**Official** County Cricket 2017

[91Jmay]

Wow, the Lions team playing Sri Lanka contains some really poor players.

 

[Watson33]

It's just to fill in for weeks/months until Donald gets his UK visa.

Ah fair enough, that makes sense!

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Wow, the Lions team playing Sri Lanka contains some really poor players.

Rather they picked what they have than say pick Ballance who would possibly get a slot in the full side ahead of some but we know what his level is anyway.

 

[91Jmay]

Rather they picked what they have than say pick Ballance who would possibly get a slot in the full side ahead of some but we know what his level is anyway.

You'd rather James Fuller got picked He's absolutely ****. Just more of picking South Africans because Andy Flower is involved.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

You'd rather James Fuller got picked He's absolutely ****. Just more of picking South Africans because Andy Flower is involved.

Well better giving a chance to a new player than picking ones who we know about. Maybe we should have picked Bopara as he is a better player than most in the side.

 

[91Jmay]

So by that logic they should pick me and you then? They still need to pick good players and they've picked some rancid ones.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

They may have but they see something in them. If they don't give some of these players a try they never find out. You also forget that in the past we picked players like Loudon, Troughton and Dalrymple for internationals. They were all abysmal selections, they happen.

 

[Watson33]

Wow, the Lions team playing Sri Lanka contains some really poor players.

Who would you class as poor players? The side playing Sri Lanka A today isn't bad at all.

 

[91Jmay]

Who would you class as poor players? The side playing Sri Lanka A today isn't bad at all.

Yesterday's team is a lot better than the game before. Tom's Helm and Alsop shouldn't be in side though. Alsop is a long way short of good enough.

 

[theegyptian]

It's a development team rather than a true 2nd xi. It's not like I would have predicted that Liam Livingstone would have been the standout player before the tour. There's no point in taking Malan or Vince or Borthwick (for the four day).

If anything TRJ and Jennings are the two least likely to play ODI cricket for England from that current squad and yet they are two of the better cricketers.

I like the fact that players tend to have 2 or 3 winters with the lions and they've either progressed to the senior teams or they are left to their own devices to improve. Lions then move onto improving some other players. Guys like Alsop are challenged to improve and given different conditions to play in. They might improve and play for England. They might improve and become good county pros. Coaches learn about them.

Helm's exactly the kind of player I'm glad they've got in the squad. Had some bad injuries and hasn't played much cricket (and no great record) but has some serious potential. Makes sense to give him some cricket over the winter having injured his ankle for most of last summer.

 

[91Jmay]

Tom Alsop is there because he has the right background and is the stereotype of the kind of guy coaches think should play for England. His numbers are crap, when you watch him he is painfully limited stroke player.

It's exactly the wrong type of player to take on tour. Would rather someone like Brett D'Oliveira.

 

[theegyptian]

Alsop looked a strong backfoot type square of the wicket player from my limited experience of seeing him play. His stats aren't bad for a guy of 21. He doesn't exactly standout as a player that will play for England but who does? Joe Clarke hasn't exactly done well but I don't see you criticising him and presumably he's from the same type of background and stereotype of player as Alsop.

I don't see how Poysden fits the mould that your suggesting the players are being picked from. State school, didn't play England u19s, played 2ndxi cricket for a load of counties before he settled at Warwickshire. He has a pretty **** record too.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Botham on talksport. In brief, he has now decided to become another English T20 franchise fanatic, thinks Durham can get promoted with a bit of luck with the weather - typical Botham ''can do, will do'' optimism on this front - and would still have preferred to have played in his era despite all the millions being offered to players like Stokes these days.

Cricket Week Podcast on talkSPORT 2: March 5, 2017 | talkSPORT

 

[theegyptian]

Damn Crane actually playing today for NSW. I hope the ECB let him play in the last round of fixtures if NSW want him to. Much better getting some quality experience playing shield cricket rather than playing north v south 50 over cricket.

Fingers crossed he doesn't have bowling figures like the rest of our spinners this winter. He's been improving with the bat this winter so I wouldn't put it past him a cheeky 20.

Sodhi for Notts for t20 looks a good pickup. As always they'll have a squad that should compete and win white ball tournaments but they seem to fail in the later stages.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Yes. The North/South thing sounds like a nonsense.

I wouldn't mind following The Shield in some manner to fill the gap when our season has finished but it seems about the least loved competition on the planet. I managed to watch a fair bit of Ranji Trophy Final (two spectators in the stadium but at least it is on telly), and even our Championship gets about two matches on Sky (e.g. Notts v Yorkshire last year, which was a bit of a classic coincidentally). The clips on CA's site always bollock-up on foreign computers also.

 

[91Jmay]

Alsop looked a strong backfoot type square of the wicket player from my limited experience of seeing him play. His stats aren't bad for a guy of 21. He doesn't exactly standout as a player that will play for England but who does? Joe Clarke hasn't exactly done well but I don't see you criticising him and presumably he's from the same type of background and stereotype of player as Alsop.

I don't see how Poysden fits the mould that your suggesting the players are being picked from. State school, didn't play England u19s, played 2ndxi cricket for a load of counties before he settled at Warwickshire. He has a pretty **** record too.

That's because Joe Clarke is actually good, Alsop is a decent county player at best. Poysden was taken because of the fetish with picking leg spinners, he is likely not good enough either but better to chance it on a leggie than a ordinary opening bat.

 

[ImpatientLime]

joe clarke out for 1 today whilst alsop plays a match winning 96.

lovely stuff.

 

[theegyptian]

Livingstone certainly has been the find of the tour. Has been England's most economical bowler in these white ball games, which is somewhat worrying/unbelievable given he's barely bowled for lancs (although they do have plenty of spin options). 5 wickets @ 23.4 @ 3.9 econ (comfortably england's best econ). Reports say he's generally been bowling offspin rather than leg. Maybe a contender for Moeen's spot in the 50/20 over side sometime down the line as 6th bowler with Root.

There is certainly room for batsmen coming through who can bowl a bit in the white ball teams with so many keepers and non bowling bats like Morgan, Hales, Roy. Dan Lawrence is another who bowls some passable spin in white ball cricket who could be a very good bat, most likely as opener.

 

[91Jmay]

joe clarke out for 1 today whilst alsop plays a match winning 96.

lovely stuff.

You backing Alsop is a good metaphor for your posting to be honest.

 

[ImpatientLime]

ooooooo sick burn dude.