Powell to T&T?

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

It seems that Ricardo Powell has applied to play for Trinidad and Tobago in next season's Carib Cup. He is married to a Trini, so he should be qualified to do so. Indeed, it will be interesting to see whether he gets into the T&T XI as he has found trouble doing so with the Jamaica team.

Powell to T&T

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

In other T&T cricket news, local club Clico Preysal has signed Mark Ramprakash as a player/coach. English players have played off-season cricket in T&T domestic leagues before, but none as player/coach I believe.

Ramprakash replaces Keith Athurton who has been superb in the local leagues over the years. There are a few Trinidad and Tobago players who are signed to Clico Preysal - Marlon Black, Ravi Rampaul, Andy Jackson and Shazam Babwah (watch out for him).

Ramps to T&T

 

[Craig]

So will he play only club cricket or for T&T in the domestic comps? (Ramps)

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

He'd never be allowed to play domestic cricket in the West Indies. We like 'em home bred.

 

[Craig]

Meaning overseas players are banned?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Yep.

 

[Tom Halsey]

But surely they would help nurture the home grown talent?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I bet that's what the ECB thought when they continually let foreign players into County Cricket.

I don't see how it would nurture the talent. We already have a small pool of players and by bringing in players who can't be selected for the West Indies, it takes opportunities away from those who can. There are only eight teams, which play each other once (bar the semifinal and final) each year. You want to see as many local players playing as possible.

 

[Craig]

So there would be a huge uproar if overseas players allowed to play domestically?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

No, it would just be hugely stupid.

 

[Rik]

Yet over here in England, 2 overseas players are supposed to be helping our national game. And I hardly think the West Indian domestic competition is stronger than England's...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Certainly not stronger at all. However, the amount of cricket played and the no. of players is a mere fraction of County Cricket.

 

[Richard]

2 overseas players helping? Come on, Rik, you don't seriously believe that propoganda from those who like it?
The ECB should never have let the return to two overseas-players happen; some were set against it and IMO they were dead right - unfortunately they were outvoted. Overseas players cost far more than English professionals and you've got to be sure it's worth it to improve the standard. For me, many overseas-players don't raise the standard and are simply a waste of money. I don't set much stall by the "they block English players" idea, because there are so many matches played per season and so few England-potential players who need to be playing, all that matters is that those who don't play for England get the standard as high as possible. If they're overseas or even EU or British passport players, so be it, but if they're extra-cost players who are no better than cheaper (English) options then having them on staffs is a complete, and ill-affordable, waste of money.
For West Indies it's slightly different - IMO they would do better to play one home, one away each tournament in the Carib Beer. There aren't enough games played per season if you ask me.

 

[Neil Pickup]

That statement defies all logic.

The counties are run as businesses, right?

Therefore there is no way that they will spend extra money on players who do not increase the standard of the side.

I can't seriously believe that you can rank the paid-for overseas players (Di Venuto, Afridi, Love, Pretorius, Flower, Brant, Kasprowicz, Harvey, Rhodes, W Akram, Katich, Symonds, Law, Harbhajan, Sehwag, Hodge, Razzaq, Noffke, Hussey, Nel, Cairns, MacGill, Cox, McLean, Saqlain, Azhar, Goodwin, Mushtaq, Bond, Obuya, Hall, Hayward, Elliott at the start of the season, plus replacements (Clark, Yuvraj, Sami, M Akram, Murali off the top of my head)) on the same level as fringe county players...

 

[Richard]

Therefore there is no way that they will spend extra money on players who do not increase the standard of the side.

Just because they think someone will increase the standard doesn't mean they will.
Though to be fair there are more decent players in there than I had thought, even if some hardly played or didn't play.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Your point?

If they weren't good, they wouldn't have been bought.

No one signs donkeys like Yohannan (for want of a better name) but they sign good players - as evinced by the long list above.

All of whom I rate above most "county" players...

 

[Rik]

Your point?

If they weren't good, they wouldn't have been bought.

No one signs donkeys like Yohannan (for want of a better name) but they sign good players - as evinced by the long list above.

All of whom I rate above most "county" players...

Exactly how do these players, added to all the EU nationals, help the England cricket team? Fringe players would get more chances, young player would get more chances. One overseas player is the best option now we have so many players in the county game not able to play for England. It's not about how to improve county cricket, which I don't feel is anywhere near as bad as people keep claiming, it's about getting enough English qualified players playing in our national feeder competition as to give the England selectors a wide range of players to pick from. At the moment they have about 6 players from the 1st XI of most counties, with 2 overseas players they can't pick and another 3 EU players.

 

[marc71178]

One overseas player is the best option now we have so many players in the county game not able to play for England.

Cynics would argue that a lot of the players taking whose spaces have been taken are not able to play for England.

At the moment they have about 6 players from the 1st XI of most counties, with 2 overseas players they can't pick and another 3 EU players.

Butthe 5 spots that have been taken, are those of the worst 5 English players, so how is that weakening the selection pool?

Also, I would imagine that in a lot of cases younger players are cheaper than the journeyman pro, so are more likely to be kept on than him - haven't done any research to look into that though.

 

[Rik]

Butthe 5 spots that have been taken, are those of the worst 5 English players, so how is that weakening the selection pool?

Also, I would imagine that in a lot of cases younger players are cheaper than the journeyman pro, so are more likely to be kept on than him - haven't done any research to look into that though.

The worst 5 English players might actually not be that bad, and anyway, they can play for England. If I could get rid of EU law, which of course I can't, I would make it so EU players can only play in the CC if they have the intention to play for England. I don't want to have any more Andy Symonds or Phil Jaques any more.

 

[marc71178]

The worst 5 English players might actually not be that bad, and anyway, they can play for England.

But if they're not better than people who can't make other Test playing nations, surely they're not the sort of player we'd like to see considered for our team?

If I could get rid of EU law, which of course I can't, I would make it so EU players can only play in the CC if they have the intention to play for England. I don't want to have any more Andy Symonds or Phil Jaques any more.

Couldn't agree more. Self policing is the only way though, and that wouldn't happen.