*Official* English Domestic Season 2006

[Barney Rubble]

Yes I have heard a lot about young Hildreth. i don't see any reason why a Somerset side playing well cant get promoted. For me D2 is wide open this year and any one of 7 teams could go up (don't fancy Northamptonshire or Derbyshire at all). Surrey may the team to beat in the league but you have every chance of challenging in my eyes.

As I said I think you will win the opener. Especially if Marcus is playing. His 6 innings for you last year didn't produce much but you just get that feeling that after all the trouble over the Summer he will be raring to go. What do you expect the team to be for tomorrow? I think you are one good bowler short though. Caddick is the only one with an average under 30 and the only one to take over 20 wickets. Blackwell may not play as much as last year, well in fact he won't will he as he played 16 games last season and he will be a big loss.

I have heard a lot about Langeveldt. Is he better than his decent stats suggests?

You're getting Langeveldt mixed up with Willoughby, it's Willoughby playing for us this year.

I'd expect tomorrow's team to look something like this:

Trescothick
Wood*
White
Hildreth
J Francis
Durston
Parsons
Gazzard+
Trego
Caddick
Willoughby

Parsons will probably get the nod ahead of Simon Francis to strengthen the batting, and because Francis bowled badly when they both guested for the opposition on Saturday. Parsons picked up two fairly cheap wickets.

As for Blackwell, he will be a fairly big loss - but it'll give a chance for Matt Wood to get some captaincy experience, and for some of the youngsters in the middle order to really push a claim. It's a shame Arul Suppiah won't be part of our first-choice XI, he's a promising lad but there just doesn't seem to be room for him.

As far as bowlers go, a lot will depend on Caddick and the fitness of Richard Johnson - if those two can stay fit and Willoughby can find some consistency then we might be able to mount a challenge, once they're backed up by at least three spinners (White, Blackwell, Cullen, plus Durston and Suppiah the part-timers and Munday in reserve).

I'm more optimistic about our chances than I have been in a while, especially in OD cricket.

 

[DanielFullard]

Why isn't Johnson playing tomorrow?

Trescothick
Wood*

This is the reason I think you will win tomorrow. You would expect that they will get a strong partnership going in at least one of the innings. You have to bear in mind how bad Gloucs. batting is and coupled with your sides respectable bowling then they aren't going to get many runs. These two could and in my eyes will win the game for you

Hildreth

Id love to flick the scorecard on tomorrow and see a 50+ from this guy and set himself up for a great season. 6 times he got a half century last year in 27 innings wiht a respectable 35 average. Its great to see young players reach potential and Im sure this guy will

J Francis

Bital player for you this year in my eyes. Especially with Tres. likely to play few games again.

Durston

Better at the one day game I feel. Lot to proove for me in the CC

Parsons

How did his bolwing look last season? His figures suggest he was pretty good when given the chance.


Caddick

Vital...need I say more. A good season from Caddick could mean the mean difference between promotion and just missing out

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Lancs squad for tomorrow's opening game v Hampshire:

Chilton (c) Sutcliffe, Loye, Law, Horton, Sutton (wk), Chapple, Cork, Hogg, Smith, Newby, Keedy, Mahmood.

Bit shy on batting already, I can see Horton getting a fair few knocks this year. It's all very well having all-rounders, but none of them are there for their batting alone.

1 Chilton
2 Sutcliffe
3 Loye
4 Law
5 Horton
6 Sutton
7 Chapple
8 Cork
9 Hogg
10 Mahmood, Newby or Smith
11 Keedy

 

[Barney Rubble]

Why isn't Johnson playing tomorrow?

Trescothick
Wood*

This is the reason I think you will win tomorrow. You would expect that they will get a strong partnership going in at least one of the innings. You have to bear in mind how bad Gloucs. batting is and coupled with your sides respectable bowling then they aren't going to get many runs. These two could and in my eyes will win the game for you

Hildreth

Id love to flick the scorecard on tomorrow and see a 50+ from this guy and set himself up for a great season. 6 times he got a half century last year in 27 innings wiht a respectable 35 average. Its great to see young players reach potential and Im sure this guy will

J Francis

Bital player for you this year in my eyes. Especially with Tres. likely to play few games again.

Durston

Better at the one day game I feel. Lot to proove for me in the CC

Parsons

How did his bolwing look last season? His figures suggest he was pretty good when given the chance.


Caddick

Vital...need I say more. A good season from Caddick could mean the mean difference between promotion and just missing out

Johnson might be playing, he's in the squad - but knowing him, his recent injury will keep him out.

As for Parsons, his OD bowling has always been very handy, but in FC he's a bit toothless. Will probably play mostly as a batsman in FC cricket when he does play, but that won't be too often. Still one of the first names on the OD team sheet though.

 

[Pothas]

Id be very suprised if it is anything else than a wash out at this stage of the year at Old Trafford, if we do get some play i fancy a very low scoring game.

 

[DanielFullard]

1 Chilton
2 Sutcliffe
3 Loye
4 Law
5 Horton
6 Sutton

One word to say about that........runs


I am confident you will win tomorrow and even though Hampshire are likely to be up there again.

BBC.co.uk have made the abusrb prediciton you will finish one from the bottom....and even more crazily have Durham to finish botoom.

I think Lancs will outdo Durham this season though

You coming up to the Rivserside next week ?

 

[DanielFullard]

I do hope we get some play tomorrow...I only wish Sky covered the CC

 

[Scaly piscine]

I'll have to go watch Durham at home again one of these days.

By the way Daniel does any of your lot usually play against Norton CC?

 

[aussie]

1 Chilton
2 Sutcliffe
3 Loye
4 Law
5 Horton
6 Sutton

One word to say about that........runs

just add Hodge to that pretty soon and you can say two words....... Big runs

 

[aussie]

Lancs squad for tomorrow's opening game v Hampshire:

Chilton (c) Sutcliffe, Loye, Law, Horton, Sutton (wk), Chapple, Cork, Hogg, Smith, Newby, Keedy, Mahmood.

Bit shy on batting already, I can see Horton getting a fair few knocks this year. It's all very well having all-rounders, but none of them are there for their batting alone.

1 Chilton
2 Sutcliffe
3 Loye
4 Law
5 Horton
6 Sutton
7 Chapple
8 Cork
9 Hogg
10 Mahmood, Newby or Smith
11 Keedy

yea a bit shy early on, but i dont think that will be such a major problem in early season until Hodge gets over here.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

yea a bit shy early on, but i dont think that will be such a major problem in early season until Hodge gets over here.

Yeh, once Hodge arrives it'll be a little more solid, but last year Lancashire persisted in playing Chapple at six in the one-dayers, even with Horton, Croft etc avaliable. They seem to think "Oh look, loads of 'all-rounders' (Chapple, Cork, Hogg, Smith, Andy Crook), therefore we'll drop a couple of batsmen.". We just end up 100 for five on a dodgy OT wicket and have to rely on the 'all-rounders' for a rearguard.

 

[superkingdave]

part of that reason was because Hegg batted at 9 though, the reason they signed Sutton was to bat at 6, so i don't think we'll see chapple at 6 much this year (hopefully)

team i'd like to see tomorrow

Chilton*
Sutcliffe
Loye
Law
Horton
Sutton
Chapple
Cork
Hogg
Smith
Keedy

 

[Neil Pickup]

Chilton: FC 32.64
Sutcliffe: FC 34.95
Horton: FC 37.39
Sutton: FC 30.58

Yes, Law and Loye are class, but I'm unconvinced by that top order.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I always thought that on paper Lancashire seem to underperform a fair bit, but after seeing those averages maybe they're not so great on paper after all.

 

[superkingdave]

Biggest surprise this morning is that rain has delayed the start at Old Trafford....


In the other match Somerset won the toss and will field

 

[mikeW]

Dont know much about the Somerset team but is Cameron White likely to get many overs this season? Or was he signed purely on his batting ability?

 

[open365]

Chilton: FC 32.64
Sutcliffe: FC 34.95
Horton: FC 37.39
Sutton: FC 30.58

Yes, Law and Loye are class, but I'm unconvinced by that top order.

Chilton is a much better player than 32.64, Horton hasn't made a 100 yet, Sutcliffe is good enough, and Sutton is the keeper.

 

[Kweek]

Johnson playing :O
Gloucs looking steady!

 

[Neil Pickup]

Chilton is a much better player than 32.64, Horton hasn't made a 100 yet, Sutcliffe is good enough, and Sutton is the keeper.

That doesn't really convince me.

 

[aussie]

horrible conditions in manchester today, delaying the opener. Hopefully the sun comes out and there is some play..