Far from elementary...

I'm sure we would all settle for a game this week like the one at Taunton in 1991 where, on the final day, Somerset chased 409 and, from 132 for 3, executed a magnificent middle and lower-order rally to reach 403. Warwickshire won by five runs when David Graveney was bowled by Paul Booth.

In that match, the last of the season, Booth and Neil Smith took eight wickets which was a quarter of the entire haul of the spin department that championship season. Mind you, no disgrace for spin to play second fiddle to seam when the seamers are Allan Donald (83 wickets), Tim Munton (71), Gladstone Small and Dermot Reeve (45 apiece).

Back to the future, meanwhile, Jim Troughton tells me that the business of picking the team for the Somerset game is far from easy as so many players have shown good pre-season form.

It is tricky (not least who opens the batting). But here, without any inside information, is an early stab: Westwood, Chopra, Porterfield, Yousuf, Troughton, Maddy, Clarke, Johnson, Botha, Woakes, Miller.

But if the wicket is likely to turn maybe they will throw in one of the young spinners. Holmes, by all accounts, has impressed pre-season although I would hold him back until they can find another spinner to partner him by the name of Watson.