***Official*** English Domestic Season 2008

[oitoitoi]

TBH I thought Patel's effort was more impressive than Boparas. He scored over 60% of the teams runs in a low scoring game at a fantastic rate against a pretty decent attack by modern county standards. Add 3 middle order wickets and that's champion stuff. That said I've always been quite partial to Samit Patel, he has a lot more natural flair than most county batsmen, I'd like to see him be given a run in the England one day side. His left arm spin is more than handy too. Being a Durham fan I can't be that disappointed for him though!

When Bopara does play in the England ODI side I hope he bats further up the order, certainly ahead of Bell. This is a great example of the difference between the 2, Bopara has the ability to hit big scores while Bell invariably hits a pretty 50. He also handles pressure much better than Bell which is key in limited overs cricket.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Apparently Geoff Miller just happened to be at the ground watching too. Couldnt have picked a better time to do it.

 

[gettingbetter]

As good as that is, as I have mentioned several times as well as other posters, if he doesn't bat at 3 or 4, it will be pointless.

Also, this is Patel's second really grafting innings this season, hopefully he can take the steps Bopara has.

 

[superkingdave]

Lou Vincent for the Twenty20 then, well would have preferred we give the youngsters ago, but as long as we beat those from over the pennines i don't mind too much.

Hoping we get something like this

Vincent
Marshall
Du Plessis
Flintoff
Cross+
Croft
Hogg
Chapple
Mullaney
Smith
Keedy

Probably a bit too bowling heavy tbph but i'd rather these lot play than the likes of Cork, Sutcliffe, Chilton etc. Law can come in for Mullaney if he's fit, Loye maybe. Don't expext to see that though more likely.

Vincent
Loye
Du Plessis
Law
Croft
Cross
Sutton
Hogg
Chapple
Cork
Mahmood
Keedy

 

[Richard]

TBH I thought Patel's effort was more impressive than Boparas. He scored over 60% of the teams runs in a low scoring game at a fantastic rate against a pretty decent attack by modern county standards. Add 3 middle order wickets and that's champion stuff. That said I've always been quite partial to Samit Patel, he has a lot more natural flair than most county batsmen, I'd like to see him be given a run in the England one day side. His left arm spin is more than handy too. Being a Durham fan I can't be that disappointed for him though!

How on Earth Patel has so far got so many wickets in the one-day game is beyond me.

When Bopara does play in the England ODI side I hope he bats further up the order, certainly ahead of Bell. This is a great example of the difference between the 2, Bopara has the ability to hit big scores while Bell invariably hits a pretty 50. He also handles pressure much better than Bell which is key in limited overs cricket.

Bell and Bopara both lack the one-day skills very severely currently, and I don't think it's all that likely (though following this knock far less impossible than it would otherwise have been) that Bell will not bat at three in the opening game or two of the upcoming New Zealand series.

If Bell doesn't bat in the top three in ODIs, he cannot play them IMO. He just doesn't have the skill to bat further down.

 

[Richard]

Apparently Geoff Miller just happened to be at the ground watching too. Couldnt have picked a better time to do it.

Well, it depends. If it was less impressive than the scorecard made it look, it'd have been better for him if Miller wasn't there. But presuming it was, obviously, Miller picked the righ day.

 

[TT Boy]

Looks an amazing innings by Bopara. Against a very ordinary attack but no where close to the worst County cricket has seen over the years.

Good to see Liecs get thumped. Only 4 English born players in their XI. A team that included 6 South Africans doesnt deserve to be championed.

Tells you a lot about the standard of county cricket but Leicestershire’s attack is actually relatively ‘good’, definitely one of the best in their championship division.

 

[TT Boy]

As good as that is, as I have mentioned several times as well as other posters, if he doesn't bat at 3 or 4, it will be pointless.

Also, this is Patel's second really grafting innings this season, hopefully he can take the steps Bopara has.

Bopara’s lost some weight so hopefully Patel follows that lead as well.

 

[wpdavid]

Tells you a lot about the standard of county cricket but Leicestershire’s attack is actually relatively ‘good’, definitely one of the best in their championship division.

That was my impression - certainly regarding Kruger, DuPreez, Allenby & Henderson. Obviously Snape's 2 overs were another matter. And Malik's probably pretty ordinary.

I gather that conditions weren't easy when Bopara came in. The pitch was seaming about, and Kruger & DuPreez were bowling well. What Bopara was able to do was heavily punish the opening overs from Allenby and, especially, Malik, so that Essex's runrate was pretty healthy from an early stage. Once set, even when the SAers returned, they all came alike to him.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Well, it depends. If it was less impressive than the scorecard made it look, it'd have been better for him if Miller wasn't there. But presuming it was, obviously, Miller picked the righ day.

I refuse to believe you can score a double hundred in a one day match and NOT be impressive. No matter how lucky you get.

 

[Richard]

If you're dropped 5 times, you've been poor, no two ways about.

As I say though - I'd rather doubt that happened in said innings.

 

[Richard]

Essex v Yorkshire in the semis, that'll be ITSTL.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Hmm Kent didn't appear to score many in the last 10 overs, Dexter maybe played for his ton.

 

[wpdavid]

Hmm Kent didn't appear to score many in the last 10 overs, Dexter maybe played for his ton.

A strike rate of 89 isn't the greatest in the circumstances. Kent almost needed to lose more wickets in the middle of the innings to give their big hitters a chance.

 

[Richard]

Willoughby a shining light in a poor Somerset attack there. He's been superb at the start of this season.

 

[Richard]

A strike rate of 89 isn't the greatest in the circumstances. Kent almost needed to lose more wickets in the middle of the innings to give their big hitters a chance.

Hitters?

Only one hitter in the Kent lineup really, unless you count McLaren, who wasn't even sent in. If Kemp doesn't do it, no-one remarkable around.

 

[Prince EWS]

If you're dropped 5 times, you've been poor, no two ways about..

What if you're dropped five times on 154?

 

[Scaly piscine]

Apparently 2nd wicket fell in the 37th over and it's a really slow pitch & outfield.

Working it out it looks like Dexter scored at 7 an over or a little less after that.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Hitters?

Only one hitter in the Kent lineup really, unless you count McLaren, who wasn't even sent in. If Kemp doesn't do it, no-one remarkable around.

Azhar Mahmood, Geraint Jones, Yasir Arafat...

 

[Richard]

What if you're dropped five times on 154?

Well, you know what I mean - at regular intervals throughout the innings.