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Paul, Somerset's avatar

Looking back, the difference in 2011 was that he wasn't supposed or expected to be the Jos Buttler we know now. It was less than two years since he'd made his first-class debut at Taunton (I remember sitting there, in front of what seemed to be an enthusiastic auntie, who was squealing with delight at his every run - it was that sort of atmosphere). He was second-fiddle at the club to Kieswetter, and he'd been dropped as a consequence - it was up to Buttler himself to see whether he was going to make it as a county cricketer. He wouldn't have been the first schoolboy prodigy who didn't. Alex Barrow - his contemporary at King's College, another keeper/batsman, with whom he'd shared massive stands - was one who never quite made it.

Back in those days there was no question of having a county career as a specialist white-ball batsman. Whatever talents you had, they had to work in a red-ball context. Just because he'd smashed monstrous double centuries in 50-over cricket as a schoolboy, he was never expected to somehow parachute those fireworks straight into a first-class game. It was the scratchy singles in his debut 30 which had thrilled his Auntie Janet. A scoop straight down the throat of fine leg wouldn't have.

But these days, with his IPL fireworks the equivalent of those schoolboy double tons, England seem to want him to do precisely that. They don't seem to want him assessing the conditions and being happy with singles, then, if and only if the circumstances allow it, picking the exact moment to demoralize the opposition, as he did that glorious August day in 2011. All the pressure is on him to flick the switch and become Jos Buttler out of the IPL at some point in every innings, preferably sooner rather than later. Otherwise what's the point in picking him? I don't think we'll ever again get to see him showcase the expert first-class batsman he used to be when he didn't have that burden of expectation.

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Paul, Somerset's avatar

Just thought I'd share something I posted on the Betfair forum on 3 August 2011. It's still the best first-class innings I've seen, and I've been watching the game since the 1970s. I know of a couple of other witnesses that day whose memories go back further, and they still agree. Here it is, verbatim as I posted it at the time:

Sussex 245 & 94/4 (26.0 ov)

Somerset 286 (J Buttler 100 off 112 balls)

You might see that stat and just think, "Good knock, but basically nothing more than smashing the boundaries at Taunton."

Nothing of the sort.

This wicket has been turning from day 1, and the bounce has been vicious enough for 5 boundaries to go sailing over the Sussex keeper's head.

Somerset were 93-7 in a must-win Ch'ship clash. Two international bowlers, Wayne Parnell and Panesar, were destroying the Somerset batting.

Buttler never looked in trouble, Suddenly everything was calm when he was at the crease. He waited for the occasional single when the chance was there.

Then Monty at last dropped one short. The ball was smashed 30 feet over the top of the stands, never to be seen again.

With the change of ball the whole innings changed. Never once did Buttler need to force the issue, but every hint of an error was brutally punished. Another ball disappeared into the River Tone.

Parnell lost his bearings. No balls and wides followed. Monty jogged over from mid-off to offer some calming words of advice to Parnell. By the end of the over Parnell was aiming a Swann-style kick at the stumps (he even missed with that) and was removed from the attack.

Buttler sailed serenely on, as Alfonso Thomas at the other end continued his 3-hour vigil - a tail-ender valuing his wicket.

Buttler made just one error when a top-edge off a hook landed in no-man's-land.

After a standing ovation for his hundred, one kept low and uprooted his stumps.

Before today Buttler had been struggling - relegated to the 2nd XI and only playing because Kieswetter was off with the Lions. Whether today launches a great career or not, it was still an extraordinary innings in dire circumstances.

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