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:
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.
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.