetter meanwhile continued his rehabilitation after his post-World T20 slump with a fine 113 off 121 balls against Western Australia A, a well-timed nudge to the powers-that-be after being picked for the T20 squad to play Australia in 2011. The next few months promise to be busy for Somerset’s keeper with his county due out for the CaribbeanT20 before he’s also part of the England Lions squad under teammate Hildreth.

First there was all the non-drama of the Ashes squad and then the confusion over what the Development squad to tour Australia actually is (the Lions squad or young stars of tomorrow? Why not call the Squad the Lions which is presumably what they are?!). Now in the spotlight is the Hong Kong Sixes which I belatedly watched a re-run of on Sky in the Spring. Excellent viewing on TV…if you’re not a traditionalist. If you think t20 is ruining the English game then best not watch this carnage.

The good news from a Somerset perspective is the presence of not one but two explosive batsmen in the mix. Captained by Rory Hamilton-Brown, Surrey’s skipper, the Sixes squad has Peter Trego returning to the squad for a second year and Jos Buttler who lit up the t20 and CB40 with his clean hitting.

So by my reckoning, that’s three Somerset batsmen on the ECB’s radar to a greater or lesser degree. Hopefully Hildreth will get an Ashes call over the winter from the Performance/Lions squad but I suspect out of the other two, Jos Buttler is probably favourite to impress further. Trego has been on the edge of selection for some time and would offer the England ODI squad a useful option but he hasn’t done enough in 2010 to warant selection and now the current England team have learnt how to play one day cricket at last which would I guess dampen Trego’s chances. Here’s hoping he scores the first 200 in the history of the HK Sixes as a nudge!

Oh dear. If I was distraught after losing the County Championship, I was turning the air blue at the TV on Saturday. From a position of strength and with the batsmen ready to inflict real damage on Warwickshire, Somerset lost their last 7 wickets for 20-odd runs to be shot out for 199.

It was sparked by a desperately bad run out of Hildreth by Compton though it ought to be acknowledged that the pair had been sprinting themselves into the ground with a clever display of running between the wickets, turning ones into twos. One sharply taken single too many precipitated the collapse that would ensure no silverware ended up at Taunton in 2011.

Perhaps the most galling aspect, doubtlessly for the players and management as well as for despairing fans, was the fact that despite this disasterous collapse, Somerset were still in the game up until the penultimate over of the match.

Mark Turner’s last over for Somerset turned out to be vintage, car-crash television which I watched with my future in-laws whilst biting my lip after each half tracker was belted by Ian bell to the fence, anxiously trying not to scream abuse at the beleaguered player.

It seemed an odd selection given Somerset were not renewing Turner’s contract and he was soon to join Derbyshire. Willoughby, admittedly not the most economic of one-day bowlers but certainly not bereft of nous, would have surely made a better bet.

That over by Turner which went for 20 was dug in short when the situation cried out for full and straight. Pressure does funny things but with Ian Bell  failing to be there at the end, a last over chase of 10 runs would have made for cracking viewing.

If only…well, the best season in Somerset’s history, despite not winning anything, is now over. It might sound odd that. Surely it was actually a terrible failure to come so close three times and end up with nothing?

Not a chance. The squad played aggressive cricket all summer, missed out on two trophies by the smallest margin it is possible to lose by so a hearty dose of sympathy ought to be on offer.

The 2011 squad stands to be much the same with that triple-trophy gazumping surely a massive incentive to break their trophy hiatus next year.

At the start of a day brimming with optimism, this felt like a Willy Wonka Golden ticket in my hand. A chance to see something really special unfold.
It felt like Fate that Somerset had to beat the Champions in their own backyard to seal the County Championship. A fitting last effort.

The morning was frustrating despite the glorious sunshine that made Durham Castle dazzle in the background. Willoughby bowled with hostility and beat the bat but it was Di Venuto’s hundred that saw a crucial Durham lead steadily climb while the overs counted down. Meanwhile, Somerset fans behind me kept Peter Trego informed of Yorkshire wickets falling at Headingley, the allrounder rewarding each piece of good news with a merry jig. He had plenty of chance to dance as it turned out with Yorkshire nosediving to James Tredwell’s spin. With only 90 to defend, Yorkshire were out of the title hunt.

That meant Nottinghamshire needed 5 batting points by reaching 400 then three Lancashire wickets to earn that all-important bowling point that would gazump Somerset if both sides drew. Trescothick rotated his bowlers with Philips making way for Thomas who accounted for Ben Harmison. Murali Kartik had a mini spell but Durham dug in. Renewed hope came when Di Venuto and Blackwell fell with Durham on 255. Any hope of a Yorkshire-style collapse was put to bed with injured Dale Benkenstein coming in at 7 and digging in for a 95-ball rearguard. Meanwhile, Borthwick’s 5 from 40 further demonstrated a resilience that was ruining Somerset’s hopes for a win. With a draw ever likely, eyes and ears remained on the Notts game with the 2005 Champions now over 350 but captain Chris Read was out trying to keep the run rate up.

I sometimes get this sense of crushing inevitability. I get it when I watch England underperform in football World Cups or the England team flatter to deceive. It’s that feeling there’s a lot of admirable effort but it’s not quite going to all slot into place. Thanks to the introduction of Pete Trego in the autumn of this match, Somerset bagged two vitals wickets and Durham were finally out for 320. Rasping sunshine had been replaced with ominous clouds and the players had come off several times for (thankfully brief) rain breaks.

The maths were simple enough 181 in 17 overs which in any language is going some. But as my mate in Devon said (with whom I had used up my entire O2 monthly text and minutes quota discussing the permutations), if any team in the country could chase down that score then it was Somerset. I settled in for the fireworks and made a mental note to stop chewing my fingernails as my arms were now bloody stumps.

Trescothick and Kieswetter in a shoot-out against Ruel Braithwaite and….one Ian Blackwell. A shrewd move presumably because Blackie offered control and little pace to work with.  The runs came but not enough and not quickly enough. Braithwaite looked rapid and on the money while Blackwell was also miserly. Kieswetter swung and missed and Trescothick hit a few boundaries but five an over off the first 4 was not going to do it. Kieswetter was bowled by Blackwell aiming one over the stand, Trescothick slapped one to mid off and Trego was similarly undone after a big yahoo. All understandable given the required rate but Compton and Buttler knocked it around until the captains both agreed on a draw.

With Notts having snuck to 400 with 9 wkts down, a draw meant waiting on the Old Trafford game for Lancashire to show some Northern grit and not lose 3 wickets.
Sadly, Notts required only 5 overs to do the necessary damage and finish level on points with Somerset at the top of the table. By virtue of having  won a game more, Notts were declared County Champions – a sad fact I heard whilst strolling up CHester-le-Street High Street and promptly offered up a hearty expletive.

A stunning end ot the County season nonethless and for Somerset to have lost both the t20 Final (on fewer wickets lost) and County Championship (on fewer victories) felt like a massive kick to the goolies. All the same, on the journey South to Leeds, there was time to reflect. The CB40 Final on Saturday offers a blessed last chance for redemption. Not quite the first four-day gong in over 100 years but a well deserved Cup nonetheless. The only worry is whether the squad can lift themselves so soon

The other positive is the quality of the squad and with Kirby signing and few pace options being bankrolled, Somerset will be in rude health to finally climb their Everest in 2011.
All in all? Absolutely gutted but immensely proud to be from Somerset. Thanks, lads.

* FOR  ALL THE DAY’S PHOTOS, VISIT:  http://www.photobox.co.uk/slideshow?album_id=489171235

As Somerset eye two trophies this week, they clearly have their plans in motion to strengthen the squad for 2011. Gloucestershire & England Lions paceman Steve Kirby was released from his contract at his own request and promptly signed up by Brian Rose. The 32-yr old ginger pocket rocket still harbours international recognition and a title-chasing Division One side seemed an obvious destination in what are likely to be last three years of his county cricket career.

Brian Rose also has served the standard 28-day notice that he intends to negotiate a contract with Gloucestershire’s Gemmal Hussain (who I will freely admit I’d never heard of) but who has bagged 65 wkts at an average of 21 in Division Two for Gloucestershire this season. Rose is also considering a move for Nottinghamshire’s Charlie Shreck who will be out of contract though that move might materialise over the winter with Shreck battling an injury.

All in all though, the signs are that the pace department (which has been an area that needed strengthening with the likes of the superb Willoughby very much in the twilight of their careers) is being beefed up in readiness for 2011. Exciting times down at Taunton…

Durham, Durham. Durham. Durham Durham Durham.  Dur-ham…Durhaaaaaam! (Sang to the Pink Panther theme tune).

Monday was a golden opportunity lost. With Yorkshire managing the one batting point all day and Nottinghamshire’s day completely ruined by rain, Somerset had bonus points at their mercy. And then it rained. And rained. And rained. Play got underway around 3.30pm and there were two early wickets bagged when Durham aquaplaned out to bat but then a stand of 99 put even more of a dampener on the day’s proceedings.

As it stands, there is all to play for but a day less to wrangle a result and Durham are handily placed to prevent a win. If you believe the BBC weather forecast (which I’m afraid I don’t) then Durham is set fair for the next three days. I have everything crossed…..

When I don’t have my eyes glued to either the weather reports over at Chester-le-Street or the live text updates on the Beeb’s county cricket sports pages, I found time to rewatch part of the t20 Final. It served Sky right for having to show it yesterday because they had their cameras out to cover Nottinghamshire’s ruined day’s play instead of Somerset.

Let’s be clear. Somerset have played some fantastic cricket this season. But something…perhaps the grumpy old man in me, is worried they might yet have nothing to show for it come this Sunday. That would be harsh but they need to sustain their edge to the end. Having said that, they could do with lady luck…or the umpires getting it right at least.

I was astonished to see that on the re-run of the t20 Final, Kieswetter hit a ball that sped towards the boundary and a Hampshire fielder ran round to field only for his cap to drop down and nudge the ball. It was an obvious penalty five runs. The umpire chose to ignore that option as the cap had not been deliberately lying on the ground but fallen from the fielder’s waist where it had been tucked. The rules are fairly unequivocal and mention five runs should definitely be awarded where the ball hits a cap on the field of play.

SO WHAT??!! I hear you cry. Stop digging up random, dusty laws from the mists of time. You lost fair and square which we did I guess though that extra run plus the last-ball opportunity to run out Dan Christian – who was batting with a runner but set off for that winning run against the rules - could have made all the difference.

All this of course will be pie in the sky if we manage to overcome Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and the not-so-great British weather to win our first County Championship. My gut says it won’t happen though a CB40 piece of silverware might be the perfect tonic.

Andrew Gale’s 147 not out for Yorkshire drove another nail into Nottinghamshire which may yet see the County Championship race go down to the final round of matches. Yorkshire finished the first day on 260-8 having stunned the Division One leaders earlier by bundling them out for just 59. That amounts to a lead of 200 already and Nottinghamshire’s only hope in this game is survival and take points for a draw.

Meanwhile at Taunton, it was the Charl Willoughby show with the seamer bagging 4-60 as Lancashire were shot out for 259. It might have been much better had the last two Lancs wickets not added 90 in stern resistance. Somerset reached 54-1 at the close with Keedy taking Trescothick’s wicket.

All of which made for an intriguing first day in this round of matches. Somerset ideally need maximum points from their Lancashire fixture and want Nottinghamshire to pick up as few as possible. A fact made all the more likely (as long as they lose) by being bowled out for 59.

The talk of must-win games is thrown about with abandon but Somerset need to beat Lancashire and Durham to have any title hopes. That Nottinghamshire have had stage fright on the last few performances can’t hurt Somerset’s chances. However, a Yorkshire win over the next 3 days against Notts would also put them in the frame, so all to play for as they say…