Apparently, Essex lost the toss again in their County Championship match against Somerset and have yet to win one this season. That’s five games played, five lost tosses.
Tosses can be important in cricket because the weather conditions are so important to how a game progresses - but can they really determine the outcome of the match?
Surely with so many variables, not to mention the performance of both sides, the toss shouldn’t be so crucial?
Despite being thrashed by eight wickets with a day to spare by Lancashire in the County Championship, Essex coach Paul Grayson reckons his side might have won the game had they won the toss.
Speaking to Dave ‘Darnell’ Arnold of the Essex Chronicle, he said: “It was the first day pitch that was a bit lively, we lost the toss and they exploited the conditions.
“I think if we would have won the toss, I’m pretty confident we would have won the game, because I think we would have bowled them out for a similar sort of score.”
It might have helped if they’d have had Jimmy Anderson at his fearsome best playing for them too. But is that a reasonable assessment, can games be won or lost or tosses?
Former Essex and England batsman Nasser Hussain was good at losing the toss. When England captain, he lost the toss for the 14 consecutive times.
Ironically though, Nasser was most severely castigated when he won the toss in the first Ashes match of the 2002-3 series in Brisbane and decided to bowl rather than bat against Steve Waugh’s team.
Hussain’s England were roundly thrashed and Australia went on to win the series 4-1. Many pointed to that first morning decision after the toss of the coin as a turning point.
Winning the toss and making the right decision can be important but if Nasser’s lads had bowled better his decision might not have been so ridiculed. Besides, they were up against Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Warne, McGrath and co in their pomp.
And Steve Waugh later admitted he would have bowled had he won the toss.
Ton-up Billy
Essex will be reasonably happy with the first two days of their County Championship match against Somerset at Taunton.
Despite being thrashed by eight wickets with a day to spare by Lancashire in the County Championship, Essex coach Paul Grayson reckons his side might have won the game had they won the toss.
Speaking to Dave ‘Darnell’ Arnold of the Essex Chronicle, he said: “It was the first day pitch that was a bit lively, we lost the toss and they exploited the conditions.
“I think if we would have won the toss, I’m pretty confident we would have won the game, because I think we would have bowled them out for a similar sort of score.”
It might have helped if they’d have had Jimmy Anderson at his fearsome best playing for them too. But is that a reasonable assessment, can games be won or lost or tosses?
Former Essex and England batsman Nasser Hussain was good at losing the toss. When England captain, he lost the toss for the 14 consecutive times.
Ironically though, Nasser was most severely castigated when he won the toss in the first Ashes match of the 2002-3 series in Brisbane and decided to bowl rather than bat against Steve Waugh’s team.
Hussain’s England were roundly thrashed and Australia went on to win the series 4-1. Many pointed to that first morning decision after the toss of the coin as a turning point.
Winning the toss and making the right decision can be important but if Nasser’s lads had bowled better his decision might not have been so ridiculed. Besides, they were up against Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Warne, McGrath and co in their pomp.
And Steve Waugh later admitted he would have bowled had he won the toss.
Ton-up Billy
Essex will be reasonably happy with the first two days of their County Championship match against Somerset at Taunton.
On what’s reported to be a reasonably benign pitch, Somerset made 387 all out with David Masters once again the pick of the Essex bowlers, taking four for 83 off 27 overs.
Even more encouraging for Mark Pettini’s side was Billy Godleman’s maiden century for Essex. The opener fell just short of a ton in the opening game of the season against Hampshire but he mixed poise with panache in his 106 runs off 196 balls, including 12 fours and 3 sixes.
Essex finished the day on 262 for five and with Foster and ten Doeschate settled in they will want to at least match Somerset’s total on day three of the contest.
Even more encouraging for Mark Pettini’s side was Billy Godleman’s maiden century for Essex. The opener fell just short of a ton in the opening game of the season against Hampshire but he mixed poise with panache in his 106 runs off 196 balls, including 12 fours and 3 sixes.
Essex finished the day on 262 for five and with Foster and ten Doeschate settled in they will want to at least match Somerset’s total on day three of the contest.
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