**Official** County Cricket 2018

[S.Kennedy]

I still cannot believe Hales got off virtually scot free for proceeding to cowardly kick somebody repeatedly on the ground while Stokes gets dragged through the courts (not that I'm defending Stokes). Am I missing something here?

 

[S.Kennedy]

The obsession with England winning 2019 World Cup is bordering on pathological for ECB and some of the players.

It almost makes me want England to get thumped and knocked out in the groups haha

 

[marc71178]

Such an obsession that only you seem to have noticed it?

 

[Gnske]

Such an obsession that only you seem to have noticed it?

Have you been living in a cave since 2015 good sir?

 

[S.Kennedy]

Such an obsession that only you seem to have noticed it?

Strauss and Bayliss were basically recruited to deliver up the 2019 world cup.

 

[cpr]

Seems strange that England are actually trying their hardest to win the main international tournament in the game. Glad it hasn't filtered over to other sports or poor Gareth Southgate would be out of a job.

 

[SeamUp]

Overseas players basically done bar 3 counties.

Derbyshire : Santner (NZL) 2nd half of season
Durham : Latham (NZL)
Essex : Siddle (AUS) (Apr-May) , Wagner (NZL) (May-Jul) , Zampa (T20)
Glamorgan : S.Marsh (AUS)
Gloucs : Worrall (AUS) (Until Jul) , Tye (AUS) (T20)
Hampshire :
Kent :
Lancashire : Mennie (AUS)
Leicestershire : Sohail Khan (PAK) (Apr-Jun) , Mohammed Abbas (PAK) (Jun-Sep)
Middlesex :
Northants : Bracewell (NZL) (1st month) , Kleinveldt (SA) (May-Sep), Prassana (SRL) (T20)
Notts : Christian (AUS) (T20), Sodhi (NZL) (T20)
Somerset : Bancroft (AUS)
Surrey : M.Marsh (AUS) , Finch (AUS) (T20)
Sussex : Ishant (IND) (Apr-Jun) , Rashid Khan (AFG) (T20)
Warks : Jeetan (NZL) , de Grandhomme (NZL) (T20)
Worcs : Head (AUS)
Yorks : Pujara (IND) (Apr-Jun) , Williamson (NZL) (Jul -Sep)

 

[Woodster]

Overseas players basically done bar 3 counties.

Derbyshire : Santner (NZL) 2nd half of season
Durham : Latham (NZL)
Essex : Siddle (AUS) (Apr-May) , Wagner (NZL) (May-Jul) , Zampa (T20)
Glamorgan : S.Marsh (AUS)
Gloucs : Worrall (AUS) (Until Jul) , Tye (AUS) (T20)
Hampshire :
Kent :
Lancashire : Mennie (AUS)
Leicestershire : Sohail Khan (PAK) (Apr-Jun) , Mohammed Abbas (PAK) (Jun-Sep)
Middlesex :
Northants : Bracewell (NZL) (1st month) , Kleinveldt (SA) (May-Sep), Prassana (SRL) (T20)
Notts : Christian (AUS) (T20), Sodhi (NZL) (T20)
Somerset : Bancroft (AUS)
Surrey : M.Marsh (AUS) , Finch (AUS) (T20)
Sussex : Ishant (IND) (Apr-Jun) , Rashid Khan (AFG) (T20)
Warks : Jeetan (NZL) , de Grandhomme (NZL) (T20)
Worcs : Head (AUS)
Yorks : Pujara (IND) (Apr-Jun) , Williamson (NZL) (Jul -Sep)

Can now add Duanne Olivier to Derbyshire for the first seven games of the Championship season, a move that might please you SeamUp in terms of aiding Olivier's development ?

 

[theegyptian]

Lions have done terrible but Kent did pretty well in the Windies. Made the semis of the 50 over cup before losing to Barbados. Pretty decent given they were missing key players (although the WI teams were also under strength at times).

Nick Compton been scoring decent runs in SL domestic cricket. Gotta admire that in this day and age. Gus Fraser has said that Compton won't start the season in the team at Middlesex. They are rebuilding in div 2 and giving chances to other players.
Wonder if Worcestershire or Notts could come in for a loan or even a permanent signing. He was pretty poor last year but both these clubs are short on the batting. I think it would make sense for Worcestershire. I know COmpton is known as being pretty intense and tough to get along with but a young group like Worcestershire have it might be good for both lots. Only complication is that 2018 is Compton's benefit year at Middlesex.

 

[S.Kennedy]

The man in ceylon,

 

[S.Kennedy]

I've been reading up on this Hales/Rashid thing, various blogs and articles, and I am really starting to fear for this sport now. Look on it this way: there is now a generation of players who have only ever played during a era when Twenty20 existed. They do not seem to have the old reverence for playing in the whites that older players have, even players who were/are still around when Twenty20 arrived, guys like Bell and Cook. The younger cricketers (there are of course exceptions) have no greater attachment to the longer game than they do Twenty20. Chuck on the immense amounts of money, unprecedented amounts, that they can make playing franchises and it is difficult to see how first-class cricket can compete.

Cricket is heading where football went when the Premier League was created in the '90s, albeit with the confusing picture of separate formats. So far we have the safe havens of the Ashes and World Cups but it is not inconceivable that internationals - even LOI - will be threatened by franchises. Who after all would have predicted that club football would overtake FIFA World Cups in 1992?

Oh well. I'll still be stuck in April and September watching division 2 county cricket.

 

[S.Kennedy]

I suppose I should give grudging respect to Warner who arrived the wrong way around, from a T20 basher to a test player who seems to really care about being a test player (I bet more than anything). Pity there are not more players like that.

 

[cpr]

. Who after all would have predicted that club football would overtake FIFA World Cups in 1992?

No-one, and they were right

 

[fredfertang]

No-one, and they were right

I think SK makes a decent point, although a better example might be the emaciation of the FA Cup, which was the be all and end all when I was a lad, but which despite the efforts of Auntie Beeb and BT Sport now just seems to be a nuisance that clutters up the Premier League/Champions League schedules

 

[S.Kennedy]

No-one, and they were right

Are you saying that international footy has the prestige it had when your Maradonas and so forth were active? The Champions League has overtaken it.

 

[cpr]

It's not overtaken the World Cup, unless you're English, then its only bitterness that prevents you enjoying it

 

[Stefan9]

World cup remains the biggest sporting event in the world but outside it international football isn't as big as it was.

Where football is better, is its organisation. It has very well established Windows where international football and club football Doesn't compete.

 

[FBU]

I still cannot believe Hales got off virtually scot free for proceeding to cowardly kick somebody repeatedly on the ground while Stokes gets dragged through the courts (not that I'm defending Stokes). Am I missing something here?

I think Stokes will get his ODI spot back at the expense of Hales.
Bairstow and Roy to open.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Moxon was on Gough's talksport show and he sounds less than impressed (I get the sense that Yorkshire may fling Rashid after this season). These one-day contract guys are only contracted for 1/3 of the English domestic season and a good point was raised about it leaving holes in a county's team plans pertaining to transfers.

 

[S.Kennedy]

It's not overtaken the World Cup, unless you're English, then its only bitterness that prevents you enjoying it

I couldn't give a monkeys about football so I don't think that applies to me. I do know many people who are ''club over county'' though.

Just an impression I have that the World Cup has lost some of its lustre from the days Pele, Cruyff, Maradona and Zidane. The perception is that the Champions League is seen as the dominant festival of footy now.