Domestic 'Champions League'- who will it be this time?

[Arjun]

We've often heard of the domestic 'Champions League' for a long time, and there have been a few such events, featuring Yorkshire (England), NSW (Australia), Barbados (WI) and Mumbai (India). A few even lament that there are not enough current internationals who will make these teams' all-time XIs.

But now, in some places, the balance of power has shifted. We don't know if Barbados is so dominant now. England has a new champion each season (maybe), and Yorkshire is not quite what it used to be in the past. Mumbai have been winning lately, but have not been so forceful, and don't dominate the scene so much- even lost the latest Ranji and ROD events. The story, however, stays the same in Australia, as NSW still dominate.

Who would make such a league this time? I'd say, from India, it would be Uttar Pradesh or even Delhi. England may have Middlesex, and Australia may send NSW again. And if it is extended to the other Test-playing countries, whom would you send from them?

 

[Perm]

One of the Sri Lankan sides has heaps of current internationals I think, can't remember the name.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

One of the Sri Lankan sides has heaps of current internationals I think, can't remember the name.

SSC would have been very strong, especially a couple of years back.

 

[Richard]

Middlesex haven't won a Championship since 1993. The dominant team in recent years has been Sussex. They're not going to win it this year however.

 

[superkingdave]

Middlesex, pah, they might try getting in to division 1 first/

 

[GIMH]

Lancs and Notts have the best cases when their internationals return to them, IMO

 

[Arjun]

Middlesex have a no-ICL advantage, if the BCCI start shouting out again. I'm not too clear about that scene.

 

[Richard]

Lancs and Notts have the best cases when their internationals return to them, IMO

Hmm...

Something like:
Horton
Chilton
Hodge
Loye (if he were ever to regain form)
Law
Flintoff
Sutton
Chapple
Cork
Smith\Newby\Keedy\whoever
Anderson
would certainly have a decent case. No so sure about:
Wood
Wagh
Hussey\Voges\Prince
Patel
Shafayat
Read
Ealham
Swann
Broad
Adams
Sidebottom
The seam attack is very powerful, and with Franks and Shreck in reserve has depth as well. But the batting is suspect indeed.

I'd also, as I've mentioned before, give this a very good crack at most sides:
Mitchell
Moore
Solanki
B Smith
Hick
Davies
Batty
Kabir Ali
Imran Arif
S Jones
Mason
The only drawback being the very long tail. But it's a hell of a top-order to compensate.

Certainly, Worcs-Lancs with all internationals for best team in the country would be the game. Lancs are very possibly stronger with their internationals tho.

 

[Richard]

Middlesex have a no-ICL advantage, if the BCCI start shouting out again. I'm not too clear about that scene.

With any luck, so will most counties (at very least with players from overseas) within a couple of years.

 

[GIMH]

Hmm...

Something like:
Horton
Chilton
Hodge
Loye (if he were ever to regain form)
Law
Flintoff
Sutton
Chapple
Cork
Smith\Newby\Keedy\whoever
Anderson
would certainly have a decent case. No so sure about:
Wood
Wagh
Hussey\Voges\Prince
Patel
Shafayat
Read
Ealham
Swann
Broad
Adams
Sidebottom
The seam attack is very powerful, and with Franks and Shreck in reserve has depth as well. But the batting is suspect indeed.

I'd also, as I've mentioned before, give this a very good crack at most sides:
Mitchell
Moore
Solanki
B Smith
Hick
Davies
Batty
Kabir Ali
Imran Arif
S Jones
Mason
The only drawback being the very long tail. But it's a hell of a top-order to compensate.

Certainly, Worcs-Lancs with all internationals for best team in the country would be the game. Lancs are very possibly stronger with their internationals tho.

I'll be brutally honest I didn;t give Notts' batting much thought, just their attack, so fair one. Worcestershire a definite possible. The difference the internationals make to Lancs is ridiculous. Our season went off the rails once Flintoff and Anderson stopped making appearances

 

[Richard]

Culled from an earlier post, here's my attempt to work-out the ICL situation:
WW Hinds (Derbys) - short-term signing, I hope, and Kolpak too
DM Benkenstein (Dur) - Kolpak player, we wait to see what's being done about those
JN Gillespie (Glam) - overseas player, not sure of contract details
HJH Marshall (Gloucs) - British qualified, as well as Kiwi qualified, and not sure what's the deal there
M Hayward (Hants) - short-term signing
SG Law (Lancs) - must be retiring soon
L Vincent (Lancs) - short-term signing
PA Nixon (Leics) - must be retiring soon
Azhar Mahmood (Kent) - no longer Pakistani, not sure of contract details
JM Kemp (Kent) - Kolpak player, we wait to see what's being done about those
AJ Hall (Nthnts) - Kolpak player, we wait to see what's being done about those
N Boje (Nthnts) - Kolpak player, we wait to see what's being done about those
L Klusener (Nthnts) - Kolpak player, we wait to see what's being done about those
JJ van der Wath (Nthnts) - Kolpak player, we wait to see what's being done about those
CMW Read (Notts) - long-term club player, there may be loyalty here
Saqlain Mushtaq (Sur) - no longer Pakistani, not sure about his contract
Abdul Razzaq (Sur) - short-term signing
MW Goodwin (Sus) - Kolpak player, we wait to see what's being done about those
Mushtaq Ahmed (Sus) - now retired
DL Maddy (Warks) - recent-ish signing but not a youngster at all, so let's see when his contract is up
VS Solanki (Worcs) - long-term club player, there may be loyalty here
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (Yorks) - overseas player, 1 year left on contract
I hope that before too long there might be just a few ICL players left in county cricket, and that the likes of Solanki and Read might be dissuaded out of it in time.

 

[GIMH]

Bloody hell Richard, early morning for you isn't it?

 

[Richard]

Currently, Middlesex are clear, as so far as I can see are Essex and Somerset. Hopefully Hampshire and Derbyshire will be next season, and hopefully Yorkshire and Glamorgan will be once the contracts on their overseas-players run-out. The rest, it might take a bit longer. Although if they're stripped of their Kolpaks that'll help a hell of a lot.

And of course it's all dependent on counties stopping signing overseas ICL players. As I've said before - if Middlesex manage to win the Champions League and bring home the prize, thus demonstrating what a good thing it is to be able to have a crack at doing so to other counties, that might do the trick.

 

[Richard]

Bloody hell Richard, early morning for you isn't it?

Woke-up at 7 today for some strange reason. Couldn't get back to sleep as for whatever reason I didn't feel tired, so CW it is.

 

[Precambrian]

ICL is becoming a dead horse every day.