English off-season 13/14

[vic_orthdox]

Nah don't agree with this at all. If Trott was injured during the Ashes, went away and got himself fit why wouldn't he come back into the team if the management were 100% sure he was fit to play? His situation isn't a whole lot different.

No problem with him having to get some FC runs under his belt first to prove his form; but if he does that and he and everyone else is 100% sure he's in a good place mentally then we have to play him surely???

Having a healthy Trott back would be a massive bonus for Eng at this point, we're scratching around to fill the top order as it is.......having a player of his proven class really would be epic IMO.

Especially with the amount of experience lost elsewhere, think if he knows which end of the bat to hold, and declares himself available, he'll be there.

 

[vic_orthdox]

It could be taken as such but, as with any illness or injury, the coaching staff also have a duty of care to their player. I think there was a dereliction of it over the winter. Obviously I'm only speaking from the outside on what's been reported, but various reports have suggested it was a long-standing issue.

If he's rushed back, such is the nature of his condition, a relapse is a strong possibility. Although that's equally true of any injury/illness, I suppose. One wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) play a chap too soon after a hammy pull and this should have the same judgments applied.

Love to see him back tho; strikes one as a good sort of a chap.

Would be huge call to make on pulling him out of the squad on what you consider to be "in his best interests", when he's got his own stress related illness and says he wants to be over there. Not just from a cricketing POV.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Would be huge call to make on pulling him out of the squad on what you consider to be "in his best interests", when he's got his own stress related illness and says he wants to be over there. Not just from a cricketing POV.

It would, although I do think most cricketers (and sportsmen in general) worth their salt want to play no matter what. One's seen horrible instances in boxing where fighters have ended up with debilitating brain injuries (Gerald McClellan and Michael Watson spring to mind) because they've fought on past the point where they should've been stopped for their own good.

No suggestion Trott is likely to end up the same, but my point is kinda that sportsmen aren't always the best judges of their fitness to compete.

One would hope Trott would be properly assessed by a mental health professional and one hopes this was the case before the Ashes too.

If he wasn't and the nature of his illness was known to the coaching staff then I think that's a clear failure of duty of care.

 

[superkingdave]

Good to see Kegga get a good bowl, 37 overs and 4-86 a solid return.

 

[Pothas]

More runs for Robson, got to have put himself in with a very good chance going into the summer.

Good tour for the Lions by the look of things, got to try and take something out of this winter don't we.

 

[Cabinet96]

Conversely, one reckons Bairstow has blown his chance to impress. Has to be below the likes of Taylor, Robson, Chopra and Woakes now.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah which is probably no bad thing, nothing against the guy but he is not very good is he.

 

[Cabinet96]

I find it weird given how short a chance they gave the likes of Compton, Taylor and Woakes, that he's constantly been in the mix for the last two years. He's had what, one good game in that time?

 

[Pothas]

Played one ok innings against NZ didn't he? But yeah they obviously really like him and it is hard to see why given his glaring technical issue. I did (wrongly) want him over Compton for the start of the ashes but that was more because I was getting unreasonably excited about Joe Root. When we were pleased with him making 20 odd in the ashes I think it was quite obvious that he was not good enough.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Conversely, one reckons Bairstow has blown his chance to impress. Has to be below the likes of Taylor, Robson, Chopra and Woakes now.

Good, can help Yorkshire win the title then instead.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Good, can help Yorkshire win the title then instead heroically finish behind Durham as usual.

Corrected.

 

[Watson33]

Does anyone know if KP is going to play Championship games for Surrey next year? That could be some FC team Surrey put out in division two next year!

 

[SeamUp]

Some great coverage by Surrey on their twitter for their pre-season tour to Cape Town. https://twitter.com/surreycricket

Playing a WP XI today at Newlands. Rory Burns with a hundred.

Scorecard before he got to it. https://twitter.com/surreycricket/status/442633068608630785/photo/1

 

[Dan]

Yorkshire look to have a gun XI this year (in a world of hypothetical availability):

1. Root
2. Lees
3. Williamson
4. Ballance
5. Bairstow +
6. Gale
7. Rashid
8. Bresnan
9. Plunkett
10. Brooks
11. Sidebottom

Which still leaves Lyth, Rafiq and Patterson on the sidelines.

 

[Prince EWS]

Which still leaves Lyth, Rafiq and Patterson on the sidelines.

And Finch.

 

[Dan]

And Finch.

Oh joy, because watching Aaron Finch fail at FC cricket in one country wasn't enough.

 

[theegyptian]

Yorkshire look to have a gun XI this year (in a world of hypothetical availability):

1. Root
2. Lees
3. Williamson
4. Ballance
5. Bairstow +
6. Gale
7. Rashid
8. Bresnan
9. Plunkett
10. Brooks
11. Sidebottom

Which still leaves Lyth, Rafiq and Patterson on the sidelines.

Yes I think if everybody is available Yorkshire and Warwickshire have the two strongest looking teams. Was looking like Warwickshire could have had Bell, Trott both available at the start of the season but not anymore after Bell's callup to the t20s (and presumably the world t20). Yorkshire main problem is likely to be getting players back into form after playing irregularly for England this summer. Notts in theory look good but Adams has been injury prone for a while; Shahzad and Hales look good names but do nothing in fc cricket; not convinced siddle is the type of bowler they should have gone for.

Chopra
Javid
Bell
Trott
Evans
Woakes
Ambrose
Clarke
Barker
Patel
Wright
(Porterfield, Troughton, Rankin)

 

[Woodster]

As we're looking at possible XI's for the upcoming season, I think Middlesex look like they could be strong contenders if everything falls into place for them. Side looks pretty good to me -

1. Rogers (if he returns)
2. Robson
3. Denly
4. Morgan
5. Dexter
6. Simpson
7. Berg
8. Rayner
9. Roland-Jones
10. Finn
11. Murtagh

Not including Malan, Stirling, Harris (very unlucky to miss out but will figure in plenty of games) and a couple of promising youngsters such as Helm, Rossington, Patel, etc.. Another quality signing or two will really strengthen their position but more important will be improved seasons for Malan and Denly and if Robson, Finn, and Morgan can manage near full seasons they will be contenders for me.

 

[Woodster]

Somerset look strong with the bat on paper, not sure they quite have enough punch with the ball.

Marcus Trescothick cannot have another below-par season such as the one he endured in 2013, and James Hildreth is also capable of so much more. Without the ability of getting big runs on the board wins at Taunton are pretty tough and I'm not sure they quite carry enough potency with the ball just yet, but the batting looks strong should the majority of them play to potential.

1. Trescothick
2. Petersen
3. Compton
4. Hildreth
5. Barrow / Jones
6. Kieswetter
7. Trego
8. Meschede
9. Thomas
10. J Overton
11. Dockrell

Not including Kirby, and a whole host of promising youngsters such as Dibble, Gregory, Leach, C Overton, Waller,etc. Somerset look more than capable of keeping most county sides in the field for some time with the right application. Just think a serious title challenge may elude them for now while the development of a number of players continues, but an improvement on last season's placing in the CC is a minimum expectancy.

 

[theegyptian]

Middlesex certainly have the bowling. But batting has been very average for a year or two. Probably the strongest group of bowlers and for that reason they should certainly challenge.

Looking forward to the potential Somerset lower middle order of C Overton, Meschede, Gregory, J Overton forming over the next few years. Don't think the batting has enough depth and the bowlers are either not quite experienced enough or past their peak to sutain a challenge this year.