***Official*** English Domestic Season 2009

[Kweek]

Effective bowling spell by Elliot so far hahaha

 

[four_or_six]

Excellent game from Napier, 3-35 and 28* off 15. I'm so pleased. Didn't rest on his laurels after a good T20 cup last year, went on and played good FC cricket and then spent the winter in NZ improving himself. Comes across as such a nice bloke too.

 

[stumpski]

Headingley game has resumed, with Yorkshire wanting 66 off 20 balls with two wickets left. Come on Surrey, let's see you screw this one up.

 

[Manee]

Grant Elliot's OD bowling form is getting a tad silly now.

 

[stumpski]

He'd only taken 3 for 124 before today though; Schofield's figures are better (7 wkts @ 10.4). Dernbach nipped in with three cheap ones as well. A year to the day since our first win of last season, would be nice to win one before Star Wars day though.

 

[King Pietersen]

Would look like the strong partnership of Masters and Napier are reunited as a potent force in County cricket with combined figures of 18-4-65-5. Chris Wright continues his respectable form this season with 1/40 off 9, he does look a pretty solid bowler with that Ishant Sharma-esque approach to the crease and action.

Hmm, can't say I'm a massive fan of Wright tbh. He's "respectable" at best. I'd much rather see someone like Tony Palladino or Maurice Chambers playing. Palladino's certainly not quick (78-80mph generally) but he gets swing, has good variation and more importantly, gets wickets in OD cricket, as proven by his record. Average of 30, striking at 35 and a healthy economy rate. Compared with Wright, who's got an average of 49.83, striking at 55 and his economy rate is higher. Chamber's extra pace would probably mean I'd take him ahead of both of them, but I'd certainly rather see Palladino playing ahead of Wright.

 

[Manee]

Hmm, can't say I'm a massive fan of Wright tbh. He's "respectable" at best. I'd much rather see someone like Tony Palladino or Maurice Chambers playing. Palladino's certainly not quick (78-80mph generally) but he gets swing, has good variation and more importantly, gets wickets in OD cricket, as proven by his record. Average of 30, striking at 35 and a healthy economy rate. Compared with Wright, who's got an average of 49.83, striking at 55 and his economy rate is higher. Chamber's extra pace would probably mean I'd take him ahead of both of them, but I'd certainly rather see Palladino playing ahead of Wright.

Look beyond the stats for once, Wright has improved, a pure average won't show that just yet. From what I've seen, Wright has a yard of pace on Chambers too.

 

[Manee]

He'd only taken 3 for 124 before today though;

I am talking more as a continuation of his ODI bowling form.

 

[King Pietersen]

I wasn't basing it purely on stats though. I've never watched Wright and been that impressed. He never looks particularly threatening and although he's got abit more pace than Palladino and Chambers, if he's not picking up wickets on a more consistent basis than them, then it's pretty pointless. I missed the Essex game on TV whenever it was though, so I can't really judge Wright's improvement, but I certainly wasn't too impressed with him last year. Rubbish hair as well.

 

[Manee]

I wasn't basing it purely on stats though. I've never watched Wright and been that impressed. He never looks particularly threatening and although he's got abit more pace than Palladino and Chambers, if he's not picking up wickets on a more consistent basis than them, then it's pretty pointless. I missed the Essex game on TV whenever it was though, so I can't really judge Wright's improvement, but I certainly wasn't too impressed with him last year. Rubbish hair as well.

Interesting. I am quite impressed by him, I think he gets good carry,

 

[King Pietersen]

He's got decent enough pace, gets good carry, but he never really stood out as someone that's going to be ripping apart batting line-ups. Maybe I've not seen enough of him, but what I have seen of him hasn't been particularly great. Just have to see how he goes this year and make more of an effort to watch the Essex games that are on TV! He does need to sort that hair cut out though, needs to get some tips from Tony Palladino, now that man has a good haircut!

 

[Manee]

I wouldn't know anything about haircuts, naturally, but he does have a far better name.

 

[superkingdave]

Good to see Davies doing well 82* off 59 balls to see Worcestershire to victory over Notts. Must be a bit gutted about how he's been treated by England.

Joe Denly also put in an impressive performance for Kent batting through for 97*, good to see young opening batsmen doing well in OD cricket, we are crying out for them.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah no idea why England didn't include him. What could have possibly changed between the winter and now. Saw him a couple of weeks ago and played well until getting out to a horrid shot. Surley has to be the best long term bet for England in ODI's

 

[Woodster]

On the Chris Wright debate, I agree that when I've seen him also, he has never looked particularly threatening or very accurate either. However, at 23 years of age it is not unthinkable that he may have made improvements to his game and will reap the rewards this season. Not entirely sure of areas he has worked on over the winter, or indeed if he has played any cricket overseas, but they seem to have a certain amount of faith in him at Essex, and perhaps he may now be realising his potential.

Will look out for him next time Essex are on and see if he has improved from last season when he did look an average County bowler.

 

[superkingdave]

Lancs need a good performance against Worcestershire this week, weather is apparently set fair, which makes a change from the last CC we were scheduled at New Road when the game was called off a couple of days before it was due to start.

Only change will probably be Mahmood for Hogg from the last match. Seems like Gareth Cross might be giving up on breaking in to the side as a wicketkeeper, he took 8/42 for his club side on the weekend He is actually a decent bowler though.

 

[FBU]

Lancs need a good performance against Worcestershire this week, weather is apparently set fair, which makes a change from the last CC we were scheduled at New Road when the game was called off a couple of days before it was due to start.

Only change will probably be Mahmood for Hogg from the last match. Seems like Gareth Cross might be giving up on breaking in to the side as a wicketkeeper, he took 8/42 for his club side on the weekend He is actually a decent bowler though.

I would like the team to be
Horton, Brown, Prince, Du Plessis, Croft, Cross, Hogg, Chapple, Mahmood, Newby, Keedy.

Chilton has started well but I don't expect it to continue as he has done nothing in the previous 5 years. He has played 153 matches and has an average of 32.61. It was 31.73 at the beginning of the season and he has faced a uni side and two teams with depleted bowling attacks.

 

[superkingdave]

I would like the team to be
Horton, Brown, Prince, Du Plessis, Croft, Cross, Hogg, Chapple, Mahmood, Newby, Keedy.

Chilton has started well but I don't expect it to continue as he has done nothing in the previous 5 years. He has played 153 matches and has an average of 32.61. It was 31.73 at the beginning of the season and he has faced a uni side and two teams with depleted bowling attacks.

To be fair he's been playing out of position for the past 5 years.

Hogg has done nothing in FC cricket for years and didn't do anything to help his cause in the Notts game. Would also like to see Cross and Brown play but its not likely at the moment. They aren't going to drop Sutton(especially in FC cricket) and they won't bring Brown in at the moment because Croft is carrying an elbow injury so can't really bowl which is partly why Smith it playing up the order. Having 3 number 11's playing in Mahmood, Newby and Keedy doesn't help but they deserve their places.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Harsh to call all three of Mahmood, Newby and Keedy number 11s. I remember Keedy being called 'the best number 11' in the country several times. Mahmood once won an ODI with the bat as well.

 

[superkingdave]

Probably is a bit harsh but Mahmood has regressed as a batsman over the past few seasons from where he looked like he could develop into a decent no. 8. He's averaged 11.8 since the end of 2005, that's definitely not higher than no 10 material.

Keedy is a very good no. 11 on his day, but seems to have a decent season followed by 2 rubbish ones with the bat, and given he had a good season last year (the best of his career) he is due to be rubbish again this year.