***Official*** English Domestic Season 2007

[Anna]

Regarding those you've listed as Somerset, Richard, who's Baker?

The annoying thing about the pitch at Taunton is that it was completely relaid at the end of last season. It's obviously not done the trick!

 

[Barney Rubble]

Really hope Billy Godleman plays for Middx when I go to watch their OD game at the Rose Bowl on Sunday. Can't wait to get a look at this kid.

 

[Perm]

Really hope Billy Godleman plays for Middx when I go to watch their OD game at the Rose Bowl on Sunday. Can't wait to get a look at this kid.

He's been great in the few FC games he's played so far.

 

[Spitfires_Fan]

I'm quite amused by the fact that Taunton is as much a batsman's paradise as ever. Who'd be a bowler there?! I mean, your average isn't exactly going to improve is it? Whilst as a batsman, you know you're going to fill your boots and do your average a power of good. I expect that's what Graeme Smith leapt at the chance to play there.

I do think that counties with tracks as flat as Taunton should be looked at by pitch inspectors though - 600-4dec in the first round of matches in April? What scores are teams going to be racking up by the middle of July?

 

[Richard]

Regarding those you've listed as Somerset, Richard, who's Baker?

Thought it was you... Evidently Hingston has misinformed me.

 

[Richard]

I'm quite amused by the fact that Taunton is as much a batsman's paradise as ever. Who'd be a bowler there?! I mean, your average isn't exactly going to improve is it? Whilst as a batsman, you know you're going to fill your boots and do your average a power of good. I expect that's what Graeme Smith leapt at the chance to play there.

I do think that counties with tracks as flat as Taunton should be looked at by pitch inspectors though - 600-4dec in the first round of matches in April? What scores are teams going to be racking up by the middle of July?

Can't be worse, TBH.

And no, I never, ever understand why the blue blazes any bowler would want to make the move to Somerset. Johnson, Willoughby and Langeveldt are all class acts who've done their careers great disservices.

I guess the only reason can be that some are more concerned - not completely without justification - about the ££££s than the bowling figures.

 

[Spitfires_Fan]

Looks like Rob Key should move to Somerset. He's filling the role of last year's David Fulton - an opener who doesn't seem to be able to see off the new ball. Maybe that's a little harsh after just two innings', but I'm not feeling too patient with him right now, what with the ball-tampering debacle etc.

Being a realist as opposed to an optimist, I would expect to see Kent fold to an innings defeat by the end of the day now, but I'm open to being pleasantly surprised.

Oh good, VJ's just avoided a pair.

 

[Richard]

Haha, Key's had 2 bad innings before.

Give the man a chance. Denly and Key is a partnership I quite like the look of.

In any case, Fulton was never quite the player he once was after the eye incident, sadly.

 

[Spitfires_Fan]

Yeah I know, he's just in my bad books at the moment given the whole ball-tampering issue. I know it wasn't that big a deal, it being in a practice match etc, but it means I can no longer really take the moral high ground over Surrey supporters

I think that if Key manages to successfully juggle batting and captaincy and find some form, he and Denly could form a very potent partnership indeed. And with VJ, Walker, Stevens, Jones, Hall, McLaren and Yasir to follow, Kent could have one of, if not the best batting lineup in the country. But that's a rather large 'if'.

Fults was an excellent player in his heyday - one of the most unlucky in current times not to have earnt international recognition but you're right, he wasn't anything like the same after his accident. Speaking of county cricketers that have been unlucky not to get a callup to the England side, Jason Lewry has to be one of the most unfortunate around. When you think of some of the bowlers that have played test cricket ahead of him during his career, he could feel justified in feeling pretty hard-done-by. He's always done a good job for Sussex.

Which county do you follow, if any?

 

[chris.hinton]

We have started the season in our Usual crappy fashion

 

[Poker Boy]

Funny thing is I read somewhere that they wre trying to make Taunton more bowler friendly. Not a good start...908 (probably more than that by the time you read this) runs for 6 wickets. Tresco must think he's failed with his 70. As for the other scores we have had good weather in the UK this month and the weather does make a diference to conditions in this country. A few cloudy days would bring scores down (maybe not at Taunton though!)

 

[GIMH]

I strongly advise you not to go to Liverpool.

Why? Because he will be beaten and robbed??!

Here's a few...

Robbins & Crampton - Warks
Gough, Dickinson & Sam (PF) - Yorkshire
EX*ahem*You-know-who - Durham
Colin (aussie), Swervy, Bowman, skd & Bennett - Lancashire
le & Pedro Delgado () - Derbyshi*e
David Lewis - Surrey
Pitt, Baker & Hingston - Somerset
Pickup - reformation
Walsh - Glamorgan
Brumby I think is Warks?
Halsey and Dewan - Essex
Grey - Leics
Rik - Shropshire
Cowans, sledger (Henry) & kenway\kenway1\kendall\Pothas - Hants
Tywman - Kent
Corrin - ?
SpaceMonkey & Hinton - Worcs
Tomm NCCC - err, Notts by any chance?
Pup Clarke & Poker Boy - Scotland
Glouefan - err, I wonder...
That's about all I can do...

Stick me in the Lancashire column tbh

 

[chris.hinton]

who does Neil Pickup support or is it just Lincolnshire

 

[Perm]

Upon seeing RN ten Doeschate is an Essex man, so am I.

 

[Richard]

Yeah I know, he's just in my bad books at the moment given the whole ball-tampering issue. I know it wasn't that big a deal, it being in a practice match etc, but it means I can no longer really take the moral high ground over Surrey supporters

I think that if Key manages to successfully juggle batting and captaincy and find some form, he and Denly could form a very potent partnership indeed. And with VJ, Walker, Stevens, Jones, Hall, McLaren and Yasir to follow, Kent could have one of, if not the best batting lineup in the country. But that's a rather large 'if'.

Fults was an excellent player in his heyday - one of the most unlucky in current times not to have earnt international recognition but you're right, he wasn't anything like the same after his accident. Speaking of county cricketers that have been unlucky not to get a callup to the England side, Jason Lewry has to be one of the most unfortunate around. When you think of some of the bowlers that have played test cricket ahead of him during his career, he could feel justified in feeling pretty hard-done-by. He's always done a good job for Sussex.

Which county do you follow, if any?

Me, Yaaarkshire. Though not as closely as some follow their counties - I keep a very close eye on all domestic action.

Lewry has been unlucky to an extent, but it's also worth noting that his best season was last year. It's been fairly rare for him to, throughout a season, a) stay fit and b) bowl with good economy. He's also started this year well.

Lewry has always taken wickets but when pitted against the Frasers, Caddicks, Corks, etc. has come-up short. Not to mention his long-time opening partner Kirtley who generally tended to take a few less wickets but bowl with a better economy-rate.

That said, if Ryan Sidebottom and Simon Brown can play a Test, he should have. But I wonder, had he played one, he might simply have bowled terribly and been remembered, unjustly as with Mike Smith, as "just another county bowler" when in fact he was one who never got a real chance.

 

[Richard]

who does Neil Pickup support or is it just Lincolnshire

Reformation.

 

[Spitfires_Fan]

Funny thing is I read somewhere that they wre trying to make Taunton more bowler friendly. Not a good start...908 (probably more than that by the time you read this) runs for 6 wickets. Tresco must think he's failed with his 70. As for the other scores we have had good weather in the UK this month and the weather does make a diference to conditions in this country. A few cloudy days would bring scores down (maybe not at Taunton though!)

938 for 6 now, and one of those was a runout! It's a bit of a joke really. Still, I've selected Langer and Trescothick in my fantasy team on the basis that they should both score a hatful of runs, especially against Div 2 attacks.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Have always rated Lewry TBH.My gut feeling is if Sidebottom came into the one day or test side next summer he'll be a million times better than 6 years ago as IMO he has now proven himself to be a very fine bowler especially in domestic one day cricket.I'd certianly have him ahead of rubbish like Bresnan,Onions,Mahmood,Khan etc..

 

[Spitfires_Fan]

My gut feeling is if Sidebottom came into the one day or test side next summer he'll be a million times better than 6 years ago as IMO he has now proven himself to be a very fine bowler especially in domestic one day cricket

Is his hair any better than it used to be?

Bresnan and Mahmood I agree with. Don't know enough about Onions to pass judgement on him, but his FC average in the mid 30's isn't particularly impressive, even if it early days in his career. I've seen a fair bit of Khan though and he is a real handful, and definitely one for the future. He is a bit on the erratic side and has been affected by the extras epidemic at Kent, but almost everytime I've seen him take a new ball, he's taken at least one batsman out, usually clean bowled, through sheer pace. His injury is a massive blow for Kent this season, as can be seen from the way we struggled to bowl Sussex out after our capitulation to Mushy. I wouldn't write him off just yet though.

 

[Richard]

Have always rated Lewry TBH.My gut feeling is if Sidebottom came into the one day or test side next summer he'll be a million times better than 6 years ago as IMO he has now proven himself to be a very fine bowler especially in domestic one day cricket.I'd certianly have him ahead of rubbish like Bresnan,Onions,Mahmood,Khan etc..

Well yeah, he's good enough (probably - just) to make his own county side now, unlike 2001...

I too don't have the slightest doubt he's better than some of the rubbish we've had of late but equally I don't see him doing the business at international level, TBH and I can't say I'm sorry he hasn't been picked.