*** Official *** County Cricket 2020

[Chubb]

Somerset i believe are favourites for this trophy. Look impressive and have a fair amount of depth in their squad too

It would be sad if Somerset were to win and it's not officially the County Championship, given they've gone so close recently and have never won the CC in 100+ years.

 

[Woodster]

Surrey batting themselves into a hole at Chelmsford and it’s tough for them to instil an alternative strategy. Harmer is turning it square and Porter nibbling it around with it going slightly up and down and very little lose stuff on offer. Cook has now replaced Porter and a similar spell is ensuing.

The visitors are 42/2 off 30 overs, logic would suggest they’re going to have to be more positive and try and unsettle this Essex attack, but it’s simply easier said than done.

 

[wpdavid]

Surrey batting themselves into a hole at Chelmsford and it’s tough for them to instil an alternative strategy. Harmer is turning it square and Porter nibbling it around with it going slightly up and down and very little lose stuff on offer. Cook has now replaced Porter and a similar spell is ensuing.

The visitors are 42/2 off 30 overs, logic would suggest they’re going to have to be more positive and try and unsettle this Essex attack, but it’s simply easier said than done.

Yeah, I'm not holding it against this depleted Surrey line-up being outplayed by Harmer and Porter.

 

[Woodster]

Yeah, I'm not holding it against this depleted Surrey line-up being outplayed by Harmer and Porter.

No, very inexperienced side and to be fair they are digging in hard. Very difficult to go on the attack against this bowling unit, maybe this dogged resistance can see them through to the draw, it’s just the kind of pitch where your name’s on one of these wicked deliveries.

 

[wpdavid]

No, very inexperienced side and to be fair they are digging in hard. Very difficult to go on the attack against this bowling unit, maybe this dogged resistance can see them through to the draw, it’s just the kind of pitch where your name’s on one of these wicked deliveries.

If memory serves, in their previous game the last five wickets fell for 4 runs, so this will probably end quickly once Essex work through the middle order. Elsewhere, good finishes in sight for Hampshire/Middlesex and Yorkshire/Notts.

 

[wpdavid]

Whatever happens today, I hope that Will Jacks' performances kick on this year. My impression is that he's a talented player who made a decent start to his career in 2018 but didn't move on from there in 2019. Because of how many players are missing, he's been given the opportunity to bat at 4, so lets see if he can make something of it over the next few weeks.

 

[weeman27bob]

Worcestershire deciding to continue batting after lunch for no real reason.

 

[Pothas]

Some great matches so far this season.

Heroic performance from Weatherley. Barker could hardly run but made batting look way easier than everyone else as soon as he came in.

 

[wpdavid]

No, very inexperienced side and to be fair they are digging in hard. Very difficult to go on the attack against this bowling unit, maybe this dogged resistance can see them through to the draw, it’s just the kind of pitch where your name’s on one of these wicked deliveries.

Not looking so good now; six gone, all of them to Harmer. He qualifies for England before too long, doesn't he?

 

[Pothas]

Harmer to take all 10?

 

[wpdavid]

Quite possibly. But Surrey's tail-enders are so inexperienced that you'd think the bowler(s) at the other end will snag at least one of them. No sign of Bopara so far this season though. I don't know whether he's injured or retired.

 

[wpdavid]

And sure enough, Beard has claimed the seventh wicket, although it was Jamie Smith tbf.

 

[StephenZA]

Not looking so good now; six gone, all of them to Harmer. He qualifies for England before too long, doesn't he?

Harmer to prove he is best spinner in world?

 

[wpdavid]

Harmer to prove he is best spinner in world?

Hard to do if he isn't playing test cricket.

 

[StephenZA]

Hard to do if he isn't playing test cricket.

When he replaces Bess I mean?

 

[wpdavid]

Yeah, I don't know when he qualifies for England. Or how his Kolpak standing is effected by us leaving the EU this year.

 

[StephenZA]

Yeah, I don't know when he qualifies for England. Or how his Kolpak standing is effected by us leaving the EU this year.

It was tongue in cheek. I don't think anybody knows quite what will happen after kolpak ends. I think he will continue to play as an overseas player, but unsure if/when he would be eligible to play for England. Probably getting a bit long in the tooth for ECB to want to push that through. Unfortunately I can't see him ever playing for RSA again.

 

[wpdavid]

It was tongue in cheek. I don't think anybody knows quite what will happen after kolpak ends. I think he will continue to play as an overseas player, but unsure if/when he would be eligible to play for England. Probably getting a bit long in the tooth for ECB to want to push that through. Unfortunately I can't see him ever playing for RSA again.

I could see him touring one of the Asian countries when the side needs 2 or even 3 spinners. Who knows whether that's for England or SA.

 

[StephenZA]

I could see him touring one of the Asian countries when the side needs 2 or even 3 spinners. Who knows whether that's for England or SA.

He burnt his bridges in RSA to an extent, and with the current political climate I can't ever see him being selected even as a 3rd spinner fro RSA.

 

[Chubb]

I love Harmer but he didn't set the world on fire when he played tests in India, on raging turners (that was the infamous series where SA just gave up trying to score runs on the last day). I'm not convinced he will trouble good players of spin in their own conditions.