***Official English Domestic Off Season 2014-2015***

[Dan]

Cooper qualifies in 4 years for England due to his Dutch passport.

Yes, because he's obviously playing County Cricket so he can play Tests for England when he's 32, despite already playing international cricket for the Netherlands and being in the frame for Australian honours well within that qualification period

 

[Dan]

Guess it will be something like:

Tres
Myburgh
Cooper
Hildreth
Allenby
Barrow WK
Trego
Gregory
Coverton
Rehman
Groenewald

Thomas and Joverton around abouts too.

It does look a lot of similar type seamers in the side, maybe lose one for Abell or Jones.

Jones retired, so that basically makes Abell the only reserve batsman who isn't part of the Academy (from what I can see). Somerset seriously need to pick up another one somewhere.

I wonder if KP would be interested in heading West...

 

[superkingdave]

Peter Siddle signed for Lancs. Should have a field day in Div 2. North fan as well.

Supposedly available from the start of the season to the end of July apparently - but that seems to be assuming he won't make the Ashes party.

 

[superkingdave]

Team to start the year probably something like

Horton
Reece
Petersen
Prince
Croft
Smith
Davies
Siddle
Chapple (if fit - needs 25 FC wickets for 1000)
Seamer 3
Kerrigan

Perm any one or two if Chapple not fit from Buck, Jarvis, Edwards, Bailey, Griffiths and Saqib Mahmood for the last spot(s) depending on form. Hopefully Hameed and Mahmood will force their way into the side during the year. None of our other bowlers seem to be able to hold a bat which is a shame.

 

[theegyptian]

Hampshire looked pretty light for bowlers now that Coles has returned to Kent after one reasonably succesful year. Balcombe has left for Surrey also. All they've gotten in is Andre Adams who has been extremely injury prone for a while, Berg who was injured the whole of last year, and Jackson Bird as overseas who'll either be injured or get called upto the Australia squad if doing well.

Imo they need Bird to win them a few early season games if they want to stay up. Can't see Wood, Tomlinson and Briggs causing much damage. The only caveat to this is that Nathan Rimmington is a possibility as he has a british passport and may quit australian cricket. Would certainly look a lot stronger with him in the squad.

Gonna be a struggle for both promoted clubs I'd guess. Worcestershire are a very young squad and whilst they've brought Ajmal back there's gotta be a big concern that he isn't the bowler that he was last year without the 50 degree bend in his arm.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah Coles leaving is bad news. I really did assume that another bowler would be coming in when they announced he was leaving but it is not looking like it. There was talk of Abbott coming back at some point (don't really know how long Bird is staying for) which would obviously make a huge difference.

We are going to have to score a lot of runs and I can't see Vince not being in an England squad at some stage. Big responsibility on Adams and Carberry.

 

[Rotkohl]

Bob Appleyard is no more - Death of Yorkshire cricket legend Bob Appleyard - Yorkshire Post



Way before my days but he helps put most of our daily struggles into perspective. I cant think of a tougher man to have played cricket

 

[fredfertang]

He also had to take the 'Bouncing Czech' Robert Maxwell to court twice - won both times too

 

[theegyptian]

So Compton moves to Middlesex. You can still get Middlesex at 16-1 at a few bookies for the championship which isn't bad imo. It's probably <50% that Robson makes the England squad to WI and thus misses the first month or so of the season (+ more cricket into the season with England if in test team). Voges is scoring runs in Aus and suddenly the batting looks reasonably strong especially with Morgan not in England test teams.

Main concern probably is Murtagh and how he deals with a full county season having played the WC this winter.

Yorkshire could really be affected early season. England are gonna hoover up quite a few of their players for the West Indies test tour which ends early May. Given the tendency of the Windian wickets to take spin England will likely take 3 spinners and one could easily be Rashid. Plus Gale is suspended at the start of the season.

Could be Lyth/Lees, Root, Ballance, Plunkett plus possibly Rashid and/or Bairstow (as reserve keeper) all going away to WI and missing the first month.

Post I made last year is pretty pertinent. Can still get 14-1 with some bookies on Middlesex.


Full Strength team which looks likely to be not have too many issues with international callups looks something like

Robson, Gubbins, Compton, Malan, Voges, Franklin, Simpson, TRJ, Rayner, Murtagh, Finn


Dexter, Morgan (when not at IPL or international), Stirling, R Patel, Harris all in reserve.

 

[Dan]

Yeah get on that IMO. Very good value for a strong-looking team. Yorkshire the other obvious candidate, but they're going to be pillaged by England selection all summer.

 

[Pothas]

Seriously concerned about our bowling now with the news of Rimmington going to Derbyshire. Bird is going to have to be really good.

 

[theegyptian]

Seriously concerned about our bowling now with the news of Rimmington going to Derbyshire. Bird is going to have to be really good.

Yep. Coles isn't outstanding or anything and was carrying too much weight last season but he's durable and experienced for his age and a decent lower order bat. Big hole to fill both metaphorically and literally. It's not like you seem to have any good young fast bowlers coming through. Suppose if he wanted to leave they couldn't be bothered to have him around for another couple of years. Seems like counties acquiesce to these requests fairly regularly with the likes of Compton and Coles moving on before their contracts were up this winter.

First roses match of the season tomorrow in the emirates t20 and it's streamed online for those not watching AusPakistan. EmiratesT20 2015 live coverage | Sport Arabia Worldwide

6am ko for lancsyorks, 9am sussexmcc, 1pm final

 

[theegyptian]

Rashid landed them pretty well in the first game. Fisher was probably the quickest of the bowlers on show in the game but didn't quite get his lengths right.

MCC sussex game currently on. MCC have some decent players on show. Billings, Dunn, Yuvraj. Even Ali Cook in t20 action. Got the tablet watching this and the tv on the world cup.

 

[theegyptian]

Dunn bowling pies. Getting smashed by Cacopha. Needs to add a few mph more before international cricket. Bowling 85mph but straight with little variation won't work. Seems to deaccelerate through the crease. It's just one game but so much for myself thinking that the might play for England this summer. Doesn't look likely based on this game. Ansari looking pretty good tho.

Mills playing for sussex so interesting to see how he goes given his back problems last year which affected his pace.

 

[theegyptian]

Mills first two balls were both absolute snorters to carberry. Swung away and flew through to the keeper at head height.

 

[Pothas]

Had forgot that Shazhad had gone to Sussex.

 

[theegyptian]

Cook looked pretty good for the most part. If Mills starts the season well and is fit there'll be a big push for him to be in the ODI team. Clear daylight between him and Dunn based on this game (and yes I realise I'm drawing big conclusions on what is a preseason friendly)

 

[Pothas]

What score did Sussex make?

 

[theegyptian]

160 or so

 

[theegyptian]

Hobden took out Lyth (caught slip), Lees(caught behind) and Bairstow(caught third man cutting) in second over of the final. Shades of Jason Gillespie in Hobden's action who spent a bit of the time this winter with the likes of overton, stone, gregory, dunn and Miles in the pepp(or whatever the potential fast bowlers groups is called). Looks a prospect.