The Cricket Thread

I have a feeling this is between Somerset, Yorkshire and Middlesex. Having been involved in one stitch-up, Middlesex could conspire with Somerset to send Yorkshire down, if it favours both teams.

 

I asked this earlier, but as someone who is looking to get more into county cricket, what sort of level/team are Gloucestershire? From my very basic knowledge I know they are an ok T20/one day side but pretty poor 4 day. Is that fair?

 

Maybe Tom or St Brendy can answer that one. As they do not have the resources of the Metropolitan Counties, it is unfair to say they are a poor side.

What I don't really like about the current 4 day game is the two division system. It is unlikely to happen in the near future, but I would like to see a return to the one division where each county plays each other once during the season. That is 17*4 days allocated to 4 day cricket. If the TCCB cannot fit 17 four day games into a season that starts in the middle of April and ends in the middle of September, (that is around 150 days available for play), somethng is seriously wrong with the scheduling of matches. Someone suggested on here, Monday-Thursday for the 4 day game, leaving the weekend for the one-day games. In order to play the finals of the one-dayers, and fit in the knockout stages, there could be two weeks of rest for this at the appropriate times.

 

England ODI v Windies* today. Looking forward to that.
*I know their nickname was the Windies, but don't like that it as their permanent name now....what's wrong with the West Indies? Name changes don't make you a better team. Sudden thought...unless it is a trade mark thing.

 

I thought the same, but on reflection, there isn't actually any such place as the West Indies marked on any map, so a name change is probably long overdue. "English-speaking Caribbean nations" is a bit of a mouthful, but I would have thought they could come up with something better than "Windies", especially bearing in mind recent meteorological disasters.

 

You can blame Christopher Columbus for coining the name.

 

Fair enough.

'OK' is very much the limit I would suggest they are as a t20/one-day side. Very rarely will they get past the t20 group stage, but equally they're not the annual wooden spoon of the group. One-day cricket they're a bit more competitive, and probably will get through the group more times than they don't. Indeed, they actually won the competition 2015 - albeit somewhat surprisingly. A side who come together to be better than their individual parts. Maybe that's why they're weaker at t20, where sometimes it does only require a special performance from one or two individuals.

'Pretty poor' though is probably being a little kind though in relation to 4 day. They're rarely, if ever, in the mix for promotion from D2. If the ECB ever implemented my favoured move of three divisions of six, Gloucs would certainly be in D3. (But then that would allow them to get into the promotion mix, albeit obviously for a place in D2 not D1).

They're better than Leics in 4 day cricket, and maybe Glamorgan and/or Derby too. But that's about it.

 

T20 actually.

 

Thanks. Thought it was starting a bit late.

 

Windies heading for victory.

 

Hampshire 81-2 19 overs. Adams kwacked. Alsop 33 n.o. and Vince 42 n.o. pulled the innings around.

 

Thanks for this, will start trying to follow them a bit more next season. From the little research I have done it appears that money is a factor in them not being particularly competitive, same as every sport in Bristol then, although Bristol City and Bristol rugby are starting to get more investment, but that isn't a conversation for here.

 

It has been a good morning so far for Yorkhire and Somerset in their efforts to stay in the First Division and a bad one for Middlesex. Should Lancashire get them out cheaply and score lots of runs themselves, perhaps, Hants are just about out of reach. Come on Somerset and Yorkshire!!!

 

Another inspection ordered....doubt there will be any play between England and the Windies today. Weather ok, but not much warmth to dry the outfield at this time of the year.

 

H 121 - 4 sadly Vince out for 60

 

42 over game , and root has dropped Chris Gayle .....

 

And then caught him beautifully.

Now 63-2

 

Great catch from Bairstow are deep square leg too!

103-3.

 

107-4

 

149-5