TRACTOR'S TALES.

Somerset bucked the 'side batting second always lose under lights' trend and gave another never-say-die performance against Warwickshire with Wes blasting the winning runs from the penultimate over. In a post-match interview he explained Ntini would bowl the last over so thought he'd better win it in the 44th. Great stuff.

In the subsequent rain-affected, drawn FCC match against Northants, Woody achieved his 1000 first class runs for the season; quite an achievement when he wasn't playing in 4 out of the first 7 FCC matches.

Next, England won the ashes, Australians were gracious in defeat, and my footy team got a 7-1 drubbing in Wales, three things I haven't said in one sentence very often over the years. Warney proved once again he is the master of spin bowling with such deliveries as the slider, glider, flipper, ripper, slipper, gripper, dipper, zipper, wrong-un, right-un, left-un, and of course his googlies. There's still a few more he could learn though from our experts here at Taunton where visiting batsmen have been regularly beaten by the Blackwell blaster, the Durston dazzler, or the Arul barrell.

Following that 'Champions Trophy twenty20 thingy' at Leicester there was the last TSL away fixture against Durham. Desperate for one last away trip, I boarded another cheap flight to Newcastle, fought my way through The Great North Run spectators on the Metro to Gateshead, and then took the 21A bus to the Chester-Le-Street ground. Unfortunately any remaining hopes of Somerset promotion were quickly dashed on a sub-standard pitch. Complimentary drinks were offered to Durham members to celebrate their promotion, so with a "Ere, why aye" I convinced bar staff that I was a Geordie. Having stayed at the ground a tad longer than intended, I passed by (yes, passed by) The High Crown, Black Horse, Lambton Arms, Butchers Arms, Queens Head, Red Lion, G.W.Horners, Ye Olde Miners Lamp, and Market Tavern, making my way to The Golden Gate Tandoori. They offered a Sunday Special menu of 4 courses for £7.95. I must have scoffed 2 though, since the bill came to over £15.

As another season draws to a close we welcome Derbyshire to the westcountry for our last TSL game of 2005, winners of the earlier floodlit encounter at Derby by just 15 runs. Next season's 'Sunday' league continues as divisions 1 & 2 (but without Scotland) over 40 overs. Automatic relegation & promotion is reduced to 2 places, with a play-off between 7th in division 1 against 3rd in division 2 to decide a possible 3rd promotion place. The C&G knockout trophy becomes north and south leagues with Scotland in the North league and Ireland in the South league. C&G and 'Sunday' league teams will play each other only once. There'll be only 2 promotion & relegation places in the County Championship. I'm sure there'll be a tea-towel with all this printed on it somewhere.

Celebrity birthdays today include Michael (Catherine Zeta-Jones' other half) Douglas, Catherine (Michael Douglas' other half) Zeta-Jones, Will (Fresh Prince from Man In Black on Independence Day) Smith, Mark (Star Trek or Wars bloke) Hamill, and Serena (sister of a famous tennis player) Williams.

The usual thanks to all you J Public for reading this drivel, plus Tom (PhD - Please hurry; Deadlines) Hannell of Green Park programme publishers, all the President's (K.G. - Kerslake's Group) men, all Mike (BSc - Bar Staff controller) Smith's staff, all Brian (M.B.E. - Master of Benson & 'Edges competitions) Rose's coaching, playing and injury prevention staff (aka Somerset County Curry Club), and those unsung heroes of every fixture Phil (W.B.A. - wheel barrow association) Frost's groundsmen.

Winter well everyone.

COME ON SOMERSET!!!