County Championship 2018 & 2019 Thread

[jimbohammers]

First topic message reminder :

Not long until the new season starts so i thought it's time for me to get the thread up.

As always....

Who are your picks for the title?
Who is going down?
Surprise team?
Most runs?
Most wickets? 
One to watch?

Discuss here...

[jimbohammers]

Vince has spent 7 hours at the crease and has moved onto 167*

[dummy_half]

To e honest, I don't think Vince gets much stick for how he plays for Hampshire, it's more the frustration when he plays for England that he rarely shows this kind of application. Could just be one of those batsmen who is amongst the best at County level but for whom the step up to Tests is a little too big (as with Ramprakash).

Anyway, 190* now, and he's pretty much saved the game for Hampshire (with some good support). Certainly does his chances of another international call up no harm, especially given there aren't many other batsmen in great form...

[guildfordbat]

Excellent innings from Vince to save a game that looked lost and even some decent support from Rossouw who has been horribly out of form. Just 10 more minutes before hands can be shaken on the draw.

[JDizzle]

Excellent finish in prospect at New Road. Worcs need 42 with two wickets left, and Travis Head is 57*...

Worcestershire were more comfortable than that at one stage. Damaging defeat really

It was a huge opportunity to get a win against one of the better sides in Div 1. Crushing defeat.

[Gooseberry]

Congratulations to Leicestershire on not being the worst team in this years CC. Two iwns already and into nosebleed territory in Division 2 and being only 12 points shy of where they ended last season. Only 10 wins in the previous 7 seasons combined but now on course for a possible shock top half finish for the first time since 2010.
A new statue may needed!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Somerset narrowly leading Surrey at top of Div 1. They next play each other. Surrey have got a very poor track record in cc matches at played at Guildford in recent years and will be affected by absence of Roy, Foakes and both Currans in the England squads. Somerset will be missing Craig Overton in the Lions squad. Any others?

Warks going well in Div 2. Interesting to watch progress of Dom Sibley. He left Surrey because Alec Stewart (correctly imo) refused to give him a guarantee that he would bat at the top of the order for Surrey. Ironically Sibley's form, opening for Warks this season, has so far been very poor - a batting average of 12, and after 9 innings he has yet to pass 100 runs for the season.

[JDizzle]

A bit late on it, but another excellent win for Somerset. Essentially secured in the first innings, but Notts fought hard and they negotiated a potentially tricky chase well. If they can keep this going, and also get their two spinners going on late season pitches...

Also, it could be a huge stroke of luck that what happened to Bancroft happened, as Matt Renshaw has been incredible as a replacement so far!

[guildfordbat]

Hi JD - it seems handy for Somerset that next week you play a Surrey side minus Roy, the Curran brothers and Foakes who are on England ODI or Lions duties. I appreciate you lose Craig Overton for the same reason.

Match being played at Guildford where Surrey have a poor record in recent years.

[JDizzle]

Hi JD - it seems handy for Somerset that next week you play a Surrey side minus Roy, the Curran brothers and Foakes who are on England ODI or Lions duties. I appreciate you lose Craig Overton for the same reason.

Match being played at Guildford where Surrey have a poor record in recent years.

That is some luck to be fair. I didn't realise it was that game till the Corporal mentioned it above. I still have fears about Morkel ripping through a brittle top order though! A lot rests on Renshaw and Hildreth. The Somerset first innings bowling has been excellent so far this season though, hopefully that continues.

[JDizzle]

Worcs might be on top of a CC game! 247 all out, despite a top Daryl Mitchell ton, was looking hugely under par when Lancashire were 77-0. But Ed Barnard blew away the night-watchmen and then the middle order as Lancs lost 4-2 (and 5-7 in total!) to end the day 86-5.

As Olly alluded to on the England thread, another duck for HH.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Tunbridge Wells as a venue for Kent seems regularly to be under threat. Rather disappointing to see 20 wickets fell on the first day, (Kent v Warks) which I don't suppose will do much to help the cause.

[guildfordbat]

Tunbridge Wells as a venue for Kent seems regularly to be under threat.  Rather disappointing to see 20 wickets fell on the first day, (Kent v Warks) which I don't suppose will do much to help the cause.

Yes, that is a shame. Festival cricket can be an absolute delight and it will be sad if another county outground bites the dust.

Meanwhile, I noted that my old mate Ronnie Barker took 5 wickets whilst Harry Podmore, one of my Div 2 tips for the top, got a fourfer.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Worcester absolutely blasting Lancs out of this game - 137-0 off 21 overs in their second knock so far, already 254 runs ahead!

Meanwhile Gloucestershire have gone from 25-0 last night, to 43-8 this afternoon in the day nighter against Northants!

[Duty281]

Warwickshire 322/3 in a chase of 519!

Ian Bell leading the way with 160*.

[Gooseberry]

Huge shout out to Leicestershire for being on the brink of winning 3 games in a row for the first time in 20 years.
Apparently falling out with your captain is a good thing.

[Gooseberry]

...nope they blew it middlesex win by a wicket.

Oh well it's still their best season in while already.

[sirfredperry]

Having had a distinctly underwhelming season so far, Middx complete one of the best fourth innings runchases in their history - and after being nearly 200 behind on first innings.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Good to see that the Kent Warwickshire match at Tunbridge Wells went more or less the full distance. Cracking finish in the Middlesex Leics match.

Somewhat to my surprise Surrey the form team in Div 1. Notts in second place despite having lost 3 out of 7 matches. Belatedly, Worcs have finally got their season up and running but have a lot of ground to make up if they are to be in with a realistic chance of avoiding relegation.

[alfie]

Warwickshire 322/3 in a chase of 519!

Ian Bell leading the way with 160*.

Bell for England !

Too soon ?

[alfie]

Good to see that the Kent Warwickshire match at Tunbridge Wells went more or less the full distance.  Cracking finish in the Middlesex Leics match.

Somewhat to my surprise Surrey the form team in Div 1. Notts in second place despite having lost 3 out of 7 matches. Belatedly, Worcs have finally got their season up and running but have a lot of ground to make up if they are to be in with a realistic chance of avoiding relegation.    

Blimey , Corporal : that bar of yours is going to need to stock up if Surrey can keep this up in the run home

Don't want to hex you ; but with few calls from England for the Test side likely , I think you have a very good chance to take the title this year. Way to go yet , of course ...

[JDizzle]

Warwickshire 322/3 in a chase of 519!

Ian Bell leading the way with 160*.

Bell for England !

Too soon ?

I think that is three hundreds in four innings for him in the CC now? It would be ridiculous if the selectors weren't keeping an eye on a bloke who has 22 Test hundreds and 8000 runs doing that given England's current woes, despite his age!

[guildfordbat]

Ollie Rayner turning out today for Hants. Didn't know about that. Loan signing, Jimbo?

[jimbohammers]

Ollie Rayner turning out today for Hants. Didn't know about that. Loan signing, Jimbo?

Hi Guildford, yep Ollie Rayner on loan. Played in the day night game vs Yorkshire too and took 4 wickets on debut. We've got Dawson with the Lions, Crane and Taylor injured so its a good signing for us. Think he will only be playing in these 2 county championship matches though as Dawson will be back.

[guildfordbat]

Cheers, Jimbo. Yep, a good signing and much needed given who you are missing.

A shame for you that Hants aren't playing Surrey. Along with Darren Stevens, he normally reserves his best performances for us!

[JDizzle]

Speaking of people who saved their best for Surrey, Jack Shantry announced his retirement due to a serious and ongoing back complaint.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/8796/scorecard/692989/worcestershire-vs-surrey--lv-county-championship-division-two-2014/

I find George Dobell very hit and miss, but he has written an excellent piece on him and his career. I think it is fair to see we won't see anyone like Shantry, with all his idiosyncrasies, for a while!

http://www.espn.co.uk/cricket/story/_/id/23901049/figure-fun-became-folk-hero

My favourite part of that story being the quote by Justin Langer about facing him!

[Mat]

Shame about Shants having to retire early. A real character and cult hero around the place but also a very decent cricketer in his own right.

And of course, he won't ever be forgotten by the Worcs faithful after his "Botham's ashes" moment against Surrey a couple of years ago at New Road to secure promotion!

[jimbohammers]

Always quite rated Shantry, especially in the t20 format.

Notable performance in this set of games..

100's for Nash, Bopara, Ten Doschete, Rossouw and Vince...

5fer for Onions

In div 2, a bizarre game between Kent and Middlesex. Could be over today that one. Middlesex bowled out for 56 first innings.

A mention to 'Grant Stewart' on debut for Kent.
38 first innings
6-22
103 second innings

At number 10.... Not a bad debut!

Elsewhere, a Duckett 100, he's been in really poor form recently so this is a good sign. 170* for Trott who retires at the end of the season, will be a big loss for Warwickshire

[Mat]

Big ton for Joe Clarke yesterday at Trent Bride, 177 not out to lead Worcs to a very hard-fought draw. Three centuries for the season now and bringing his average up to a nice, round 50 exactly.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

The Notts/Worcs match was a good advert for county cricket, Mat. Worcs really had to dig in for a prolonged period to hold out for the draw.

[Mat]

The Notts/Worcs match was a good advert for county cricket, Mat.  Worcs really had to dig in for a prolonged period to hold out for the draw.

Yeah it was a real hard-fought game, Notts on top for most of it but as you say Corporal, Worcs had to show some good old-fashioned resolve and digging in to draw the game

I did see Stuart Broad, and a couple of the other Notts bowlers, tweeting about the pink ball and they didn't exactly seem to be in favor of it so I'm assuming it didn't do as much second innings as it did first.

[LondonTiger]

Hearing that Root and Bairstow will be playing against Lancashire in CC match starting on Sunday, with a request from the ECB that Yorkshire use YJB as an opener. If true I would thing that Yorkshire would agree as Lees is a walking wicket.

[LivinginItaly]

So would that suggest England are thinking of playing Bairstow as an opener? or number 3?

[LondonTiger]

I suspect Ed Smith just wants to know. Jonny did it in the second innings at Chelmsford and knock a fast 50 - but we need more than that.

While we are struggling to find an opening pair, cannot see that YJB is the answer.

[LivinginItaly]

I agree, whilst moving Barstow up to 3 would help fit in stokes and Buttler at 6 and 7, I can't help but think it would create more problems. Would Bairstow still keep wicket? Would his technique and temperament be up to the standard required to face the new ball on a consistent basis?

[LondonTiger]

Interesting that Yorkshire have (and been allowed to) signed Josh Poysden on a one match loan to play at Old Trafford. I know that we have a major issue with the lack of any decent spin option in red ball cricket, but frankly that sucks.

[alfie]

I agree, whilst moving Barstow up to 3 would help fit in stokes and Buttler at 6 and 7, I can't help but think it would create more problems. Would Bairstow still keep wicket? Would his technique and temperament be up to the standard required to face the new ball on a consistent basis?

Bizarre idea , I think : move the man who has just had a wonderful couple of years at six/ seven up to the top of the order , just so they can accommodate a player who they (apparently )don't trust to bat higher than seven ?
Supposed to be fixing the weak spots rather than destabilizing the strong ones , surely ?

Opening in ODI is a million miles from doing so in Tests. Australia used Gilchrist as an ODI opener but weren't daft enough to put him there in the long game. They did quite well

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I agree, whilst moving Barstow up to 3 would help fit in stokes and Buttler at 6 and 7, I can't help but think it would create more problems. Would Bairstow still keep wicket? Would his technique and temperament be up to the standard required to face the new ball on a consistent basis?

Bizarre idea , I think : move the man who has just had a wonderful couple of years at six/ seven up to the top of the order , just so they can accommodate a player who they (apparently )don't trust to bat higher than seven ?  
Supposed to be fixing the weak spots rather than destabilizing the strong ones , surely ?  

Opening in ODI is a million miles from doing so in Tests. Australia used Gilchrist as an ODI opener but weren't daft enough to put him there in the long game.  They did quite well

Whilst I am a huge YJB fan, since his glorious summer of 2016, he's averaged 32 in test matches (34 in 2017, 28 so far in 2018). Sure he's not one of the issues, and I am not suggesting he is, but I don't think he should be beyond reproach in terms of what they do with him...

[LivinginItaly]

I agree, whilst moving Barstow up to 3 would help fit in stokes and Buttler at 6 and 7, I can't help but think it would create more problems. Would Bairstow still keep wicket? Would his technique and temperament be up to the standard required to face the new ball on a consistent basis?

Bizarre idea , I think : move the man who has just had a wonderful couple of years at six/ seven up to the top of the order , just so they can accommodate a player who they (apparently )don't trust to bat higher than seven ?  
Supposed to be fixing the weak spots rather than destabilizing the strong ones , surely ?  

Opening in ODI is a million miles from doing so in Tests. Australia used Gilchrist as an ODI opener but weren't daft enough to put him there in the long game.  They did quite well

I completely agree Alfie. However, I can't think of another explanation for making the request that Bairstow opens for Yorkshire in the next game.

[alfie]

I agree, whilst moving Barstow up to 3 would help fit in stokes and Buttler at 6 and 7, I can't help but think it would create more problems. Would Bairstow still keep wicket? Would his technique and temperament be up to the standard required to face the new ball on a consistent basis?

Bizarre idea , I think : move the man who has just had a wonderful couple of years at six/ seven up to the top of the order , just so they can accommodate a player who they (apparently )don't trust to bat higher than seven ?  
Supposed to be fixing the weak spots rather than destabilizing the strong ones , surely ?  

Opening in ODI is a million miles from doing so in Tests. Australia used Gilchrist as an ODI opener but weren't daft enough to put him there in the long game.  They did quite well

Whilst I am a huge YJB fan, since his glorious summer of 2016, he's averaged 32 in test matches (34 in 2017, 28 so far in 2018). Sure he's not one of the issues, and I am not suggesting he is, but I don't think he should be beyond reproach in terms of what they do with him...

But that's just the point , Olly. Bairstow was making runs for fun at (mostly) seven , and keeping : it is surely since they started pushing him up the order (in India , to fix "team balance" ; and this latest caper ) that his record has slipped back to an extent ? Not suggesting he should have a "right" to bat where he likes : but that there is no guarantee he can solve top order problems and considerable evidence he is extremely effective when placed in the "normal" keeper slot at seven.
I can see why they want to fit Buttler into the team - and given his apparent maturing as a batsman I am not unsupportive - but it then seems more logical to see whether Jos can hold down the five position rather than move Bairstow anywhere they have a gap , apparently mainly to "make room " ...

Moving Moeen up and down the order doesn't seem to have done much for his batting ; may not be altogether coincidence ?
I just have the feeling the selectors are thinking "well we have all these pretty good players to cover five- eight along with their other duties . So rather than pick the best man for the current job and work on finding specialists to fill the spots we lack , let us just shuffle the all rounders about and hope something clicks..."

I may have said it before , but that strikes me as similar to past England managers constantly trying to play Gerrard and Lampard together regardless of the effect on overall team shape...

[LondonTiger]

Thankfully Bairstow not opening today.

Buttler appears to be playing as a batter only for Lancs

[JDizzle]

Jordan Clark has just taken a hat trick for Lancs, and three batsmen he dismissed were Root, Williamson and YJB! Not bad...

[Duty281]

Probably the best hat-trick of the season.

Jordan Clarke removes Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Jonny Bairstow.

Wow, wow, wow.

[guildfordbat]

Jordan Clark has just taken a hat trick for Lancs, and three batsmen he dismissed were Root, Williamson and YJB! Not bad...

JD - you just beat me to it. Not a rabbit, let alone a ferret, anyway involved - now that is a proper hat trick!

[guildfordbat]

Meanwhile and contrary to some suggestions, Adil Rashid not playing for Yorks in their Roses match today (not sure who made that decision - Tiger?).

However, he has been quoted as saying he would play Test cricket for England if asked. For the record, I'll confirm that I would too.

[JDizzle]

Jordan Clark has just taken a hat trick for Lancs, and three batsmen he dismissed were Root, Williamson and YJB! Not bad...

JD - you just beat me to it. Not a rabbit, let alone a ferret, anyway involved - now that is a proper hat trick!

Test match averages totalling 140 between the three of them... Decent, very decent!

[guildfordbat]

Probably the best hat-trick of the season.

Jordan Clarke removes Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Jonny Bairstow.

Wow, wow, wow.

Duty - you're a hard taskmaster.

There's an arguable case that's the best hat trick of all time.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Just under 15,000 test runs between them!

[jimbohammers]

One to watch? Jordan Clark (Lancs)

[LondonTiger]

Weird day at Old Trafford with Yorkshire coming back so well. While unlikely to play international cricket, that was an amazing hat trick for Clark.

[guildfordbat]

One to watch? Jordan Clark (Lancs)

Cracking shout, Jimbo! What made you come up with him before the season started (genuine question)?

[Sponsored content]