Royal London One Day Cup

Gets underway today...

Here's a thread to discuss it all...

I'm not sure if it has been mentioned elsewhere but Alfonso Thomas has gone on loan to Sussex for the One Day Cup as Somerset are looking to play both Overton brothers in their side for the tournament.

I'm always an advocate of County sides backing youth, especially home grown talent, but it is a very bold call to give away a player with the death bowling and control of Thomas. Even if he has finally begun to fade slightly in recent times he is still an excellent bowler.

A very good coup for Sussex given their injury problems though.

Onto the matches however.

Nottinghamshire vs Warwickshire is underway with Warwickshire currently 212/9 from 48.1 overs batting first. Ian Bell opened and made an, albeit slow, half century which is good from an England perspective. It's also good to see Chris Woakes back playing.

Northamptonshire vs Durham is also underway with Durham 285/7 from 47.5 overs batting first. Collingwood still going strong it seems as he racks up his 10th one day hundred.

Agree regarding Alfonso Thomas, Carlos. Strange move.

Hales has just got his 100 vs Warwickshire...... Off 56 balls....

I hadn't realised that was going on jimbob!

Last I heard he had started off watchfully and jut seemed to be getting going heading into the 20s.

He's just out for 103 from 61 balls with 7 fours and 9 sixes.

Took hales 16 balls to go from 50 to 100...wow

Notts have completed their demolition of Warwickshire chasing down 220 in 28.1 overs. Wessels adding 85* from 84 balls to the century from Hales.

It must be said that this Notts side has an excellent look to it with lots of power, experience and depth to the batting. Add to this arguably the best death bowler on the county circuit in Luke Fletcher, Harry Gurneys ever consistent white ball performances for Notts and it's a formidable 50 over side.

1.Wessels
2.Hales
3.James Taylor
4.Brendan Taylor
5.Patel
6.Christian
7.Read
8.Mullaney
9.Fletcher
10.Ball
11.Gurney

That is without Michael Lumb involved as well!

Did anyone see Azarullah's rather embarrassing mistake when stood at the stumps, ball in hand he could have run out Collingwood (who had 93) but instead threw to the keeper to run out Pringle the off-spinner. With just 4 overs to go could have put the breaks on, instead Colly scored another 39 runs from just 16 balls.

king_carlos wrote:I'm not sure if it has been mentioned elsewhere but Alfonso Thomas has gone on loan to Sussex for the One Day Cup as Somerset are looking to play both Overton brothers in their side for the tournament.

I'm always an advocate of County sides backing youth, especially home grown talent, but it is a very bold call to give away a player with the death bowling and control of Thomas. Even if he has finally begun to fade slightly in recent times he is still an excellent bowler.

A very good coup for Sussex given their injury problems though.

Well as thomas is closer to his 39th birthday than his 38th and Somerset have decided not to hire him for next season it makes quite a lot of sense.

Thomas also hasn't been good at all the past two seasons, even in his favoured T20 format. Nearly time for the glue factory

Olly wrote:Thomas also hasn't been good at all the past two seasons, even in his favoured T20 format. Nearly time for the glue factory

I guess the time will soon come when some say similar about Wes Hoolahan.

guildfordbat wrote:

Olly wrote:Thomas also hasn't been good at all the past two seasons, even in his favoured T20 format. Nearly time for the glue factory

I guess the time will soon come when some say similar about Wes Hoolahan.

Wessi is like a fine wine Guildford, getting more majestic with age 

Olly - thought that would get a bite!

Notts playing at Market Warsop today. Can't say that I had heard of that as a cricketing location before today.

Only match now in progress is Yorks v Gloucs. Yorks 153 - 8 still with about 13 overs to go.  If Yorks manage to bat out 13 overs there is a good chance their match will be rained off as well before a positive result is achieved.  

Conceivably Somerset might get in an abbreviated game this afternoon, but very unlikely that any of the others will achieve a positive result, due to the rain.

And the game in Scarborough is now abandoned.

Olly wrote:Thomas also hasn't been good at all the past two seasons, even in his favoured T20 format. Nearly time for the glue factory

A bit of an exaggeration there Olly!

He took 53 Div 1 wickets at 24.77 in 2014. Thus far this season he has 27 scalps at 24.11.

His T20 performances were way down on past glories which may have forced Somersets hand for the one day cup. 15 wickets isn't a bad return but an economy of just over 10 runs an over isn't good enough even for a death bowler playing on Taunton pitches with tiny boundaries.

No doubt he is fading and the decision by Somerset to not renew his contract is a justified one. He has been far from poor for two seasons however.

LT - I understand that it's a decision made due to his age. I just feel that he would be a good player for Somerset to have to call on as some experience next to the Overtons, Gregory and Waller. Tim Groenewald is playing for them today for instance and I would still consider a Thomas a better bowler than Groenewald - no disrespect meant to a very reliable county pro there!

Pretty much as expected. Somerset got in an abbreviated game, which they are about to lose to Derby, and all other matches rained off.

Games today:

Derbyshire vs Yorkshire
Essex vs Lancashire
Hampshire vs Sussex (elcasicocoast..)
Surrey vs Northants

All kick off at 2pm..

Centuries from Jason Roy and James Vince.... (England watch)

Hampshire and Surrey both make 343 off their 50 overs...

Lancashire 161-9. Bopara 10 overs 4-31. Masters 10 overs 1-20.

Surrey, Hants and Essex win very convincingly. In the only close game Yorks beat Derby by 7 runs.

Future England watch Curran minor (aged 17) took 4 for 32 for Surrey.

Losing start at Hampshire. 

Surprised Will Beer wasn't included as Luke Wells played.

Was looking it would be close at one stage Nick....

Incredible chase by Glamorgan last night to beat Kent.

Has anyone seen a worse kit than Lancashires RLC one? Jesus christ, we play in red not bloody green!

PaulHv2 wrote:Has anyone seen a worse kit than Lancashires RLC one? Jesus christ, we play in red not bloody green!

Lol!

That kit, ouch.

I bet that helped Glen Chapple's transition to coaching when he turned up for the team photo and got to put the tracksuit and polo on instead of that!

These games come thick and fast don't they?

Worcestershire vs Yorkshire underway

Sussex vs Notts (2pm)
Kent vs Hampshire (2pm)

Well that's Sussex out. 

Focus should be completely on survival in the championship and reaching t20 finals day.

Mason Crane and Liam Dawson bowling superbly here.

Crane certainly one to keep an eye on... 18 year old leg spinner and great name.

Game abandoned between Glamorgan and Hampshire because of a bad pitch and unsafe to continue. Bizarre. Never seen anything like it. If we don't get the 2 points for this game I won't be happy.

And, in another bizarre match, Northant first three wickets fell to a hatrick off the first three balls of the innings - yet they ended up beating Worcs...

I saw that Corp fair play to Northants

Today's games:

Lancashire vs Notts
Gloucestershire vs Durham
Surrey vs Worcetershire
Hampshire vs Essex
Derbyshire vs Leicestershire

Notts beat defending champions Durham to make it through to a semi away to Surrey or Kent.

Though Durham are my second side, glad Notts won as D/L seemed to royally screw them over.

Yorks beat Essex by 20 runs in a fairly close QF match.

So semis are:

Yorks (missing Plunkett - who was MotM today - and Rashid) v Gloucester
Surrey (missing Roy) v Notts (missing Hales and Taylor).

Shame for the crowds and clubs that these games are shoehorned between England ODIs

Why is the Surrey semi final starting at 11:30 on a Monday

Who on earth thought that scheduling a semi final at 11:30am on a Monday was a good idea

Used up the number of days they can use the lights?

England play on Saturday and Tuesday so semis squeezed between the two.

LondonTiger wrote:Used up the number of days they can use the lights?

England play on Saturday and Tuesday so semis squeezed between the two.

It won't be due to the lights at the Oval. Unlike at Lord's where Middlesex have to kowtow to the demands of the residents of St John's Wood, Surrey have far less concerns for the inhabitants of Vauxhall and turn the lights on whenever needed.

Far more likely due to the demands of Sky and what suits them best.

Been dipping into the Yorks v Gloucs semi-final every now and then.

Gloucs came back well with the ball when with 20 overs left it looked as if 300 was realistic.

However, I feel that Yorks' 263 will still be enough with their bowling attack ....

Solid start from Gloucs in reply.  82 - 1 off 16 overs chasing 264 to win.

Gloucs 165/2 off 32. Less than 100 needed now. Contrary to my thoughts at the break, Yorks' bowlers making little impact.

Gloucs will be very disappointed if they don't win from here (84 to win from 15 overs with 8 wickets in hand).

Klinger and Marshall putting on a masterclass in chasing a total down at the moment

An innings full of class from Klinger. Marshall's experience came perfectly to the fore as well.

Very generous of the bookmakers to mark Gloucestershire at evens during the innings break.

Duty281 wrote:An innings full of class from Klinger. Marshall's experience came perfectly to the fore as well.

Very generous of the bookmakers to mark Gloucestershire at evens during the innings break.

Duty - yep, Yorks had no answer to Klinger and Marshall who both excelled. Even though Yorks were without some of their bigger bowling guns, I thought the experience and nous of Bresnan and Patterson would prove too much for Gloucs. How wrong I was! All in all, a poor display from Yorks - particularly ragged fielding as the end drew near.

Did you get something on Gloucs at the break? Well done if you did!

Gloucester - for me were always favourites. Rashid and Plunkett may have made a difference as the the Gloucester batting lineup looks rather fragile but really we were lucky to get out of the group as the rain saved us at Scarborough against Glaws.

We are an excellent first class team, but poor at OD stuff. Hope we can improve in this area.

LondonTiger wrote:Gloucester - for me were always favourites. Rashid and Plunkett may have made a difference as the the Gloucester batting lineup looks rather fragile but really we were lucky to get out of the group as the rain saved us at Scarborough against Glaws.

We are an excellent first class team, but poor at OD stuff. Hope we can improve in this area.

LT - interesting that Yorks are so dominant in the cc, but don't carry it through into OD.  I've commented before that in the cc Yorks don't seem to worry too much about every last batting bonus point - when batting they just grind on relentlessly to establish complete dominance in the match.  So maybe the change in mentality needed for OD is a bit too difficult for them at the moment.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Gloucester - for me were always favourites. Rashid and Plunkett may have made a difference as the the Gloucester batting lineup looks rather fragile but really we were lucky to get out of the group as the rain saved us at Scarborough against Glaws.

We are an excellent first class team, but poor at OD stuff. Hope we can improve in this area.

LT - interesting that Yorks are so dominant in the cc, but don't carry it through into OD.  I've commented before that in the cc Yorks don't seem to worry too much about every last batting bonus point - when batting they just grind on relentlessly to establish complete dominance in the match.  So maybe the change in mentality needed for OD is a bit too difficult for them at the moment.

Corporal - you might also say the same for Surrey who thrive on 50 over cricket but don't pull up trees at 20-20. Perhaps because we have many players who are consistent and effective rather than genuinely explosive (except perhaps for Roy and Sanga in 4th gear).

Looking ahead to the Final, for me it's in the balance. Gloucester didn't fall far short of the stiff target Surrey set in the Group game, and the addition of Klinger and Marshall strengthen them unrecognisably from that side. If Surrey play their best individually and collectively, we've got a good chance. Anything less and it could be a miserable trip back to God's side of the Thames.