***Official English Domestic Off Season 2014-2015***

[ImpatientLime]

is it me or is there a higher quantity of young batsman coming through with a much more attacking style in the shorter forms than is usually seen in england?

 

[theegyptian]

Picking Joe Root to bowl 10 overs is ITSTL.

Ballance has bowled in 2 of his 8 tests. A hair's breadth away from being a frontline bowler in my book.

is it me or is there a higher quantity of young batsman coming through with a much more attacking style in the shorter forms than is usually seen in england?

There's a decent bunch coming through. I guess T20 will do that. Much more emphasis on power and sports conditioning. No guarantee any of them will make it though as optimistic as I am. None are close to being the finished article.

 

[Jarquis]

I went and rewatched some Sam Billings highlights last night as one of the guy's in work had never heard of him and I don't think I'll ever get over that reverse pull or paddle sweep he played in his 135* against Somerset.

 

[Howe_zat]

Yorkshire CCC @Yorkshireccc

Good luck @pyrah27 on his first @RichPyrah2015 event tonight. Such a top lad in every sense. #NoPyrahNoParty pic.twitter.com/DR53QEGkO8
4:56 PM - 5 Feb 2015

Now there's a rule you didn't know #nopyrahnoparty

 

[theegyptian]

There are some decent English keepers doing well in Aus grade cricket this winter. Alex Davies, Ben Duckett, Joe Clarke, Ben Cox, Ben Foakes, Adam Wheater

Wheater(Perth) and Joe Clarke(South Perth) doing well playing around Perth. Bit of a Clarke fan and someone to watch out for imo in the future. Him and Cox will be competing for the keeping spot at Worcestershire. Clarke could possibly play as a bat alone.

Davies has been doing pretty well in top level Adelaide grade cricket for Northern Districts. Should get plenty of game time with Lancs this season as Buttler will barely play a game this year. Might even play as a bat when Buttler is around giving how poor the rest of the Lancs batting is.

Duckett has struggled a bit playing first grade cricket (except for 70 in the game that caused lots of controversy involving Michael Clarke) in Sydney and is back playing second grade.

Foakes was meant to be playing first class cricket in Sri Lanka but I think he couldn't get in the team and has turned up in Aus and scored a quick ton.


On that note Scott Borthwick scored a ton in SL but hasn't been bowling much.

 

[African Monkey]

James Franklin signs for Middlesex

James Franklin signs for Middlesex | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[theegyptian]

Ashes hero Steve Harmison appointed manager of non-league Ashington AFC - Chronicle Live

This appears not to be a hoax. Appears Steve Harmison has become Ashington football manager.

 

[Niall]

Tom Cooper signs for Somerset for all formats, that is a gun signing.

 

[grecian]

Tom Cooper signs for Somerset for all formats, that is a gun signing.

Yeah, should be good. Just the type they need, Could still do with another bat, preferrably one who could keep.How does Vic_Orthodox reckon Cooper will do in County Cricket?

 

[theegyptian]

Somerset second only to Middlesex now on the foreign imports count I think. Groenewald, Meschede, Myburgh, Thomas, Allenby, Cooper, Kieswetter + (Dockrell).

I thought it was looking like an increase overall in overseas imports but actually I think the numbers will be fairly even. Probably slightly less. A load of counties cleaned out some of their older players.

Yorkshire and Worcestershire (Leicestershire I think have 1 also in A Robson (+ O'Brien)) have the least imports at the moment it appears with one each. Ballance and Kervezee. To top it off for Yorkshire there are two guys from Doncaster, Yorkshire playing in the sheffield shield at the moment.

 

[brockley]

And you forgot Mark Cosgrove to Leicestershire,England nothing but thieving scum.

 

[theegyptian]

And you forgot Mark Cosgrove to Leicestershire,England nothing but thieving scum.

It hasn't been confirmed as far as I can tell to this point. Didn't appear on any of the lists I was looking at. Obviously likely to change.

 

[brockley]

Yeh its been pretty much confirmed here,likely to be confirmed in March,Nathan Rimmington likely to sign with Hampshire too.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yup, Cossie to Leicester is on.

Cooper should be good, especially on the flat one at Taunton. Can be a bit of a front foot bully, but he's a guy who can go on a real run of form. Hopefully he does that at some stage, as he'll really make them count.

 

[brockley]

The 10 % discount on the cap not stopping buying overseas players as locals.Which means smaller squads,and less locals making way for talented overseas "locals".Seems no county rushing in and buying lots of locals with a discount from the ECB. Seems their is a rise in buying overseas players,altho a few we're dropped by counties last year.Their are still a lot of overseas players on the books in 2nd xl,look at Middlesex for example.I can see a few other Aussies coming on board,especially if their are not on the edge of the Aussie side,hope we don't lose someone like Chris Lynn.

 

[grecian]

The 10 % discount on the cap not stopping buying overseas players as locals.Which means smaller squads,and less locals making way for talented overseas "locals".Seems no county rushing in and buying lots of locals with a discount from the ECB. Seems their is a rise in buying overseas players,altho a few we're dropped by counties last year.Their are still a lot of overseas players on the books in 2nd xl,look at Middlesex for example.I can see a few other Aussies coming on board,especially if their are not on the edge of the Aussie side,hope we don't lose someone like Chris Lynn.

TBH mate, my real problem with Kolpak was players that weren't much better than the local talent being brought over simply because they were cheaper not better.

People like Hogan, Copeland, Cooper, Prince, Rimmington, Cosgrove improve the quality of county cricket, which lets face it is needed.
.
We still have 18 counties, it's not like there's not plenty of chances for them to play if good enough, and far better they play and train alongside better players.

 

[theegyptian]

The 10 % discount on the cap not stopping buying overseas players as locals.Which means smaller squads,and less locals making way for talented overseas "locals".Seems no county rushing in and buying lots of locals with a discount from the ECB. Seems their is a rise in buying overseas players,altho a few we're dropped by counties last year.Their are still a lot of overseas players on the books in 2nd xl,look at Middlesex for example.I can see a few other Aussies coming on board,especially if their are not on the edge of the Aussie side,hope we don't lose someone like Chris Lynn.

Most of the random Aus/SA/NZ etc who turn up playing for second xis aren't contracted to the clubs as far as I can tell. They're just trialling and hoping to get picked up on a contract or gaining experience of English conditions. Most just go home at the end of the summer, whilst a few get picked up by the counties.

 

[brockley]

Their is a bit of a battle between Nathan Sowter plays 2nd xl for NSW and Middlesex,a leg spinner,up to him what choice he makes.















































































































































I can see the choice of buying overseas players as locals,just means Counties will just have to sign less English players due to the cuts by the ECB,which means a greater concentration of overseas players.Looking at the other side South Australia now have 3 maybe 4 if Mcdonald plays as a local for Leicestershire,which means the Redbacks can have 1 overseas player and have to shell the rest.On Cossie and Cooper they are really not that far from selection., a few good innings and they could come in2 contention.I gather Cooper won't be playing for Holland anymore,so he has shelled international cricket completely.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I didn't think there's been a suggestion that Ronnie is going to play? Maybe in T20 I guess, but does the second overseas spot have less stringent qualifications, because Ronnie hasn't played for his country in the anointed timeframe, has he?

Thought he was just there to start planning for life after cricket.

 

[brockley]

Not sure if he going to play as a local their is talk.












I wouldn't be surprised he has played his last game for South Australia tho,so i can't blame him if he does.Lot more money for a player coach than just a coach,i mainly see him playing Big Bash now.