2021 English Cricket Season

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Last round of the County Championship. After the 1st day's play you would make Warwickshire favourites for the title

Looked like they had blown it this morning with a mini collapse but Danny Briggs of all people just hit 20 runs off Jack Brooks in the 110th over to get them the extra bonus point they needed to keep the title in the their hands. They'll likely still need to pick up max bowling points (and win the game), with Hampshire well on top vs Lancs.

 

[Starfighter]

This round's scorecards look like a throwback to the 1890s.

 

[Midwinter]

Northants obviously wanted to get home early.

 

[Pothas]

Looked like they had blown it this morning with a mini collapse but Danny Briggs of all people just hit 20 runs off Jack Brooks in the 110th over to get them the extra bonus point they needed to keep the title in the their hands. They'll likely still need to pick up max bowling points (and win the game), with Hampshire well on top vs Lancs.

Yeah genuinely could not believe Briggs did that. I know there are all sorts of wider questions about how good this is for the game but Hampshire have had three lowing scoring thrillers in a row and it is a lot of fun. Still no idea how it is going to go.

 

[Pothas]

Oh man

 

[grecian]

I hope we fold like a deckchair to **** up Lanky, #neverforget.

 

[Pothas]

So gutted but guess there was a limit to the amount of times we could win after making less than 200 every innings. Would have been incredible if they had nicked it at the end though. The Vince wicket last night was absolutely huge.

 

[theegyptian]

So Warwickshire have dangled the carrot offering Somerset a favourable chase. You'd have to favour Somerset given the way the game was going - wicket looks flat. Somerset batting however is crap. Not sure Briggs is the kind of guy to bowl out teams on the last day.

Disappointing the Surrey Glamorgan game hasn't had a contrived finish. Could of made a game of it with say Surrey requiring 400 to win on the last day with a couple of declarations yesterday but instead we get this abomination of a game.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Disappointing the Surrey Glamorgan game hasn't had a contrived finish. Could of made a game of it with say Surrey requiring 400 to win on the last day with a couple of declarations yesterday but instead we get this abomination of a game.

Pretty dreadful as a contest, but the unreasonably flat pitch has allowed Ollie Pope to get his FC average on his home ground back above 100 again. He also now has the second highest rate of converting 50s into double centuries of any first class player in history (behind Bradman of course), with a minimum of 25 scores of 50 or more.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Pretty dreadful as a contest, but the unreasonably flat pitch has allowed Ollie Pope to get his FC average on his home ground back above 100 again. He also now has the second highest rate of converting 50s into double centuries of any first class player in history (behind Bradman of course), with a minimum of 25 scores of 50 or more.

In a universe where every Test was played at the Oval, OJD Pope would be the best batsman... in the wooooooooorld

 

[chris.hinton]

Cant see Warwickshire losing the title. Didnt think back in April they would win it.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Yeah I didn't see this coming at all at the start of the season, wasn't at all confident we'd make the top division let alone win it.

Pleased as a Bears fan, obviously, but it feels a bit odd too. Partly because I've personally not followed the CC this year as closely as I usually do. But also the structure of the tournament this year means the title has been decided so suddenly. Only 4 games per side in the divisional phase and Warwickshire's record before this final round of games was W1 D1 L1, having not topped our qualifying group either. Doesn't feel like we've really had a title winning season, or really proved that we're the best side in the country. Maybe if we can wrap up the win today and go on to win the Bob as well it'll feel more like we're worthy champions.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Yeah I didn't see this coming at all at the start of the season, wasn't at all confident we'd make the top division let alone win it.

Pleased as a Bears fan, obviously, but it feels a bit odd too. Partly because I've personally not followed the CC this year as closely as I usually do. But also the structure of the tournament this year means the title has been decided so suddenly. Only 4 games per side in the divisional phase and Warwickshire's record before this final round of games was W1 D1 L1, having not topped our qualifying group either. Doesn't feel like we've really had a title winning season, or really proved that we're the best side in the country. Maybe if we can wrap up the win today and go on to win the Bob as well it'll feel more like we're worthy champions.

That said, whooop! Done it now, officially champs. ?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well done Warwickshire. Keeps the championship clean and healthy.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Well done Warwickshire. Kent won the losers division. Not too sure what it actually achieves, but it looks good.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah I didn't see this coming at all at the start of the season, wasn't at all confident we'd make the top division let alone win it.

Pleased as a Bears fan, obviously, but it feels a bit odd too. Partly because I've personally not followed the CC this year as closely as I usually do. But also the structure of the tournament this year means the title has been decided so suddenly. Only 4 games per side in the divisional phase and Warwickshire's record before this final round of games was W1 D1 L1, having not topped our qualifying group either. Doesn't feel like we've really had a title winning season, or really proved that we're the best side in the country. Maybe if we can wrap up the win today and go on to win the Bob as well it'll feel more like we're worthy champions.

Having half the season so early and the rest so late obviously causes all sorts of issues but I really enjoy this format. The old league system is definitely better at giving you the best side as champions but think the trade off is worth it for the drama we have seen over the last few weeks, is the most invested I have been in Hampshire for ages. I know that it probably feels very different for those teams that ended up I'm division 2 and 3 but I really think there is something to work with here. Also having the Bob Willis trophy separate is clearly a nonsense, they should just embrace the play-off format and make it a proper final.

 

[tony p]

Well done Warwickshire. Kent won the losers division. Not too sure what it actually achieves, but it looks good.

Two trophies for Kent this week, we'll take any after a very long drought.

 

[wpdavid]

Great week for Kent, and well done Warwickshire. I don't have strong views on the format. My lot being in Division 2 didn't really affect my interest in the CC. Perhaps the greater chance of winning something may have helped if Surrey were good enough to compete for the D2 trophy, but they weren't, so it felt like business as usual. I think it's probably a good thing that more counties have something to play for, but we had that anyway with two divisions and promotion & relegation. I gather that Essex weren't happy with the format, but I suppose they knew the rules when the season started. Anyway, where's 91 when you need him? Maybe recovering from lengthy celebrations last night.

 

[The Sean]

Pretty dreadful as a contest, but the unreasonably flat pitch has allowed Ollie Pope to get his FC average on his home ground back above 100 again. He also now has the second highest rate of converting 50s into double centuries of any first class player in history (behind Bradman of course), with a minimum of 25 scores of 50 or more.

Great stat - what are the actual numbers? I couldn't find a reference to exactly how many double tons Pope has made now.

EDIT - Don't mind me, it was apparently his fourth.

 

[Gremlin]

Doing a bit at HQ this morning apparently...