**Official** County Cricket 2017

[theegyptian]

Now this is a more familiar Essex.

 

[Firebreaker]

Hameed fails again

 

[S.Kennedy]

Cannot see Coughlin getting into the Notts side to be honest; he will probably end up playing second eleven cricket like Borthwick. He is now twenty-five and had two goodish seasons for Durham about four-five years ago and never went beyond the 'promising stage' thereafter.

 

[theegyptian]

Good to see Fisher let of the leash by Yorkshire. Their bowling attack has looked a little haggard this year. Last week in particular at the Oval there 4 seamers were all over 30 which was an interesting decision. Need that infusion of youth. Coad and Fisher should help bridge the gap. Josh Shaw who is on loan at glos is another decent young bowler. Not sure whether he will make it at Yorkshire but good to enough to forge a county career somewhere at the very least. Jared Warner is sharp also although without the accuracy yet.

 

[Firebreaker]

Stoneman keeps on scoring runs in CC but failed in international cricket so I think there is a problem in the system rather than the player

 

[Scaly piscine]

Stoneman keeps on scoring runs in CC but failed in international cricket so I think there is a problem in the system rather than the player

Err he's played 3 Tests and scored some runs.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Meanwhile Jennings' technique went to **** and he hasn't scored any runs for Durham either. And in other **** the ECB news

Jennings set for Nottinghamshire move as Durham's woes deepen - ESPNcricinfo

Go **** yourselves ECB. ****ing disgrace to sport never mind cricket.

Oh and Mike Newell, go **** yourself as well, along with Nottingham$hite

 

[Firebreaker]

Meanwhile Haseeb keeps on failing which might mean that he's not going to Australia

 

[Scaly piscine]

It is seriously hard to imagine a more ****ing corrupt, cronyism set-up than the ECB. That's despite their illustrious history of cronyism, ****ing over Trueman, Boycott etc. and making the north-south stitch up of rugby look like schoolboy stuff.

Blatant conflicts of interest right, left and centre. Bizarre, outright disgraceful examples of enforced rest for players - not only ****ing over Durham once again but players getting rested to help tip the balance of final round of County Championship matches. Massive hypocrisy over debt. The astonishing stitch-up of Durham. The incredibly moronic periods of fixtures where every single Test is south of Nottingham. Then Durham and Yorkshire get to sell a ****ing May Test days apart against one of the least sellable oppositions. The preposterous bidding system that existed and allowed Wales to steal an Ashes Test from Durham. The complete disrespect for the county cricket in general.

The ECB ****ing stinks from head to foot and is rapidly destroying my love for the game.

 

[Gnske]

Err he's played 3 Tests and scored some runs.

Rajendra Chandrika scored some runs too

 

[SeamUp]

Meanwhile Jennings' technique went to **** and he hasn't scored any runs for Durham either. And in other **** the ECB news

Jennings set for Nottinghamshire move as Durham's woes deepen - ESPNcricinfo

Go **** yourselves ECB. ****ing disgrace to sport never mind cricket.

Oh and Mike Newell, go **** yourself as well, along with Nottingham$hite

Slurrey last year, Hampshite a few months ago and now Nottinghamshite.

The world is against Durham.

 

[theegyptian]

Good young english players have been moving from struggling div 2 clubs to div 1 clubs for a while now. Hardly a new phenomenon.

Transfer fees are a secondary issue. It's the two divisions that it boils down to. Players know there best chance of playing for England is first division cricket. Means all the talent gradually filters to div 1.

I'd consider restructuring the county championship. Either two or three divisions done on geography/random with playoffs etc. That way clubs like Worcestershire can keep hold of Kohler-Cadmore, Leicestershire - Broad, James Taylor, Northants - Willey, Stone etc

Players would still move for money but there wouldn't be the necessity to move that the young english players are feeling now because each league would be of the same standing, and every county would have the chance of winning the championship.

The two division thing was with the best of intentions - To get a higher standard of cricket and more competitive cricket over the whole season. It worked but (a presumably unintended consequence is that) it's also made the disparity between the top clubs and smallest all the more, and meant that some teams at the bottom it's virtually impossible for them to be successful.

It's not ideal that some of the selectors are directors of cricket, however it's hard to find someone without a conflict of interest in cricket. Botham - Durham chairman, media and commercial roles. Collingwood - Durham player and England coach.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Being a Durham player and England coach doesn't create a conflict of interest. He's trying to get the best of out players, there's not really any power or influence there.

Compare that to an England selector. Then you have huge responsibility and influence. The bias there has been painfully obvious - whether perceived or real. The Cook era with the Essex mafia. Before that it was a number of Sussex men involved. It's very difficult for anyone to fully avoid that because they'll have some ties with one of the counties. But to be running operations at a county and a selector as well is an absolute joke - only the champions of cronyism the ECB could actually conceive of the idea that it is acceptable.

 

[fredfertang]

Sangakkara in the runs again - he's had a half decent summer!

 

[SeamUp]

Some bits and bobs

Sam Northeast first Kent batsman to get 3 1000+ seasons in a row since Martin van Jaarsveld (2005-2010). Record sequence from Frank Woolley 1920-1938


Malan, Westley, Hameed, Jennings with a combined 27 runs in the last day.

More on the Notts stuff from Newell : Nottinghamshire not ruling out Keaton Jennings move as they target two batsmen - Nottingham Post

There was a rumour of Joe Clarke but he denies it above. Also linked with Billings. Seems like Jennings and one of them after Div 1 secured.

Nice piece on Joe Clarke : Treble-chasing Notts offer Clarke test of mettle - ESPNcricinfo


Jennings and Coughling have break clauses : Durham duo Keaton Jennings and Paul Coughlin eye the exit | Daily Mail Online


Ben Duckett confirmed he hasn't been contacted by an England selector since being dropped. Seems like no links of a move. Maybe fitness and attitude is catching up. See he is injured in current game vs Notts.

 

[theegyptian]

Notts losing this game makes the last round really interesting. Northants would be 13 points behind Notts and 19 behind Worcestershire.

Notts are struggling to get over the line right now and short on players. Lumb, Greg Smith and Brendan Taylor all retired or returned to their country in the last two months. Hales with odi side. Wouldn't surprise me if Pujara has to return to india after this game.

Footitt injured to the end of the season. Broad rested for rest of season. Ball with the England ODI side for rest of season. Fletcher out for season.

Northants themselves are in the wars. Duckett and Wakely being at hospital today with possible broken finger and nose. Gleeson didn't bowl first innings so possibly injured too. They play leicestershire last.

Could yet be some salvation for Durham with Jennings - although chances are he'll go somewhere else.

 

[Stapel]

Sangakkara in the runs again - he's had a half decent summer!

It's quite something, isn't it?

I was at the Oval last week. Didn't see him bat, but he was more than half decent on the boundaty.

Did see him bat at Lord's earlier in the summer (T20). Just very good to watch!

 

[Bijed]

Sangakkara in the runs again - he's had a half decent summer!

9 matches, 1360 runs @ 123.64, 8 centuries.

Even by his own high standards he's been amazing

 

[S.Kennedy]

Good young english players have been moving from struggling div 2 clubs to div 1 clubs for a while now. Hardly a new phenomenon.

Transfer fees are a secondary issue. It's the two divisions that it boils down to. Players know there best chance of playing for England is first division cricket. Means all the talent gradually filters to div 1.

I'd consider restructuring the county championship. Either two or three divisions done on geography/random with playoffs etc. That way clubs like Worcestershire can keep hold of Kohler-Cadmore, Leicestershire - Broad, James Taylor, Northants - Willey, Stone etc

Players would still move for money but there wouldn't be the necessity to move that the young english players are feeling now because each league would be of the same standing, and every county would have the chance of winning the championship.

The two division thing was with the best of intentions - To get a higher standard of cricket and more competitive cricket over the whole season. It worked but (a presumably unintended consequence is that) it's also made the disparity between the top clubs and smallest all the more, and meant that some teams at the bottom it's virtually impossible for them to be successful.

It's not ideal that some of the selectors are directors of cricket, however it's hard to find someone without a conflict of interest in cricket. Botham - Durham chairman, media and commercial roles. Collingwood - Durham player and England coach.

Durham are not exactly a 'division two club''. They have not been relegated since Hussey got them up in '05 - no other team boasts their record since the two tiers were introduced. The only way Durham can be relegated is if the ECB buggers them up the arse.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Being a Durham player and England coach doesn't create a conflict of interest. He's trying to get the best of out players, there's not really any power or influence there.

Compare that to an England selector. Then you have huge responsibility and influence. The bias there has been painfully obvious - whether perceived or real. The Cook era with the Essex mafia. Before that it was a number of Sussex men involved. It's very difficult for anyone to fully avoid that because they'll have some ties with one of the counties. But to be running operations at a county and a selector as well is an absolute joke - only the champions of cronyism the ECB could actually conceive of the idea that it is acceptable.

I'm not disagreeing with you but cricket is ran through cronyism. You can look at the very top, the ICC and the Indian hierarchy. Cricket is basically ran by an exclusive bunch of old farts in suits. There is nothing that is accountable or democratic.