***Official*** English Domestic Season 2008

[Jungle Jumbo]

If Essex can get rid of Denly, Key and van Jaarsveld early on I can see Kaneria causing mayhem with the lower-order.

The likes of Napier, Palladino, Masters are unlikely to do much damage early on though.

 

[Woodster]

If there's a bit of movement early doors, I think Masters will be a handful. Normally pretty economical he can nip the new ball around to give Denly and Key one or two problems. Think Cook will score big tomorrow.

 

[GIMH]

Hope they both lose, worst counties I've ever visited tbh

Nonetheless, should be a decent game. Kent to win, Geraint to ton up

BTW, clever scheduling from the ECB, clashing one of their two domestic showpieces with the Premiership's opening day

 

[tooextracool]

A case could be made for Rashid based on the paucity of alternative spin options.

However, I personally wouldnt pick him as I dont think he has done close to enough to warrant a Test place and Ive heard all number of ordinary reports about his bowling.

Id go with Swann. I think he gives control and takes it the other way to MSP.

To throw an average and inexperinced spin bowler into a tour to the subcontinent isnt the wisest move IMO.

I've watched a few clips of Rashid and he seems to bowl devoid of any variations in flight or the use of drift, and seems to have the tendency to drag it down short occasionally. Unfortunately, test match cricket is a tough game for spinners and no matter whether you are a finger spinner or a leg spinner or how accurate you are, the inability to use a few of these variations will always mean that such bowlers will struggle to cause any problems to test match batsmen. Long story short, Swann for Rashid almost any day of the week and hopefully England dont ever consider playing more than one spinner in India.

 

[superkingdave]

Yay...Good runs for Horton to shut the door on the Yorkies

 

[Perm]

I certainly wouldn't object to that. Solid county batsman (probably a little better than Sutcliffe when we signed him) but never going to have an England call-up.

He's in that perfect little band of batsmen. Better than your average opener, but not good enough to realistically play for England.

Is this the opinion of most English fans on CW? I've never seen Moore play, but given his run-scoring lately I would have thought him and Paul Horton are being looked at as potential England Test openers for the future.

 

[Perm]

Essex to win, RTD to dominate.

 

[fredfertang]

I suspect Denly is next in line -if he Cook and Strauss are going to fall from favour I suspect by that time Moore particularly and possibly Horton too will be considered too old - in any event weight of runs in county cricket doesn't seem to impress the selectors overmuch these days.

 

[Woodster]

Excellent start for Essex removing both Key and Denly cheaply. Masters and Napier have hit the right areas straight off. Napier bowling quickly, despite Bob Willis and Michael Holding suggesting no pace in this Essex attack. They were both wondering why Foster stood up to Masters and not to Napier who is not as quick ???? Masters is managing late 70's mph, while Napier has been above 90 mph on a few occasions and is consistently bowling late 80's. But it's his control that has impressed most as he can go for a few runs.

 

[Manee]

Napier is certainly a RF bowler and one of the quickest in England, in limited overs cricket. He is in the midst of a fantastic spell, bowling very few loose balls and hitting the bat hard enough to create a slight hesitation before the batsman lunges forward.

Napier for ODI bowling squad spot?

 

[Perm]

Excellent start for Essex, Masters and Napier dominating the early exchanges. van Jaarsveld is obviously the danger man now, but we need to keep Kemp quiet too.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Hope they both lose, worst counties I've ever visited tbh

Nonetheless, should be a decent game. Kent to win, Geraint to ton up

BTW, clever scheduling from the ECB, clashing one of their two domestic showpieces with the Premiership's opening day

Yep. All the media will be focused on the football. Not to mention they also have SA vs Eng Lions today too. Doesnt make all that much sense to me.

 

[Jamee999]

FP Final thread merged with the domestic season thread.

 

[Chubb]

Grant Flower.. what a legend. Quality knock to seal the win for Essex. Good old Zimbabwe...

 

[steds]

Hope they both lose, worst counties I've ever visited tbh

Nonetheless, should be a decent game. Kent to win, Geraint to ton up

BTW, clever scheduling from the ECB, clashing one of their two domestic showpieces with the Premiership's opening day

Would have thought the the day the 100 metre final is on at the Olympics would be the bigger threat. Didn't even realise there'd been any football on until about 6.

 

[Spitfires_Fan]

Balls. Would be pretty hacked off if cricket hadn't been replaced with several higher priorities recently!

 

[GIMH]

Would have thought the the day the 100 metre final is on at the Olympics would be the bigger threat. Didn't even realise there'd been any football on until about 6.

You're always apathetic towards footy though. If there was a Brit in with a medal shout then the 100m final would of course be the bigger threat, as it is Premiership day one gets more attention than most things. It does **** me as well, as I had countless arguments over the last week with people saying "the footy season starts on Saturday" GAGFC

 

[Perm]

I was convinced I was dying - Trescothick

Shows how tough international cricket can be, and I hope all those people who criticsed him by calling him soft realise that things in life aren't always as simple as they look.

 

[zaremba]

I was convinced I was dying - Trescothick

Shows how tough international cricket can be, and I hope all those people who criticsed him by calling him soft realise that things in life aren't always as simple as they look.

Spot-on, Perm. No-one mocked Boycott for his throat cancer but they're illnesses just the same.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I was convinced I was dying - Trescothick

Shows how tough international cricket can be, and I hope all those people who criticsed him by calling him soft realise that things in life aren't always as simple as they look.

That's shocking, glad he could pull through it, seems like a good bloke.