2015 - Division 1 Discussion Thread

[LondonTiger]

First topic message reminder :

As pretty much every poster that follows County Cricket seems to be a Surrey fan I am sure the Division 2 discussions will be livelier.

Hopefully there are some followers of other counties to write a little bit about their team, but as a Yorkshire member it is them I shall concentrate on.

The start of the season will be an interesting one for us. Andrew Gale will miss the first fixture at Worcester as he completes his ban. Meanwhile the first 3 CC fixtures coincide with Englands tour of the WI meaning some unfamiliar faces will be featuring against Worcester, Notts and  the first home fixture against Warwickshire. With the County unlikely to see a great deal of Root and Ballance it is nor surprise that ewe have chosen to go down the batsman route as our overseas player - Aaron Finch returns as the main player, with Younus Khan deputising at the start of the season and Kane Williamson at the end. Glenn Maxwell makes up a quality group of players, joining for the T20s.


Squad:

Batsmen: Lyth, Lees, Gale (cpt), Finch (see above), Leaning, Root, Ballance
Keepers: Bairstow, Hodd
All Rounders: Rashid, Bresnan, Rhodes, Pyrah
Seamers: Plunkett, Brooks, Sidebottom, Patterson, Ashraf, Coad, Fisher
Spinners: Carver


Likely team for first match, away to Worcestershire:

Hodd, Lees, Leaning, Younus, Rhodes, Bresnan, Pyrah, Patterson, Sidebottom, Brooks, Carver.

Compared to the side likely to finish the season against Susses (injuries permitting):

Lyth, Lees, Williamson, Root, Ballance, Bairstow, Rashid, Bresnan, Plunkett, Sidebottom, Brooks.

[guildfordbat]

All I'll say Jimbo is that there are some ordinary teams in Division 2 so I wouldn't rule out a quick return if you do go down. You'll still need to strengthen though and am sure you know that better than me.

Further bad news for you at the moment though is that Notts or Worcs are going to get 16 points for the win from their match. You could have done with a draw there. Notts currently leading by 191 with 6 wickets down. However, as mentioned earlier, Norman Stanley and Carter are both crocked - unlikely to bowl again here and don't know if they'll bat. Very hard to call but I'll back Notts with their runs on the board and guess that Worcs could once more implode.

Elsewhere, a comfortable win for Yorks as expected. Looking very good for the most important silverware. A couple of wickets for not many in both innings for Invisible Man Patterson - I'll leave Tiger and JD to report how many dot balls he bowled!

Warks now certain to get their draw at Sussex. All that remains to be seen is if ex-Surrey man Evans can get 200 ....

[LondonTiger]

I have to say there are some pretty ordinary teams in the 1st Division too. Batting has at times been woeful - Yorkshire posted the first 500 of the season, while Sussex who were a bit slower got the first 600 - but overall first innings scores not good.

Excluding games still in progress:

Yorkshire 8 Matches/28 Batting bonus points
Durham 9/13
Middlesex 9/21
Warks 7/18
Somerset 8/22
Sussex 8/12
Hampshire 9/15
Worcester 8/24
Notts 8/20

So 7 out of the 9 teams average less than 3 points per game (so rarely post 300) while 3 have less than 2 points per game (so struggle to post 250)

[guildfordbat]

And Warks also get 600 in reply to Sussex's same total. A career best 213 in red ink for Evans as the sides shake hands on the draw.

[NickisBHAFC]

I think the final day everyone was just mucking around, Ben brown and Ed Joyce bowling says it all.

[jimbohammers]

Dawson heads out on loan to Essex.
Another terrible decision by the club

[guildfordbat]

Jimbo - surely you need everyone at the moment and particularly a relatively experienced player like Dawson? Goings on behind the scenes?

[LondonTiger]

Dawson has been really poor this season, and based on performances you have to agree with Benkenstein that he does not deserve to play. Not sure how much 2nd XI cricket Hampshire have available, but there have been players in the past who when dropped to the seconds had terrible attitude. Not sure if that is the case here.

[guildfordbat]

Worcs now looking favourites against Notts in the relegation game at Trent Bridge. Mind you, won't be entirely plain sailing and Worcs could still implode leaving them hanging on for the draw if not worse.

At tea, Worcs need another 135 to win with 7 wickets left and 33 overs to be bowled ....

[guildfordbat]

Worcs wobbling. Already lost 2 wickets since tea and need another 120 with 24 overs left.

Jimbo might still get the draw that would suit Hants best ....

[guildfordbat]

And Worcs go 7 down with more than 20 overs still left. The win is now out of the equation for Worcs as Notts lick their lips ....

[guildfordbat]

As regularly warned, Worcs implode and give Notts the win. Already hard to see Worcs avoiding the drop ....

[Mat]

You jinxed us Guildford!

[guildfordbat]

Sorry, Mat, but I think you were favourites at tea with 7 wickets in hand. I did actually tip Notts to win after lunch yesterday and warned about your capacity to implode!

Worcs appear able to compete for much of their Div 1 matches and then produce a horrible session to chuck away their good work. I hope you can turn it around and avoid the drop.

[JDizzle]

Daryl Mitchell - 39.39
Richard Oliver - 32.54
Tom Fell - 35.53
Joe Clarke - 19.16
Ben Cox - 25.88
Ed Barnard - 2.00
Joe Leach - 26.21

Appreciate they were without Gidman (Not sure what his injury was, hope it's not too bad), but that top 7 is very young and isn't winning you many games.

[jimbohammers]

Re Dawson...

Guildford, I totally agree with you. Its not like we're blessed with in form batsmen. He's also a very useful spinner and very good fielder. Bizarre decision

LT, he's not been in great form, but neither have players like Adams and Vince (in the longer form anyway) In terms of second xi cricket Dawson got a century last week!

His replacement is Joe Gatting who since signing last season hasn't done anything.

Benkenstein has been making some very strange decisions this year. This tops the lot for me! (Along with poor overseas signings)

[guildfordbat]

Jimbo - good start for Dawson with Essex. Takes the wicket of Lancs' Alviro Peetrsen in his first over!

[guildfordbat]

Mat, Pack, Jimbo and all - an important relegation game between Worcs and Hants at Worcester.

So far it's looking good for Jimbo! The hosts in trouble at 36/3. All 3 taken by Bird.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Meanwhile Yorks have Warks in all kinds of trouble at 35 - 7, replying to Yorks apparently modest first innings score of 213.  Sidebottom took the first six wickets...  Cricinfo records: "last 10 overs 17 - 6"   Some collapse!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Now Warks are 35 - 8! Includes losing last 5 wickets for no runs!

******

Finally, a leg bye takes Warks score up to 36.  They'll be glad to see the back of 35.

[liverbnz]

Good grief! Last I seen it was 18/2! Is this Sidebottom bloke English as they could do with a leftie

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Warks fell to 37 - 9 before Rikki Clarke, batting with the last man, decided to hit out and promptly dispatched Sidebottom for a six.

[LondonTiger]

Score almost doubled but all out for 69.

[Mat]

Slight recovery mounted by Mitchell and Clarke, up to 130-3, both passed 50. Our batting very reliant on Mitchell.

[guildfordbat]

Score almost doubled but all out for 69.

At least Warks took the follow on out of the equation but things still looking very bad for them. Their all out score makes Bairstow's century appear an even greater achievement.

[guildfordbat]

Slight recovery mounted by Mitchell and Clarke, up to 130-3, both passed 50. Our batting very reliant on Mitchell.

150/3 now. Understand you not wanting to jinx it, Mat, but that's better than a slight recovery. Just looking at cricinfo, the Ice Man and particularly Briggs seem to be containing but nothing more at the moment ....

[LondonTiger]

Amusing how the same ground can have two such different matches in succession.

Last week Edgbaston faithful saw just 12 wickets fall across 4 days as both sides put on scores of 600.

[guildfordbat]

Jimbo and King Carlos (in particular) - something you'll be pleased about which I saw in a brief post on cricinfo yesterday. Michael Bates who was on a month's trial at Somerset has had his contract extended to the end of the season. Good news and quite right too.

[jimbohammers]

Cheers for the update, Guildford. Still disappointed we let him go

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Very solid start by Yorks in their second innings, 125 -1, giving them a lead already of 269 over Warks.  W Rhodes, who ought to be good with that name, has reached 53*.  With two days still to go, it looks highly probable that Yorks will consolidate their position at the top of the table.

[king_carlos]

Cheers guildford - I hadn't picked up on that. Excellent news for Bates, Somerset and the county circuit as a whole. I will refrain from having another repetitive rant on the issue however!

It's also good to see a few bowlers that England invested in over the last few years, whether through the Lions or full interntionals, performing well this season. They may not feature further for England but it's good to see them performing strongly in Division 1.

James Harris has 50 wickets at 23.72
Jack Brooks has 41 wickets at 21.12
Boyd Rankin has 32 wickets at 22.69
Harry Gurney has 21 wickets at 23.76
Ajmal Shahzad has 22 wickets at 18.68

Whilst they haven't all featured as full internationals, all of those were in and around the various squads and the Lions at different periods and some seemed to be fading slightly whether due to injuries, county moves, etc. It's good to see them performing well once again.

As a Surrey fan I am more wary of his element of surprise than most, but I also wonder if Jack Shantry could be creeping up on the selectors radar. 39 wickets at 21.49 is a good return in a struggling side and shows impressive consistency to maintain his good form of last season whilst stepping up to Div 1.

[jimbohammers]

Worcestershire from 23-3 to 390-7....

Notts/Middlesex looks like heading for a draw.

Yorkshire in control against Warwickshire.

Sussex effectively 6-1 in the second innings vs Somerset.

[NickisBHAFC]

Matt Machan leading the Sussex survival at Taunton today. 

Final day tomorrow, think it will be a similar end to Edgbaston last week.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Mitchell carried his bat and scored a double century for Worcs in the relegation match against Hants.   Worcs (478) will be hoping to be able to enforce the follow on tomorrow as Hants are somewhat precariously placed at 86 - 3.

Yorks were frustrated by the weather for a fair chunk of today and still have to take 9 Warks wickets to win that one.

[guildfordbat]

Agree with Nick in that the draw seems favourite in the Somerset v Sussex game.

Feel the same about Notts v Middlesex.

As long as the weather behaves itself, Yorks should complete a very comfortable win over Warks and take another big step towards being County Champions.

With an extra day still to play in the relegation game at Worcs, the hosts in a good position against Hants, considerably due to Mitchell's unbeaten double ton. If Worcs can get in a position to enforce the follow on tomorrow, Jimbo will be a very worried man!

[jimbohammers]

And the Hampshire collapse begins....

Sussex posting a big score. Machan and Nash both hitting century's.

Yorkshire taking 2 quick wickets this morning. Trying to wrap up a win vs Warwickshire as soon as possible.

[guildfordbat]

Hants following on and in big, big trouble at Worcs. Sorry Jimbo! Looking good for Mat and Pack!

Sussex have declared and understandably set Somerset an impossible target. Somerset now have to bat out a maximum of 67 overs, shouldn't be a problem. A draw for sure.

Game between Notts and Middlesex going nowhere. Another draw.

Yorks should still get the win at Warks although a bit of rain and some resistance from the hosts not making things easy.

[jimbohammers]

Here it comes Guildford.... 74-1, now 77-3...

Same old.

Sussex get Somerset 5 down now.

[jimbohammers]

77-4 ha ha

[guildfordbat]

Yes, better to laugh than cry, Jimbo!

To my surprise, Sussex in with a sniff against Somerset.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Hants 164 - 6 in the second innings are facing near certain defeat.  Notts and Sussex both drew their matches and so the Hants position at the foot of the table is likely to be very precarious by tomorrow.

[NickisBHAFC]

Batting has improved a lot. Need some wins though.

[guildfordbat]

Nick - just had a look at Sussex's remaining fixtures. See you still have to play Yorks home and away - ooh erh! You've also got an away match against Worcs at the start of September - a win there would be very handy.

[Mat]

I'm feeling hopeful that if even Worcs can't mess things up from this situation.

[liverbnz]

Yorkshire battering everyone at the moment. Their bowling attack is too strong for any of the batting line-ups in the division which is meaning their own weakened batting line-up is a non-factor.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Hants put up some resistance this morning. But they still end up losing heavily to Worcs.

[Mat]

Some fight shown by Hants but we managed to wrap it up well. Another five wicket haul for Shantry, the bandwagon must be picking up pace now #ShantryforEngland

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Could be a good finish tomorrow in the Durham/Warks match. Warks have fought their way back into the match after conceding a sizeable first innings lead.  Now need another 140 with 7 wickets left.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Impressive victory by Warks yesterday (by 2 wickets), completing an excellent comeback in the match.  That result puts a severe dent in Durham's hopes of winning the title.  Yorks looking very comfortable at the top of the table.  They are also the only unbeaten team in either division.

[guildfordbat]

Hi Jimbo - I see that Hants have decided they need Dawson after all and recalled him from his loan spell at Essex.

He's already got a wicket this morning as Durham splutter to 90 odd/4.

[jimbohammers]

Hi Guildford, yep Dawson recalled after 12 days at Essex... Mucking him about a bit. Well it was a good start for us today, getting Durham 90-4 who are now... 225-4. Not the first time that's happened to us this season!

Interesting that Adams has resigned as captain. James Vince now takes over. (He's already t20 captain)

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