County Championship 2019 Thread

[jimbohammers]

First topic message reminder :

Just over a month to go until the new season starts.

Same old questions...

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

How is your team shaping up for the start of the season? Any inside news?

Discuss here...

[Afro]

Yep. Not getting anything from this. I blame you

[LondonTiger]

In all the excitement of the final yesterday, I've completely forgotten that Somerset are playing.

Not looking good for us. Need a really heroic performance to rescue something from this game. And Essex going well too

We really have not done Somerset any favours. Completely demolished by Essex last week, looking to seal an innings victory before lunch today against the Cider boys.

[wisden]

We really have come good at the right time! looking like another win against Warks along with a hammering for Somseret...looking good for the essex boys!!

[guildfordbat]

Could be interesting if Kent fancy chancing their arm against Hants. Their second dig is about to start and they need 153 off 17 overs, exactly 9 per over.

[jimbohammers]

Luckily we got a couple of wins early on in the season otherwise we'd be in deep trouble

[guildfordbat]

To their credit, Kent had a go before understandably shaking hands on the draw in the 9th over when the 3rd wicket went down much to Jimbo's relief.

[Afro]

What on earth is happening at Caterbury?

Went to a meeting thinking it looked like Essex were going to lose. Less than an hour later and Kent are 23-8

[JDizzle]

Some bizarre scorecards in the title race. Somerset conceded a 111 run lead to Warks, only for Essex to be rolled for 114 after Kent’s 226. Only Kent are now 33-8! If Essex can turn it around and Somerset can’t save their game, that could be it. But if Somerset scrape a draw and Essex lose... Game on again.

[LondonTiger]

And Kent bowled out for 40.

[JDizzle]

Essex got over the line after Kent’s collapse - very annoying. But it does look like Somerset are going win against Warks which is a great turnaround after conceding 400 and a 100+ first innings lead. That final game shoot out gets closer and closer.

[jimbohammers]

Hameed released by Lancashire...

Wonder what team will take a punt on him?

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Hameed released by Lancashire...

Wonder what team will take a punt on him?

Think Somerset should take the punt tbh. Trescothick is retiring so it opens up slot for Hameed. Also getting away from home comforts might just reignite Hameed's career.

[king_carlos]

Could see Surrey taking a punt. Burns and Elgar away on international duty, Harinath widely rumoured to be getting released leaves a hole at the top of the order.

Hameed has the talent to score runs on the Oval pitch and Surrey have the money to take a punt on a youngster.

[alfie]

Hameed certainly had the talent. And the composure.  Has he still ?  

I fear somewhere along the way he just lost it completely...Like a few players chosen young by England and destined to disappear from the game after brief Test careers.  I am minded of that young fellow Lathwell back in the 90's ...came in on a wave of optimism and county success  : failed , dropped immediately -  and never heard of again.

[JDizzle]

Interesting day in the Championship race... Somerset all out for 199 vs Yorkshire, but have reduced them to 70/3 in reply. Essex struggled with Warwickshire who amassed 269/3.

[JDizzle]

Interesting day in the Championship race... Somerset all out for 199 vs Yorkshire, but have reduced them to 70/3 in reply. Essex struggled with Warwickshire who amassed 269/3.

Well things escalated fast this morning!

Yorkshire are now 103/8, and Essex have fought back and Warks are 297/6.

[jimbohammers]

Darren Stevens follows up his 88 with the bat, with a fivefer with the ball. 43 years young, get him in the england team.

[JDizzle]

Interesting day in the Championship race... Somerset all out for 199 vs Yorkshire, but have reduced them to 70/3 in reply. Essex struggled with Warwickshire who amassed 269/3.

Well things escalated fast this morning!

Yorkshire are now 103/8, and Essex have fought back and Warks are 297/6.

Somerset currently lead by 328 with 5 wickets left. Scoring at a fair click, and judging by the overs Maharaj has bowled it looks like it is turning. Can’t see anything but a Somerset win in this one now, touch wood.

Warks have racked up 479/9 vs Essex. Looks like Essex will be clinging on for a draw in that one.

[JDizzle]

Somerset win.

Although Essex are going well in their efforts to save the game.

[Afro]

Good win, especially after the first innings.

Think that game at Egbaston looks a cert for a draw now, which is not a bad result for us.

Could do with Surrey doing us a favour next week. Perhaps Roy will want to prove a point and will score a sackful....

All going to come down to the final game between the top two at Taunton in the final round of games, which would be a great way to end the season

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Good win, especially after the first innings.

Think that game at Egbaston looks a cert for a draw now, which is not a bad result for us.

Could do with Surrey doing us a favour next week. Perhaps Roy will want to prove a point and will score a sackful....

All going to come down to the final game between the top two at Taunton in the final round of games, which would be a great way to end the season

Wonder if the covers might "blow off" the wicket again on the final game of the season, if Somerset happen to be ahead in the table for that final game

[Afro]

Bitter. You still won the championship, and all it did was save you from the embarrassment of losing having had a 300+ first innings lead

[LondonTiger]

Darren Stevens follows up his 88 with the bat, with a fivefer with the ball. 43 years young, get him in the england team.

10 wickets in the match for Stevens. 43 wickets in 10 games this season at 19 each!!

[JDizzle]

Essex following on and have lost an early wicket... you never know...

[Afro]

Big week starting today. A good start at Hant with 2 early wickets. Northeast in already, so if we can see him and then Vince off, it would be the perfect start.

We want to go into next week with our current lead ideally and take the impact of bonus points out of it.

[Afro]

Two massive wickets with Northeast and Vince both in and then out quickly. 18/4

[LondonTiger]

Wickets tumbling at Southampton and Headingley. Not sure why Billings chose to bat, especially as due to illness and injury Yorkshire have a 17yo opener.

[LondonTiger]

Darren Stevens continues to shine.

[Afro]

Great recovery from Hants. 24/5, 57/6 and 88/7. to get to 196 is a great effort.

And as we saw at Taunton last week, don't judge a score until both teams have batted

[LondonTiger]

Kent were 39-5, now 311-5. That is a recovery  

[jimbohammers]

Darren Stevens 191* off 188 balls

[Afro]

Kent were 39-5, now 311-5. That is a recovery  

Darren Stevens is on fire. 191 from 188 balls

[LondonTiger]

Now he has a double hundred. Dropped four times, but first of those was on 149!!

[LondonTiger]

One to watch? Darren Stevens

While this was slightly tongue in cheek, he has had a pretty good season.

[Afro]

https://twitter.com/YorkshireCCC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1173623540962275331&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fsport%2Flive%2Fcricket%2F49570539

237 off 25 balls!!! Eat your heart out Chris Gayle

[sirfredperry]

The stand involving Billings and that young whippersnapper Darren Stevens worth 346 - a Kent record for that wicket.

[Afro]

The stand involving Billings and that young whippersnapper Darren Stevens worth 346 - a Kent record for that wicket.

That wicket was worth nearly 9 times as much as the 5 wickets before it!!

[dummy_half]

The stand involving Billings and that young whippersnapper Darren Stevens worth 346 - a Kent record for that wicket.

Stevens eventually caught by the 17 year old Yorkshire debutant - born 4 years after Stevens first class debut.

[Duty281]

So not content with last week, when they collapsed from 70/3 to 100-odd all out, Yorkshire now let the opposition escape from 39/5 to 482/8 on the opening day. Proper Yorkshire.

[Afro]

Great recovery from Hants. 24/5, 57/6 and 88/7. to get to 196 is a great effort.

And as we saw at Taunton last week, don't judge a score until both teams have batted

Never have I spoken to truer word - 3 wickets falling for 15 runs and we are looking in trouble at 45/5

[LondonTiger]

While yesterday was a good day for Somerset both at Southampton and Chelmsford, today is more of an Essex day so far.

[jimbohammers]

Another hundred for Sibley.

Vince playing a gem against Somerset on a pitch doing plenty. Essex will be delighted with that

[jimbohammers]

After being 5 off 43 balls, Vince finally falls for 142 off 181 balls. Some knock.

Somerset require 280 to win..

[Afro]

After being 5 off 43 balls, Vince finally falls for 142 off 181 balls. Some knock.

Somerset require 280 to win..

Can't see it on that pitch and with Abbot bowling the way he did in the 1st innings

[LondonTiger]

Good start by Somerset in their run chase.

[Duty281]

And like so many games this week, a sudden collapse has surely done for Somerset.

86/0 to 95/5 - Kyle Abbott up to 13 wickets for the match and on a hat-trick.

[Afro]

Davis gone now.

To Abbot again, so another 5fer for him.

Going to switch the radio off now until next week!

[Afro]

Out of interest, what is the record for the best match figures for a bowler in the County Championship?

[Duty281]

Wow, three wickets in four balls for Abbott. What a game he's had.

[LondonTiger]

Good start by Somerset in their run chase.

Sorry, I should have kept my mouth shut.

[Sponsored content]