**Official English County Cricket 2013**

[Chubb]

Just speculating here, but it might just be an unusually high case of players being given extra impetus from being told they are "not good enough" by their county and released. I'd imagine it is a real kick-up-the-ass.

You may be right. Chopra certainly had a couple of dreadful seasons before he left and Wright hardly set the world on fire, but why should it be so common with Essex? Surely it isn't just chance none of them reached their potential there.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Essex didn't deserve to get promoted. There is an alarming track record of failing to get the best out of talent like Chopra, Wheater, Wright and now Chambers looks like going the same way. All of them have succeeded away from Chelmsford, although to be fair Wheater was a good player for them. It's a waste and serious questions have to be asked about the set up there. I say this as someone who follows Essex before the other counties due to family connections.

Wright wasn't an Essex player really, but the point is a good one. Essex seem to generate a reasonable number of decent prospects - Foakes, Topley, Mills at the moment. However, this isn't a new thing. Stephen Peters and Jonathan (JJB) Lewis had similar success away from Essex.

My biggest gripe is still the money and effort that was expended signing Saj ****ing Mahmood. WHY?!??!!??!?!?! IT MAKES NO SENSE.

Essex seem to be turning more and more to journeymen to fill holes in the side, and this hasn't been their modus operandi in the part. Mahmood and Shah can bugger off. And the sooner the better IMO. Tendo's seemingly lax attitude to playing for Essex is also getting galling.

 

[Woodster]

I'm certainly not disputing there are several players that have left and subsequently enjoyed more success elsewhere, they are issues that need closely looking at as to why this has happened so frequently. However, I'm not entirely sure that reason alone is sufficient to say they don't deserve to go up this season, their form since the Lancashire debacle has improved dramatically, and there is enough quality within the side to stage a serious challenge on the top two spots and but for a questionable selection on the final game they could have secured the runners-up spot.

Perhaps the freakishly good season Graham Napier has had with bat and ball has meant we have finished higher than perhaps they should have, and more was certainly expected from the likes of Bopara, Shah, RTD, etc.

 

[Manee]

Wright wasn't an Essex player really, but the point is a good one. Essex seem to generate a reasonable number of decent prospects - Foakes, Topley, Mills at the moment. However, this isn't a new thing. Stephen Peters and Jonathan (JJB) Lewis had similar success away from Essex.

My biggest gripe is still the money and effort that was expended signing Saj ****ing Mahmood. WHY?!??!!??!?!?! IT MAKES NO SENSE.

Essex seem to be turning more and more to journeymen to fill holes in the side, and this hasn't been their modus operandi in the part. Mahmood and Shah can bugger off. And the sooner the better IMO. Tendo's seemingly lax attitude to playing for Essex is also getting galling.

Saj Mahmood is a good prospect if he is bowling quickly. But the 78mph stuff he bowled on Sky was rather unfortunate to see. I guess that is what bad form and confidence can do for a bowler. I think Topley and Mills might just take Essex to a good level one year though. I can see them both peaking in the same season and still being before England recognition and so playing the whole season. Masters and Napier are good performers too. I think Napier is one of the top cricketers to never play for England. He has bowled well for the past few years in all formats and he is just a match-changing batsmen.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Saj Mahmood is a good prospect if he is bowling quickly. But the 78mph stuff he bowled on Sky was rather unfortunate to see. I guess that is what bad form and confidence can do for a bowler. I think Topley and Mills might just take Essex to a good level one year though. I can see them both peaking in the same season and still being before England recognition and so playing the whole season. Masters and Napier are good performers too. I think Napier is one of the top cricketers to never play for England. He has bowled well for the past few years in all formats and he is just a match-changing batsmen.

Good prospect? He's 31 FFS. He's only going to get worse, not better. He's just not good enough any more. His stats over the last few seasons - and this season in particular - have been awful.

EDIT: Masters is the one non-local signing that Essex have made who has performed consistantly week in week out. Quality player, as is Napes.

 

[Manee]

Good prospect? He's 31 FFS. He's only going to get worse, not better. He's just not good enough any more. His stats over the last few seasons - and this season in particular - have been awful.

EDIT: Masters is the one non-local signing that Essex have made who has performed consistantly week in week out. Quality player, as is Napes.

Obviously it is not an ideal selection and has a lot going against it. But a couple strong seasons from a former Test player was not out of the realms of possibility - especially with the discussion of players improving having left one county for another. But yes, it would not seem he is doing very well at the moment.

I remember there was a year where Masters just went for no runs, ever. I think it was maybe two or three years back and he was going for three per over in limited overs and around 1-2 in FC cricket. Just such an accurate bowler. He has this weird release where the ball seems to skid and bounce and seam after pitching. Reminds me of a slower Clint McKay in that regard. You've gotta think that on a spicy pitch, there might not be too many bowlers better than Masters.

 

[brockley]

The True Blues will also have to cope without Steve Seymour, who has activated his dual citizenship and will stay in England for a crack at county cricket next year with trials at Nottinghamshire and Middlesex imminent.

 

[stumpski]

We're batting on then, good. Another hour I reckon, try and get a lead of 200.


10 off Rashid's over brings up his own double century.

 

[stumpski]

Sibley out for 242, yorked by Sidebottom.

 

[theegyptian]

Yes imagine going back to school having scored a 242 and having shared a 236 run partnership with the no.1 ranked batsman in the world. Bit of a come down having to go back to school once the initial 'So what've you been doing over the summer?' question is gone.

 

[stumpski]

Given that Rashid has gone for 222 now, I wonder what's the most a bowler has conceded in one innings in the CC. It couldn't have been exceeded in the days of three-day cricket surely.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

Yes imagine going back to school having scored a 242 and having shared a 236 run partnership with the no.1 ranked batsman in the world. Bit of a come down having to go back to school once the initial 'So what've you been doing over the summer?' question is gone.

His school cricket coach - one David "Gnasher" Ward will just point out the young Sibley fell 52 short of HIS highest FC score!

He'll do it with a smile though.

 

[marc71178]

Given that Rashid has gone for 222 now, I wonder what's the most a bowler has conceded in one innings in the CC. It couldn't have been exceeded in the days of three-day cricket surely.

Equal 3rd it seems

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah I'm guessing they just thought they could get as much with the ball out of Rashid and Williamson as they could Plunkett on this wicket, especially since Plunkett has been really, really expensive at times in the last month or so.

Given Rashid and Williamson took 2/400+ between them, that didn't quite work out...

 

[theegyptian]

pretty pitiful stuff being played out between notts and somerset. It being the last day of the season with nothing to lose you would have least thought they set up a match for the fans but obviously not.

 

[Prince EWS]

Just realised that Gregory actually played a vaguely decent innings in this round. Good for him. Cruel irony in him batting pretty high for most of his career and then finally being moved down to 9 here only to play a decent knock and get stranded, though.

 

[grecian]

pretty pitiful stuff being played out between notts and somerset. It being the last day of the season with nothing to lose you would have least thought they set up a match for the fans but obviously not.

Yeah, all a bit depressing, you really can't blame Sky for not showing a match, when this is the attitude among many counties.

 

[91Jmay]

Unbelievable innings from Stevens, would be a sensational win for Kent as well.

 

[Prince EWS]

Stevens has become such an awesome player in the last few years; right at the time you'd usually expect someone to start declining too, especially as an allrounder. Much respect.

 

[91Jmay]

They have done it! 414/8 off 91 overs. Stevens 205 from 218.