County Championship Round 12 Discussion Thread

[Shelsey93]

Hot on the heels of the conclusion of Round 11 today, Round 12 starts tomorrow with some interesting looking Division 1 encounters.

Division One

Lancashire v Worcestershire @ Old Trafford (18th - 21st July) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket-18858248 (BBC Hereford and Worcester)

Worcs 291 (Scott 106, Pardoe 55, Kerrigan 4-117) and 139 (Solanki 50, Croft 6-41) Lancs 162 (Horton 34, Ali 6-67, Choudhry 4-38) and 63 (Cross 20, Ali 6-29)

Worcestershire won by 205 runs

Nottinghamshire v Surrey @ Trent Bridge (18th - 21st July) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket-18858242 (BBC Nottingham/ BBC London)

Notts 178-5 (Read 49*, Meaker 2-46)

Somerset v Warwickshire @ Taunton (18th - 21st July) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket-18858127 (BBC Coventry and Warwickshire/ BBC WM)

Warks 400 (Troughton 132, Woakes 107, Chopra 93, Thomas 6-60) and 66-3 (Chopra 27*, Suppiah 1-8) Somerset 254 (Hildreth 73, Suppiah 54, Patel 7-75)

Sussex v Durham @ Arundel (18th - 21st July) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket-18885173 (BBC Sussex)

Durham 231 (Borthwick 50, Stoneman 50, Magoffin 3-28) and 80-7 (Collingwood 29*, Magoffin 4-14) Sussex 231 (Yardy 66, Brown 51, Thorp 4-35, Rushworth 4-52)

Division Two

Derbyshire v Yorkshire @ Chesterfield (18th - 21st July) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket-18858244 (BBC Leeds)

Yorks 219 (Jaques 61, Durston 3-23) Derbys 135-7 (Lineker 33, Harmison 3-49)

Gloucestershire v Leicestershire @ Cheltenham (18th - 21st July)

Leics 162 (Sarwan 50, Saxelby 6-48) and 142-5 (Thornely 39, Young 2-39) Gloucs 229 (Fuller 57, Buck 3-50)

Essex v Hampshire @ Chelmsford (19th - 22nd July)

Hants 303-6 (McKenzie 134*, Ervine 55, ten Doeschate 2-48)

Kent v Glamorgan @ Canterbury (19th - 22nd July)

Kent 456-9 (Stevens 123, Nash 114, Jones 69*, Northeast 52, Harris 5-118)


Scores up to date to 9am Saturday

[guildfordbat]

It'll be interesting to see how the wicket plays at Arundel for the Sussex v Durham match.

On Sunday the groundsman at Guildford (where the Surrey outground festival was ending) said he had been approached to see if Sussex's CB 40 fixture on Monday coulld be switched to Guildford due to very wet conditions at Arundel. He reluctantly couldn't help as the temporary seating was contracted to be taken down and moved for the Olympics. He commented, ''play would be possible but you can't watch from a building site''. As it happened, further rain fell at Arundel and the match was called off on Monday before the scheduled start.

If conditions were so bad going into Monday that Sussex were prepared to move a CB40 home fixture into Surrey, it doesn't sound too promising for a CC match starting at the same venue on Wednesday following further wet weather.

[JDizzle]

More overseas player trouble for Somerset. Rehman is having visa trouble so will miss at least this CC game, if not more.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Sadly it looks like a bit of a mismatch between the batting line ups of Notts and the depleted Surrey team.....

[guildfordbat]

Sadly it looks like a bit of a mismatch between the batting line ups of Notts and the depleted Surrey team.....

Corporal - you are not alone in that view. In his Espn Cricinfo preview of this latest round of matches, Alex Winter writes, ''my banker of the week is for Nottinghamshire to beat Surrey''.

[Fists of Fury]

Well, as a Warks fan, I'll be supporting Surrey all the way here.

[guildfordbat]

Cheers, Fists. I think we'll need all support going ....

[guildfordbat]

Acting captain Gareth Batty not playing in match against Notts. Zander de Bruyn skippers the side.

Believe that is a tactical decision upon review of a seamers' wicket.

If that's the case, Batty goes up even further in my estimation - not necessarily as a cricketer but certainly as a person.

[jimbobgooner]

Spot on Guildford
Surrey win the toss and will bowl
Tremlett misses out as well

[liverbnz]

Still no place for Adil Rashid in the Yorkshire team. Hopefully Harmison will get a bowl this game, although he'll have to wait as Yorkshire have decided to bat first against Derbyshire.

[Shelsey93]

Yorkshire have made a poor start to their top-of-the-table Division Two clash with Derbyshire. Bowled out for 219.

Elsewhere rain is holding up proceedings.

[guildfordbat]

It'll be interesting to see how the wicket plays at Arundel for the Sussex v Durham match.

On Sunday the groundsman at Guildford (where the Surrey outground festival was ending) said he had been approached to see if Sussex's CB 40 fixture on Monday coulld be switched to Guildford due to very wet conditions at Arundel. He reluctantly couldn't help as the temporary seating was contracted to be taken down and moved for the Olympics. He commented, ''play would be possible but you can't watch from a building site''. As it happened, further rain fell at Arundel and the match was called off on Monday before the scheduled start.

If conditions were so bad going into Monday that Sussex were prepared to move a CB40 home fixture into Surrey, it doesn't sound too promising for a CC match starting at the same venue on Wednesday following further wet weather.

It looked like questions were going to be asked as Durham lost their second wicket for only one run in the third over. However, a recovery of sorts followed as Durham reached 90 odd - 4 before rain ended proceedings for the day. Hopefully the wicket will continue to behave at least reasonably. Arundel is a beautiful setting and it would be a shame if its place as a first class venue were to be put in doubt.

[Guest]

Essex playing Hampshire today in div 2 encounter..

I expect a convincing win for essex!

[guildfordbat]

Essex playing Hampshire today in div 2 encounter..

I expect a convincing win for essex!

CF - if your expectations were points, Essex would be in Div One already!

[jimbohammers]

Essex playing Hampshire today in div 2 encounter..

I expect a convincing win for essex!

CF - if your expectations were points, Essex would be in Div One already!

[jimbohammers]

Our batting line up seems so weak at the moment. Doesnt help that James Vince isnt playing, not sure why tbh. Our best hope is to scrape to 200, then hope Briggsy + Balcombe produce some magic

[jimbohammers]

Our best hope is to scrape to 200

Maybe i was a little hasty

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Warks 7th wicket partnership put on over 200 against Somerset. It's not just Surrey that let the lower order pile on the runs....

[jimbohammers]

Corp, but there lower order is Chris Woakes and Rikki Clarke!

[Fists of Fury]

Yeah to be fair Chris Woakes can't be classed as a tail-ender by any stretch! Fantastic century yesterday, he is a genuine all-rounder. I really do think that he is going to start pushing Bresnan for his Test spot soon.

Bresnan has done it at the highest level, so that isn't to say that Woakes would be better, but from a batting perspective he certainly is and he continues to take wickets at a better rate than Dale Steyn did in the County Championship when he played for Warks - not bad.

[Shelsey93]

Yeah to be fair Chris Woakes can't be classed as a tail-ender by any stretch! Fantastic century yesterday, he is a genuine all-rounder. I really do think that he is going to start pushing Bresnan for his Test spot soon.

Bresnan has done it at the highest level, so that isn't to say that Woakes would be better, but from a batting perspective he certainly is and he continues to take wickets at a better rate than Dale Steyn did in the County Championship when he played for Warks - not bad.

The seamers are banking up. But Woakes is a way off at the moment - Anderson, Broad, Bresnan, Onions and Tremlett* are all well ahead of him. He's probably in the next group with Meaker, Brooks and Dernbach.

*injury permitting

As a batsman Woakes has scored a lot of runs but its difficult to tell if he's better of worse than Bresnan - I reckon that Bresnan would hit 100s quite regularly if he played regularly for Yorks, and got the support from the other end which Woakes gets.

[guildfordbat]

The seamers are banking up. But Woakes is a way off at the moment - Anderson, Broad, Bresnan, Onions and Tremlett* are all well ahead of him. He's probably in the next group with Meaker, Brooks and Dernbach.

*injury permitting

It's a shame for Tremlett that the ODI planned for next month against Scotland has been scrubbed. That might well have been an opportunity for him to get back in England colours. At the moment he's a fair way back in the pecking order and probably falling further behind.

[packofwolves]

Worcester are 118-6 at lunch on day 3, a lead of 247 which may well already be enough. The soon to depart for pastures richer Vikram Solanki is holding us together with 39 n.o.

[guildfordbat]

Hi Pack - any inside news on Solanki? Just make it up if you haven't ....

[packofwolves]

All I know is that he has signed for Surrey as we are not in a position to be able to offer Vik a contract that matches his current terms at the moment. That situation may have changed later in the year, although that's unlikely. So to sum up, Vik didn't want a wage drop and, understandably, wanted a bit more security at this stage of his career.

I'm personally surprised that after 20 years now is when he decides he's had enough. He's a key player for us and a massive influence on our young batters coming through. He'll be a big loss.

Quite surprised that Surrey, or Worcester MK2 as I may start to call you, went for him personally. Ramps replacement?

[guildfordbat]

Thanks, Pack.

With the permanent losses of Maynard and Ramps plus Hamilton-Brown for who knows how long, we're pretty desperate to bolster the batting. Some maturity won't go amiss either.

On the Worcs MK2 aspect, it may not be all one way traffic. I don't know how much substance there is to it but there's a lot of talk down here about Davies wanting away and possibly back to Worcs.

[packofwolves]

Surrey have spent the last few years seemingly developing themselves into a young, talented side with the odd steadying older hand. The likes of Lewis and Tremlett are excellent role models for Dernbach, Meaker & Co, whilst De Bruyn, Pietersen when around and even Davies, who has a wealth of First class experience now, fill similar roles for the batters. All of this you know better than me, of course!

Is De Bruyn going to be around next year? If not i suppose his is the role that Vik will fill for you.

As far as Davies is concerned, I would have him back in a flash. He would get in our side as a batsman alone. Whether we could afford to employ him is perhaps another matter.

[packofwolves]

This pitch at O/T must be made out of velcro judging by the amount of grip the spinners are getting. Worcs 139 all out now, Croft taking 6-41 following up Mo's 6-67 in the Lancs innings. Neither are demon spinners.

[guildfordbat]

Pack - looking very good for you. Lancs 21-4 chasing 269. Two wickets each for Rico and Mo.

Going back to your earlier post, I believe de Bruyn is contracted until the end of the 2013 season.

[packofwolves]

Lancs currently 61-8. I don't want to count my chickens but...i think we might win this.


61-9 by the way.

[guildfordbat]

Tremendous win by Worcs which should give them a lot of confidence in the scrap to avoid relegation.

[Guest]

34 of the 40 wickets that went down, fell to spin

Moeen Ali 12 wickets in the game

[Mat]

Thanks, Pack.

With the permanent losses of Maynard and Ramps plus Hamilton-Brown for who knows how long, we're pretty desperate to bolster the batting. Some maturity won't go amiss either.

On the Worcs MK2 aspect, it may not be all one way traffic. I don't know how much substance there is to it but there's a lot of talk down here about Davies wanting away and possibly back to Worcs.

I would love that so much!

Tremendous win, and a fantastic display from Mooen with the ball. His bowling has really come on massively past couple of years, I imagine working with Shakib and Ajmal last year gave his bowling a huge boost.

[Guest]

I personally have nothing against a spinning pitch in england, i think its brilliant, but hants and glamorgan's pitches got investigated last year and i have a feeling that this one will be as welll.

[guildfordbat]

I personally have nothing against a spinning pitch in england, i think its brilliant, but hants and glamorgan's pitches got investigated last year and i have a feeling that this one will be as welll.

Being an Old Trafford wicket, it was presumably prepared to suit Lancs. No one can criticise Worcs for being able to take advantage of it. Possibly an own goal by the home side though!

[Guest]

i know mate and like i said, i like to see spinning pitches make the game more exicting..however im just pointing out that glam and hants were investiaged last year and thus it would suprise me if lancs pitch wasnt investigated.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Ex Surrey player Evan getting (a fairly rare?) outing for Warks. But didn't reach double figures in either innings.

[guildfordbat]

Evening Corporal - I think that was Evans' first CC match of this season. He has played quite a bit in the T20 games though and done ok to well there with a string of not outs.

[Mat]

Pitch was inspected at Old Trafford but no penalty points applied.

[Shelsey93]

I personally have nothing against a spinning pitch in england, i think its brilliant, but hants and glamorgan's pitches got investigated last year and i have a feeling that this one will be as welll.

Being an Old Trafford wicket, it was presumably prepared to suit Lancs. No one can criticise Worcs for being able to take advantage of it. Possibly an own goal by the home side though!

Prepared for Lancashire, who left out Gary Keedy! In all honesty it must have turned incredible amounts - Moeen and Steven Croft would both usually be used in defensive mode, whilst Shaaiq Choudhury tends to get tonked on his rare Championship appearances!

I personally don't agree with pitch penalties unless the pitch is dangerous or severely under-prepared (i.e. not fit for FC cricket). So I'm glad that Lancs haven't been penalised. I see this as a positive move forward from last year's debacle when Hampshire's exciting match with Notts (which was less spin dominated than this one) resulted in Hants being docked points.

[guildfordbat]

A nail biter at Arundel. Sussex need another 39 to win with 3 wickets left.

This could be another one for the pitch inspectors which is where I came in on this thread ....

[Corporalhumblebucket]

It would be a very tidy outcome if Sussex were all out for 93....

[ChrisfromStroud]

1st inns:
Durham 231 - 10
Sussex 231 - 10

2nd inns:
Durham 62 - 7 en route to 93 - 10
Sussex 62 - 7 en route to...

[Corporalhumblebucket]

73 - 8

[guildfordbat]

From a Surrey viewpoint, we want a Sussex win to keep Durham at the bottom ....

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Scores level. Looks as tho' MacMuffin will win it for Sussex

[JDizzle]

Somerset beat Warwickshire (Take that Fists ), Craig Kieswetter with a fabulous 152 out of 270. We were 259-5, but then collapsed to 269-9! We scraped home and that is a huge win in terms of the title. Puts us back in the frame, but probably makes Notts favourites now!

[guildfordbat]

JD - I was listening to radio commentary of Surrey's game at Trent Bridge when Somerset's win was announced. Apparently the Radio Notts commentator was punching the air in delight - pretty much confirms your closing line.

[jimbohammers]

Intriguing game between us and Essex...

[Guest]

2 runs

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