***Official*** English Domestic Season 2008

[steds]

Still not sure what to make of Rashid. Bowled some absolute beauties (the three which immediately come to mind are his first ball, the Voges wicket, and I think it was the first ball of his last over), showed decent control for the most part and excellent variation. However, he bowled some utter ****e, too. Such as the Patel wicket and the last 4 balls of his last over, which Adams seemed too scared to even attempt to do anything except timidly prod at them. He bowled well, but 4-24 was highly flattering. Still deciding whether I rate him or not.


Cairns was robbed, too.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I didn't actually see the match, I was at work, so I just looked at his figures to see TBH.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Still not sure what to make of Rashid. Bowled some absolute beauties (the three which immediately come to mind are his first ball, the Voges wicket, and I think it was the first ball of his last over), showed decent control for the most part and excellent variation. However, he bowled some utter ****e, too. Such as the Patel wicket and the last 4 balls of his last over, which Adams seemed too scared to even attempt to do anything except timidly prod at them. He bowled well, but 4-24 was highly flattering. Still deciding whether I rate him or not.


Cairns was robbed, too.

Leg-spin is notoriusly hard to master though. I dont think he'll be consistant for years, if at all.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ah, cool. Sky show their token County Championship game today. Lancs v Sussex. Would've been a big fixture last year.

 

[fredfertang]

Will no doubt be the clincher as to whether Flintoff appears in the first test so its a big game this year too

 

[BoyBrumby]

Will no doubt be the clincher as to whether Flintoff appears in the first test so its a big game this year too

Possibly, although I personally would like him to get a couple of games under his belt before we seriously consider him, especially given the way he picked up the side-strain so soon into his last comeback.

I think it also depends if we see him (or rather if our selectors see him) as part of a four or five man attack. If it's the former I personally would like evidence he can shoulder a proper portion of bowling duties. If it's the latter I'd like to see him score some runs at least.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ha, wow. Chapple looks a shadow of the bowler he was. Comes in off about 10 paces & struggling to get it to 80mph.

Nice variation tho; served up legside half-volleys to both the left-hander & the right-hander in his first over. 9 runs off it.

 

[fredfertang]

That over was awful wasn't it - I fear yet again this will not be Lanky's year

 

[Manee]

Freddie's a bit low on pace, hopefully he is just rusty and not carrying some more niggles.

 

[Richard]

Mahmood as usual getting 2 wickets with rubbish deliveries today, Keedy just being gifted 1 with a nothing ball too.

 

[wpdavid]

Since when have they shown 4-day county games?

And has Mahmood really been as lucky as Rich reckons?

 

[Manee]

And has Mahmood really been as lucky as Rich reckons?

How lucky can you be if you've been hit for a fair few fours in the third man region through edges and have taken two wickets, one of which has been bowled.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

They tend to show two county games a season: one in the last round and one other.

Sussex have somehow lost five wickets before lunch, all probably avoidable dismissals.

 

[Richard]

How lucky can you be if you've been hit for a fair few fours in the third man region through edges and have taken two wickets, one of which has been bowled.

Basically Adams dragged a wide-ish Long-Hop onto his stumps and Goodwin hit a leg-stump Half-Volley straight to mid-wicket.

Rubbish bowling. The edges for runs were all off crap balls anyway.

 

[Richard]

Since when have they shown 4-day county games?

As George said, they generally show 2 per season these days. Used to be 4 back when I first got Sky Sports (was via ONDigital in those days).

 

[Manee]

They tend to show two county games a season: one in the last round and one other.

Sussex have somehow lost five wickets before lunch, all probably avoidable dismissals.

The ball which dismissed Adams was not that bad. It was more short of a length than a long hop and it was pitched in the corridor.

 

[Manee]

Jones now has 3/22 - he is steadily making his way through the comeback trail.

 

[Richard]

Elsewhere, Bopara & Shah have both failed this morning, which isn't the best of timing. Jones has 2 for 21. And Ramps has reached 31* at The Oval: will today be the big day?

Interestingly, both Shah and Bopara have been part of star-studded top-orders which have fallen in a heap this morn.

Strauss, Godleman, Shah and Joyce all gone for a combined total of 27 (Morgan and this latest honourary-Englishman SAfrican Dawid Malan currently rebuilding there) against Northamptonshire's SAfricans, and Essex's top-order of Gallian, Cook, Dexter (never noticed he'd moved from Kent), Bopara and Pettini hasn't gone well. Fortunately, though, Cook is going well - 89* AWS.

Seems, though, that any batting-line-up which comes-up against Kabir Ali and Simon Jones this season will be ripped apart.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Interestingly, both Shah and Bopara have been part of star-studded top-orders which have fallen in a heap this morn.

Strauss, Godleman, Shah and Joyce all gone for a combined total of 27 (Morgan and this latest honourary-Englishman SAfrican Dawid Malan currently rebuilding there) against Northamptonshire's SAfricans, and Essex's top-order of Gallian, Cook, Dexter (never noticed he'd moved from Kent), Bopara and Pettini hasn't gone well. Fortunately, though, Cook is going well - 89* AWS.

Malan has been there a couple of season, hasn't he?

In other news, Ramps on 45*. 100 #100 tonight?

 

[Richard]

Plenty of England players playing today BTW - both Test players who haven't played for a little while and ODI players who have and haven't.

Strauss, Cook, Bell, Vaughan, Collingwood, Mascarenhas and Tremlett. No Sidebottom, Anderson or Broad. Or Swann FTM. Nor Captain KP of course.

Andre Adams has started well for Notts BTW too - 2 wickets in his opening spell. Heck, even Paul Franks has gone well so far, with 7 overs for 5 (and just 2 given away with no-balls to boot, which is a real achievement for him - he's always overstepped far too much).

Another side-note - Liam Plunkett is playing for the first time this season, with Onions apparently still injured. And typically, two good batsmen who should be doing better have gifted him their wickets - Rudolph and McGrath. And now rain stops play at Headingley as Gale and Lyth make some effort at rebuilding.