***Official*** English Domestic Season 2009

[stumpski]

Doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in today's matches ... Sussex need 102 off 13 overs, required run rate has crept up to very nearly 8 an over - I have to say, as a neutral I quite like it when this happens, it makes for a more interesting finish than when the chasing team is on top of the rate all through their innings.

 

[superkingdave]

Am listening to Lancs with the other game on the tv but just about to head out for a few drinks so will miss the denouement. Lancashire look in good shape, but we also struggled early doors and Essex have a good lineup, hopefully Tom Smith bowls well.

 

[superkingdave]

we were keeping it tight, but Mahmood has come on now

 

[stumpski]

Are you watching this, Mr Z? Nicely paced reply from Sussex, 13 wanted off two overs. Favourites now.

 

[zaremba]

Yeah a great win for us. I can't believe we're in the semis after such a traditionally crap start to our campaign.

We have a really promising blend of youth (Hamilton-Brown, Brown, Beer among others) and experience (Yardy, Joyce, Goodwin). Our lack of penetrative fast bowling will count against us in FC cricket - Arafat is the only one I would rely on to take wickets, given Lewry's continued viral absence - but in the one day stuff we have a reasonable chance.

My recipe for success this season: prepare turning pitches at Hove and play 5 spinners.

 

[fredfertang]

See you at Lords for the final then Mr Z

 

[zaremba]

See you at Lords for the final then Mr Z

Gloucs v Hants doesn't sound like much fun to me.

Lanky are a massive force to be reckoned with this season. Winker out and Moores in is precisely what the club needed to turn its fortunes around.

 

[fredfertang]

Gloucs v Hants doesn't sound like much fun to me.

Have they started having a third place play off game on the Nursery ground then?

 

[Uppercut]

Just arrived back from OT. Du Plessis was incredible, absolutely changed the game. At one stage i thought he was on about 70 and next ball he brought up his hundred- someone figured out that the last 49 runs of his century came off 18 deliveries.

Masters was unplayable for Essex, as his figures of 3/14 off 10 would suggest, and Napier bowled very well too at the beginning. I've rarely seen so many plays and misses early on, the batsmen looked all at sea, but they fought through it and Pettini made a MASSIVE blunder by bowling Kaneria during the batting powerplay overs (inspiring chants of "if Kaneria plays test cricket so can i..."). In other news, ten Doeschate is really much faster that I expcted.

Lancs bowled pretty well to a reasonable total. Essex took a more aggressive approach early on, but couldn't quite pierce the field and ended up skying a few catches. What really ruined them was the inability to put a partnership together- it seemed that every time they were rebuilding, someone found a way to get out. Great victory for Lancashire.

 

[fredfertang]

Poor old Essex fell for the three card trick - he's a genius that Moores

 

[GIMH]

Just arrived back from OT. Du Plessis was incredible, absolutely changed the game. At one stage i thought he was on about 70 and next ball he brought up his hundred- someone figured out that the last 49 balls of his century came off 18 deliveries..

Wow, must have been some innings if they were bowling three balls at once!

 

[Uppercut]

Wow, must have been some innings if they were bowling three balls at once!

Haha, five pint syndrome.

 

[zaremba]

My last 5 pints came in 15 pints...

 

[Uppercut]

My last 5 pints came in 15 pints...

Great effort.

 

[superkingdave]

So Cork is coming back to Old Trafford eh? Should be interesting. Hopefully it will be on sky though i might go in any case.

 

[Pothas]

When are these Semis? Finding this years shedule very hard to keep up with. This season is coming along very well so far, batting is doing much better than I expected, Cork has been a turned out to be a fantastic addition and we finally seem to be producing some really good young players. Only negative is Tremlett being injured yet again. With Tahir fit and with us for the rest of the season we have an excellent chance of winning something this yearl

 

[superkingdave]

The semis are on the first sunday in july

 

[Pothas]

Ok, we should have Dimi than, wonder if any other the other England players will feature, its only a few days before the ashes so very unlikely, dont even consider Pietersen a Hampshire player anyway really.

 

[TT Boy]

Faf! If only he were English, would walk in to the ODI side.

Lancs somehow get to 262 with Du Plessis 113* from 70 odd balls. After the start who'd have thunk it? Seven sixes...penultimate ball went for 12 (6nb & 4)

Could be in three years time.

Already has one thing going for him, his not English and the selectors love that.

Craig Kieswetter is English next March.

 

[superkingdave]

Could be in three years time.

Already has one thing going for him, his not English and the selectors love that.

Craig Kieswetter is English next March.

Do you reckon he has any chance to crack the SA ODI side? With the kolpak tightening he might lose his contract at the end of this season. If he were to have a good rest of the year in FC cricket though we'd probably consider having him as our overseas player if that were the case given he'd be available for the whole season.