theegyptian
International Vice-Captain
Some thoughts
1st Division is a really good standard these days and getting stronger.
2nd Division is a poor standard and getting weaker as decent players move from div 2 side to div 1. I'd be worried about any player coming from the second division to international cricket right now.
Div 1 wickets are generally decent and produce decent contests between bat and ball.
Div 2 wickets are produced as result wickets and the game as a result loses out. When the likes of Allenby, Stevens and Ryder are pilfering 40 wickets in a season on green seamers you know something is wrong. On the odd occasion when the wicket does go flat a lot of the counties don't have the bowlers to really test the good batsmen.
There is too much cricket. When some counties are playing 30 out of 40 days in the middle of the season with all the travelling and change between formats the standard is going to slip.
One day and T20 cricket generally loses out to first class cricket which is generally still treated as the most important.
50/40 over and t20 games start the day after or the day before championship games. It's tough for players to get game specific practice for the formats with schedules like that.
There was some improvement in the schedule in 2014. The 40 over comp was changed back to 50 over to mirror international cricket - and it was played in a block to allow players to concentrate on one format. This is a step forward. In previous seasons the 40 over comp had a lot of substandard cricket played with a lot of the better players rested from teams. This happened a lot less in 2014.
Unfortunately t20 lost out as a result in 2014 as often teams had to play a t20 the day after/before championship game
Personally I think England's odi bowling has really lost out as a result of the schedule. It simply isn't possible for a lot of the younger bowlers to play a championship game followed by a t20/50 over game the next day/next day + 1, followed by another championship match.
Format specific skills need to be practiced and during the season there aren't many opportunities for the players to work on them. This is ok for the more senior player who know their game. It's harder for the younger player who needs a little more coaching/preparation.
Wickets are used a lot during the season and get worn and tired. This doesn't produce good cricket generally. Hopefully though it should aid England's spin bowling down the line.
Also with the weather as it is wickets rarely get really hard. It's hard to play on the up. People talk about England creating boring cricketers but the conditions generally aren't conducive for super attacking postive players. Generally English conditions mean players have to wait and be patient in looking for opportunities. That's why we have more Cook, Ballance and Root's rather than KP's.
1st Division is a really good standard these days and getting stronger.
2nd Division is a poor standard and getting weaker as decent players move from div 2 side to div 1. I'd be worried about any player coming from the second division to international cricket right now.
Div 1 wickets are generally decent and produce decent contests between bat and ball.
Div 2 wickets are produced as result wickets and the game as a result loses out. When the likes of Allenby, Stevens and Ryder are pilfering 40 wickets in a season on green seamers you know something is wrong. On the odd occasion when the wicket does go flat a lot of the counties don't have the bowlers to really test the good batsmen.
There is too much cricket. When some counties are playing 30 out of 40 days in the middle of the season with all the travelling and change between formats the standard is going to slip.
One day and T20 cricket generally loses out to first class cricket which is generally still treated as the most important.
50/40 over and t20 games start the day after or the day before championship games. It's tough for players to get game specific practice for the formats with schedules like that.
There was some improvement in the schedule in 2014. The 40 over comp was changed back to 50 over to mirror international cricket - and it was played in a block to allow players to concentrate on one format. This is a step forward. In previous seasons the 40 over comp had a lot of substandard cricket played with a lot of the better players rested from teams. This happened a lot less in 2014.
Unfortunately t20 lost out as a result in 2014 as often teams had to play a t20 the day after/before championship game
Personally I think England's odi bowling has really lost out as a result of the schedule. It simply isn't possible for a lot of the younger bowlers to play a championship game followed by a t20/50 over game the next day/next day + 1, followed by another championship match.
Format specific skills need to be practiced and during the season there aren't many opportunities for the players to work on them. This is ok for the more senior player who know their game. It's harder for the younger player who needs a little more coaching/preparation.
Wickets are used a lot during the season and get worn and tired. This doesn't produce good cricket generally. Hopefully though it should aid England's spin bowling down the line.
Also with the weather as it is wickets rarely get really hard. It's hard to play on the up. People talk about England creating boring cricketers but the conditions generally aren't conducive for super attacking postive players. Generally English conditions mean players have to wait and be patient in looking for opportunities. That's why we have more Cook, Ballance and Root's rather than KP's.
