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Off Season Thread

chris.hinton

International Captain
This is for all the moves and all the going on during the winter for the Counties


I will start off and give you news about Warwickshire

Warwick have signed Ntini for one of there Overseas Players also they are looking at 20 year old Monty Panesar from Northamptonshire. Panesar was one of the Millenium kids Featured by the Sun but is Out of favour as Jason Brown and Graham Swann are prefered as Spin Bowler for Northants.

Warwickshire have also Released Veteran Off spinner Neil Smith, All-rounder Mohammed Shelkh and also fast bowler Mervyn Betts. also Second Xi players have been released 20 year old Off Spinner Bhavin Joshi 22 year old fast Bowler Nick Warren and 24 year old left arm Spinner Jamie Spiers

Warwickshire have given a 2 years deal to 21 year old Ian Westwood who impressed in the second xi for the last two years.


Worcestershire have signed Andrew Hall for the 2004 season. Hall has Impressed this year despite being with South Africa for part of the Summer. Kadeer and Kabir Ali have signed 2 year deals

Nantie hayward leaves Worcester next week, his reason being that he wants to play for South Africa Again.
 

Langeveldt

Soutie
Hopefully Makhaya will be a class act in the Championship.. He certainly has the class to do it, he should produce the goods for Warwicks if its all true...
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
My source (Ceefax) says Ntini isn't allowed to go to Warwickshire because the UCBSA don't want him to.

And I can't see Mornantau "Incinerate the Bridges" Hayward playing again for South Africa.
 

Rich2001

International Captain
Durham have just announced that they will be releasing six players.

Bowlers Ian Hunter, Nicky Hatch and Nicky Phillips have not been offered new contracts.

And all-rounders Danny Law, Ashley Thorpe and Chris Mann have also been told they can leave.
 

Rich2001

International Captain
Neil Pickup said:
My source (Ceefax) says Ntini isn't allowed to go to Warwickshire because the UCBSA don't want him to.

And I can't see Mornantau "Incinerate the Bridges" Hayward playing again for South Africa.
Yep that's also the case from a few websites

BBCi | Cricinfo
 

Rich2001

International Captain
Marc told me that Ian Harvey who just refused a new contract at Gloucs is close to agreeing a new deal at Yorks for next season, anyone else heard this?

Also I read M.Hussey will not return for Northants, instead he plans to stay in Australia to try and fight for a place in the Australian squad.
 

Langeveldt

Soutie
Neil Pickup said:
And I can't see Mornantau "Incinerate the Bridges" Hayward playing again for South Africa.
Reading the Sunday Times, I got the impression the UCBSA in all there wisdom incinerated his bridges for him...

However, if his heart is in earning pounds stirling instead of playing for his country, then good riddance to him...
 

Rich2001

International Captain
Well I just heard an evil rumour that Surrey are after M.Saggers :!( :( :!( :( - Lets all just prey that's all it is!
 

Rich2001

International Captain
Well after taking wickets for fun at Worcs, Alamgir Sheriyar came to Kent and did umm umm not alot. As a result of a bad season, news seems to be he will be released with Essex leading the chasing pack.
 
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marc71178

Eyes not spreadsheets
Rich2001 said:
Well after taking wickets for fun at Worcs, Alamgir Sheriyar came to Kent and did umm umm not alot.
I never expected him to do much really - was shocked when he was signed to be honest.
 

Rich2001

International Captain
marc71178 said:
I never expected him to do much really - was shocked when he was signed to be honest.
He was signed on the reason that he was a genuine wicket-taker who got 70 odd on avg a season, he offered varity being left armed and also signed to try and add some spice to the side in trying to bowl teams tails out (5-10) have scored something like 80% all the runs agaist us this season and espically when teams have been destoryed in the first inngs in the 2nd they go into their shells and we seem to be ineffective in getting them out.

However 33 wkts @ 31 and S/R of just 59.1, Econ of 3.20 speaks for itself (13 Matches) :(

In context M Muralitharan 33 wkts @ 13.54 and S/R of just 32.2, econ 2.51 (5 Matches)
 
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Rich2001

International Captain
- I just read that Somerset offered Nasser Hussain big money to go there and sort them out but he turned them down. That's why they are now after Ian Ward.

- Northants have signed Martin van Jaarsveld, to replace Hussey. And David Paynter, John Blain, Tony Penberthy and Tom Baker have all been released by Northamptonshire

- C.Sliverwood / R.Sidebottom are being eyed up by Lancs, who in turn have about 5/6 players whos contracts are up (although most of those are expected to be offered new contracts) J.Wood and A Swann are the two biggest names who might miss out.

- Gloucestershire and Kent are both reportedly interested in hiring Wayne Clark as Coach, who was surprisingly sacked by Yorkshire a year ago.

Former New Zealand Test off-spinner John Bracewell, who has coached Gloucestershire to six titles in as many years, is leaving the job to join the national team.

Kent are seeking a replacement for Australian Ian Brayshaw, who has declined an offer to extend a two-year term due to family reasons.

- Derbyshire all-rounder Jason Kerr has been forced to retire because of a persistent shoulder injury.

- Derbyshire Spinner Lian Wharton is the only other player who will not return in 2004 after his contract expired.
 
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Bazza

International 12th Man
- Kadeer Ali signed a one year contract at Worcs.


- Hampshire released John Francis (batsman, 22, expected to join Somerset, the cheeky git),

- Alex Morris (26, bowler, great in 98 and 99 and took 51 wickets in 01, but has been unable to bowl for two years due to back injuries),

- and Iain Brunnschweiler (try typing that when you're drunk!) - 23 year old w/k, good player but couldn't force his way ahead of Nic Pothas after Adrian Aymes retired last year.

Is that another case of EU players hurting England's chances? Brunnschweiler is a talented young wicketkeeper which we have seen popping up at many counties in the last few years (Read, Foster, Wallace, Jones, Prior, Batty, Pipe, Pratt, etc), but could be denied a decetn shot at FC cricket at least, due to a South African playing on a Greek passport.
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
If he's that good then it'll hurt Hampshire and not England.

Wicketkeeper-wise we have Sutton, Mustard, Pratt, Foster, Wallace, Jones, Nash, Read, Gazzard, Batty, Prior, Ambrose, Pipe and Guy who are all IMO as good as if not better than Brunnschweiler so I can't see it hurting England :)
 

Langeveldt

Soutie
Bazza said:
Is that another case of EU players hurting England's chances?

It most definitely could be ... And this is the start of a virus that will spread through the English game and could slowly cripple it...

So you can guess my opinion on EU players...
 

Bazza

International 12th Man
Yeah Devon Malcolm made a point about it. He suggested a gentlemans agreement between counties that they would name 9 English qualified players in any match.

Personally I can't see that happening, but maybe if the number was 8 or 7 it is a more realistic possibility - still alot of English qualified players when multiplied by 18.

As for people who say it is impossible to reduce the number of matches (bar this ridiculous three divisions idea), how about counties only playing each other once per season. This would mean 8 FC games and 8 NCL games (50 overs), plus C&G and Twenty20.

Still a fair bit of cricket, and could help to improve the standard, increase attandances, and make every game more important, as well as removing the unnecessarily large playing squads at each county.

On the flip side, it could still mean less money coming in for the counties, which is the major problem.
 

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