Bristol County Ground

Gloucestershire v Somerset

Vitality Blast South Group
9th June 2022

Having enjoyed a morning in fruitless fossil hunting on Quantoxhead Beach (where, rather excitingly, I narrowly missed being under a modest cliff collapse), I made my way to Bristol to complete my day with an evening's cricket.

But that rain-demon, which frequently appears to follow me to cricket venues dutifully pitched up, with the result precious little cricket did I witness.

Just five overs in fact.  Although that was, I acknowledge my own fault, as I chose not to hang around the dripping Bristol County Ground for two hours or whatever in the hope that some more cricket would take place.

For, soon after the match commenced, a light drizzle arrived, through which the players initially persevered.  But when the precipitation moved up a few gears the teams were taken off, with Gloucestershire having made 61 in five overs for the loss of Miles Hammond who had been caught by Peter Siddle.

Hammond had actually got the evening's entertainment off to a bit of a flier, he having hit four sixes in the opening over before sorta getting bogged down thereafter.  He accrued just five more runs before his exit.

The home batsmen at the crease (I refuse to use the term batter) when the heavens opened, should anyone be interested, were Ian Cockbain on 8 and James Bracey on 21.  Cold, tired and not a little sodden I decided those five overs would have to represent by Bristol County Ground tick, so headed off to my hotel.

Which did I have to say represent a marked improvement on the last time I had visited the ground, where I sat in the rain in my car for six hours vainly hoping for some play in a 2019 World Cup tie between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.  During which time I succeeded in running my car battery flat, and required the help of those nice chaps from the AA.  

(Automobile Association that is, not the god-bothering other lot).

The Bristol County Stadium is presently being marketed as
The Seat Unique Stadium.

WG Grace out door-before-wicket?

This chap commemorates the ground hosting a
number of matches during the 2019 World Cup.

Bristol County Ground - June 2022

Update - it appears I actually missed a rather intriguing encounter, once the rain relented to allow a ten-overs apiece match to take place.  Gloucestershire accrued 101/5 in their innings, which Messrs Duckworth, Lewis and Stern converted into a Somerset target of 112 to win.

With his side wobbling at one point at 55/7 with just four overs remaining, South African all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe, guided the visitors home with a remarkable 25 runs off his last six balls to give his side a three wicket win.

I rather wish I had had the patience to hang around for that.

****************************************************************

My brush with mortality on Quantoxhead Beach.....