You got what you paid for with Batty!

Rearguard action from Jon Batty today - 61 not out off 188 balls. That's the kind of innings he was producing in his latter seasons with Surrey. Is that simply too slow for modern tastes and will drive away the punters - or would you settle for that kind of attritional performance on a regular basis?

Chris-from-Stroud didn't want to keep him on - is that still the view?

Greetings CHB.

No we heven't got what we paid for!

Seem to remember our coach saying he had signed JB to give us some much needed ooomph at the beginning of the innings (especially in limited overs games). After a whole season of failure at the top of the order, he has now dropped down to 6, where you seem to think he will be a grinder.

And one useful innings (for which we are grateful) does not make him a better bet (or bat) than Adshead or Snell or Gegg or Ali or Hodnett etc etc. What grates is the way some folks are given very few chances, whilst others are repeatedly forgiven.

Besides, we already have keeper Coughtrie in the side. However, it is a well known maxim round these parts that you can never have too many keepers in the squad, or even in the side.

How's your Batty doing?

CfS I'd be very surprised at anyone signing Jon Batty to give some ooomph at the beginning of the innings - Batty has been a grinder for years. I haven't researched the subject but my recollection is that most of his more recent scores for Surrey, of say 50+, were scored at a similar laborious rate as per today. In his defence he was often having to dig Surrey batting out of a hole....

As to Gareth Batty, talk of an overseas spinner signing died away and we are left with Batty to lead our "spin" attack. Last season he improved during the season, after a dismal start, to become "almost adequate", so we can but hope he at least maintains that progress. He does at least get some useful runs in the lower middle order.