University-Grange bowler Will Somerville has something to tell the grandchildren after taking three wickets against the touring English side during a two-day warm-up match at the University Oval yesterday.
The tall off-spinner is certainly not the worst slow bowler. He has long levers and gives the ball a good tweak and would have played more games for Otago if the province was not so well-served by Nathan McCullum.
Somerville grabbed his moment in the limelight, claiming the scalps of Owais Shah, Tim Ambrose and Philip Mustard as England posted 369 for nine at stumps on day one.
The 23-year-old has played three first-class matches for Otago and taken five wickets, but stepped up in class to take three for 73 from 20 overs in front of a small crowd of 400 to 500.
He legitimately laid waste to Ambrose and Mustard with decent deliveries, but Shah's wicket was a bit like finding a dollar down the back of the couch.
The middle-order batsman had three figures in the bag but got out to a leg-side long hop, which he spooned to Mark Gillespie at short fine leg.
Despite holing out on 96, Shah was content with his work. ‘‘I was reasonably happy with the way I was striking the ball so I can't complain,'' he told a scrum of mostly English scribes.
That is one view. Another is if he wants to be in the England line-up for the first test against New Zealand in Hamilton on March 5 he might want to drop the carefree attitude.
It is hard to imagine his main competition, Andrew Strauss, crumbling so meekly in sight of a 100.
Shah was lucky to survive on 38 when Sam Wells shelled a catch off the bowling of Gillespie. Alastair Cook played the quality innings.
The classy left hander plundered 17 fours in a quicker than run-a-ball 85.
Cook punished Gillespie and also took a liking for the gentle medium pace of Green Island bowler Dion Lobb.
Cook seemed destined to raise a 100, but fell short when he hit a return catch, much to the delight of Otago all rounder Wells.
The other local to earn brag ging rights was Craig Smith The North Otago left-armer dismissed England captain Michael Vaughan when he got a delivery to slice across the right-hander.
Ian Bell looked in good touch and reached 75 by stumps but he had a wee rest in between.
Shortly after bringing up his 50 the batsman got some running repairs to his lower back from the team physiotherapist. He retired on 59 but came back out when England found itself nine down.
Iain O'Brien scored a points victory over his Wellington team-mate Gillespie. The pair appear to be battling it out for a place alongside spearheads Chris Martin and Kyle Mills in the Black Caps test XI.
Gillespie's return of three for 93 from 17 overs was expensive whereas O'Brien produced a tidy spell of one for 32 from 17.
