The Cricket Thread

we are down .

 

Have Hampshire been at any time out of the bottom two since the season began. The writing has been on the wall for some considerable time which is a shame for Hampshire, a county that has invested heavily in its infrastructure. It will be tough trying to get promotion as there are some teams that are desperate to get back to Division 1.

 

Too generous by half Middlesex, setting 240 in 40 overs. Should have made it 300 in 32.

 

True . Must say though , that IMHO CBK has a point , what actual difference does it make ?

 

With the impending changes it is going to be even harder and I don't see how a smaller League is going to make things any better.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/mar/07/county-championship-season-ecb-changes

 

It's Official .

 

Aside from Notts we have not bowled anyone out for under 280 this season. Home or away. 1st innings or 2nd innings. There was little reason to expect that to suddenly change today.

Had it somehow happened, it wouldn't have been a great escape like last year. At no point this season has our bowling improved (like it did last year, with Fidel clicking into gear, Crane coming in from the youth team to do well, McLaren coming in from abroad to do well). Our batting absolutely improved, no question. I've not checked the stats, but I wouldn't be surprised if we've been the top runscorers in the division since the start of August. But without wickets, runs don't win you matches. We've been drawing our way to safety, until this match. Surviving wouldn't have been a great escape, it would have been embarrassment on Warks or Lancs' part (Lancs, as it turned out).

I'm not going to be as critical as I was when we last went down. Losing Topley and Fidel for the whole season, Berg for the first half of the season, Wood and Carberry for the second half of the season. Wheater, Ervine, Adams, and Dawson have all also been injured at various points of the season too. International call-ups for Vince and Dawson, fine that happens. That's cricket. But our injury list this season (not that you can call Carberry's an injury) was off the scale. Basically only McLaren has been available to us all season. Oh, and Smith I think - sadly!

That said, we do finally need to have a good winter in terms of recruits. We have lost so many players over the past five years or so, and our inability to take 20 wickets is absolutely nothing new. The likes of Rod and White have to see this, and act. Alas though, relegation has tied one hand behind each of their backs. Why would any player on an upward trajectory in their careers willingly want to join a D2 side? We've got enough 30-somethings as it is. What we badly lack - aside from good bowlers - is players in their mid to late 20s. Basically players who are in their prime.

 

That is amazing. Who at 1030 this morning would have predicted that outcome. Whilst pleased for Middlesex,, I do sense Somerset were cheated out of the title because until around 2pm it seemed the Middlesex v Yorkshire game was going to run its normal course until the Yorkshire captain invited Middlesex to set a target. Having set a target and found themselves 3 wickets down and scoring becoming increasingly difficult, they should have batted responsibly to see out an honourable draw instead of trying the impossible.

 

Why? They had nothing to lose. They had to go for it.

 

It just seems very contrived. Middlesex were batting out for an obdurate draw until Gale prompted Franklin about setting up a run chase. Myabe Somerset would have done the same. However, hard luck Somerset and lets hope next year you can get your first County Championship title.

PS: Is Toby Roland-Jones on tour? Is Brooks? Is Hildreth? Is Leach? Is Nick Gubbins? These guys have been top notch for their countries yet are not deemed fit to play for England? While Batty and Ansari are!!

 

Roland-Jones, Gubbins and Leach are in the Lions squad. Brooks and Hildreth are both 32 so it would be odd to give them international debuts now. Hildreth's scored runs pretty consistently for years and never been picked. I assume the various groups of selectors over the years have had concerns about something in his game.

Mind you, the comparison with Batty and Ansari is only relevant to Leach really. No point arguing a batsman or pace bowler should be in the squad ahead of spinners. Even then Ansari is an all rounder who bowls left arm spin (Leach isn't going to get many runs) while Batty is an off spinner who's presumably been picked to provide experienced bowling cover for Moeen Ali.

 

We're touring the sub-continent. Why would we take TRJ or Brooks, when spin is the biggest factor and they'd be behind Broad, Jimmy, Woakes, Wood and Ball in the pecking order for the maximum three seamer slots.

Leach wasn't doing a whole lot this season until Somerset starting preparing pitches which turned from ball one.

 

I agree, and if roles were reversed, imho Somerset would have done the same.

 

Well, well, well. Are Durham about to be relegated?

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ts-deduction-county-championship-division-one

 

That would top any other "Great Escape"

 

It would be fairer to promote the team that came second in Division 2 than for Hampshire to retain Division 1 status which they are clearly not good enough to maintain, even at Durham's possible expense.

 

No it wouldn't. The rules clearly stated 1 up 2 down before the season started.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37541136

Durham relegated. Hampshire back up.

 

Seems a bit strange that they are given a rescue package , then told they cannot hold test matches ?

 

Wahoo!!!!!!!! We are staying up!!!!!! On a technicality admittedly but who cares.