Billings is 2 years older than Foakes and averages 4 less with the bat in FC cricket
But plays at Canterbury and not the Oval
And your point?
That Billings does, indeed play at - and, in fact, captain - the Oval.
Not in the County Championship he doesn't - by your own admission you have no interest or knowledge about the CC so I didn't expect you to understand that they use a red ball both in that comp and in Test cricket and that they also wear "whites" in both comps too. In fact, you've stated previously that you don't enjoy Test cricket so, on that basis, I can't really understand why you both to come on here. Unless it's to wind people up that do but I can't believe that to be the case!
I really don't know where you get this nonsense from.
I made what I thought was a harmless quip to counter your comment that Billings doesn't play at The Oval. A few people found it a bit funny - I am sorry you seem to have taken it personally. Perhaps I shouldn't have made the comment.
I've found exactly what you said{
I don't have much interest at all in county cricket. For those that do - great! I like other formats. And my preference is for the highest-standard of cricket, which is tests, obviously. But if some people want to continue to sit and watch their teams play long-format, low-standard (in the main) county cricket, then all power to them.
So it is true that you do enjoy Test cricket. But I was correct when I said that "by your own admission you have no interest or knowledge about the CC". And if you think that we can produce a decent Test side by selecting a side that just plays white ball cricket you really do live in cloud cuckoo land.
The Hundred is just T20 dressed up with nowhere to go. No history. No links to Counties but a vehicle invented by the ECB to make them and their Board wealthier. So, as I've suggested previously:
(1) Get rid of The Hundred
(2) Reduce Central Contracts to a minimal amount and pay players on a per squad and appearance basis thus encouraging them to play more CC games to prove themselves
(3) Have three Divisions of six in the CC with home and away games played (10 in total) in the months of May/June/July/August with dates to avoid clashing with the Tests if possible. ECB to subsidise entrance to CC games to the extent that it becomes £10 for adults and free for children
(2) Re-vamp The Blast and get the same amount of games, if not more, on terrestrial TV as were shown of The Hundred ensuring that all Counties get an opportunity to be shown at least once. Two Divisions of nine, home and away, with QF as well as the Finals day for the SF & F
(5) Royal London - two Divisions of nine with QF, SF & F
By my reckoning Counties will play, weather permitting and not including pre-season friendlies, a minimum of 36 and up to 42 matches. Plenty of different forms of cricket to cater to all tastes and an increase in quality too
That still doesn’t help with the poor standard of cricket in the Counties. How does playing against Kent and it’s attack prepare a test batsman ? And we are due to be in Div 1.
The only way to improve the standard is to ditch the number of counties and consolidate into eight areas.
That way the best batsmen will consistently play against the best bowlers. And not just one per team.
Now apply what you have said to football. Far to many teams in London lets have one team in South London and improve the standard Franchise cricket is what you are suggesting and it would be no more accepted in cricket than it would in football.
But the reverse is "the England team would be far better if they played more games, even if they were in the second and third division".
I think what billysboots is suggesting is that the England team would improve to a greater extent if there were fewer, better teams playing a consistently higher standard than there are. It's hard to disagree.
Billings is 2 years older than Foakes and averages 4 less with the bat in FC cricket
But plays at Canterbury and not the Oval
And your point?
That Billings does, indeed play at - and, in fact, captain - the Oval.
Not in the County Championship he doesn't - by your own admission you have no interest or knowledge about the CC so I didn't expect you to understand that they use a red ball both in that comp and in Test cricket and that they also wear "whites" in both comps too. In fact, you've stated previously that you don't enjoy Test cricket so, on that basis, I can't really understand why you both to come on here. Unless it's to wind people up that do but I can't believe that to be the case!
I really don't know where you get this nonsense from.
I made what I thought was a harmless quip to counter your comment that Billings doesn't play at The Oval. A few people found it a bit funny - I am sorry you seem to have taken it personally. Perhaps I shouldn't have made the comment.
I've found exactly what you said{
I don't have much interest at all in county cricket. For those that do - great! I like other formats. And my preference is for the highest-standard of cricket, which is tests, obviously. But if some people want to continue to sit and watch their teams play long-format, low-standard (in the main) county cricket, then all power to them.
So it is true that you do enjoy Test cricket. But I was correct when I said that "by your own admission you have no interest or knowledge about the CC". And if you think that we can produce a decent Test side by selecting a side that just plays white ball cricket you really do live in cloud cuckoo land.
The Hundred is just T20 dressed up with nowhere to go. No history. No links to Counties but a vehicle invented by the ECB to make them and their Board wealthier. So, as I've suggested previously:
(1) Get rid of The Hundred
(2) Reduce Central Contracts to a minimal amount and pay players on a per squad and appearance basis thus encouraging them to play more CC games to prove themselves
(3) Have three Divisions of six in the CC with home and away games played (10 in total) in the months of May/June/July/August with dates to avoid clashing with the Tests if possible. ECB to subsidise entrance to CC games to the extent that it becomes £10 for adults and free for children
(2) Re-vamp The Blast and get the same amount of games, if not more, on terrestrial TV as were shown of The Hundred ensuring that all Counties get an opportunity to be shown at least once. Two Divisions of nine, home and away, with QF as well as the Finals day for the SF & F
(5) Royal London - two Divisions of nine with QF, SF & F
By my reckoning Counties will play, weather permitting and not including pre-season friendlies, a minimum of 36 and up to 42 matches. Plenty of different forms of cricket to cater to all tastes and an increase in quality too
That still doesn’t help with the poor standard of cricket in the Counties. How does playing against Kent and it’s attack prepare a test batsman ? And we are due to be in Div 1.
The only way to improve the standard is to ditch the number of counties and consolidate into eight areas.
That way the best batsmen will consistently play against the best bowlers. And not just one per team.
Now apply what you have said to football. Far to many teams in London lets have one team in South London and improve the standard Franchise cricket is what you are suggesting and it would be no more accepted in cricket than it would in football.
But the reverse is "the England team would be far better if they played more games, even if they were in the second and third division".
I think what billysboots is suggesting is that the England team would improve to a greater extent if there were fewer, better teams playing a consistently higher standard than there are. It's hard to disagree.
100% this - thanks for clarifying for me
The standard would be vastly improved with the three Division structure I proposed with increased number of overseas to three per team and stipulation that there is an expectation that England Test players will play some red ball cricket. It wouldn't matter how good one of the best white ball batsmen in the world is if doesn't play a single red ball game for over three years at home - he's never ever going to be prepared for Test cricket. Eight or 18 teams - the result would be the same.
What would happen if you reduce the teams to eight you would reduce participation in cricket and talented potential cricketers to other sports. Eight franchises to cover the whole of England and Wales - that would be an average of more than five geographical counties per franchise given that there are more than 40 of them. A maximum of 10 players per current County would make the cut. That's right - you would have to show the door to a dozen players at each of Surrey, Kent, Essex etc etc, some of which would have become internationals but who would be forced to give up the game and seek alternative employment.
There would only be so many games that players from eight teams can play so the opportunity to watch games will be massively reduced. Not that many people are going to travel hundred of miles to watch every home game either. When you live that far away, what would the chances of you making a T20 game after work?
All of which means that we have to retain the current number of Counties. But make the CC more competitive and prevent international players from using those Central Contracts as a back stop - when you're being paid £700,000 not to play in the CC there really isn't much incentive to do so. The likes of Buttler, Archer, Hales, Roy and Bairstow will still want to play in the IPL whether they have a Central Contract or not. They will become franchise players. Good luck to them if that's what they want to do. None of them are indispensable Test players - either because they either aren't good enough to guarantee a Test slot or because, as in the case of Archer, his ongoing injuries mean that he will probably end up playing white ball only anyway a la Tymal Mills.
I agree with a lot of what @Addick Addict writes, here's my theory. It's ok advocating fewer 'first class' red ball teams, but (say) Kent were to disappear in the reshuffle and (say) be amalgamated with Sussex or absorbed by Surrey to become the Ovalteenies, myself and a lot on here would be royally pissed off
What's needed is a step back to the original Bob Willis trophy format, 3 groups of 6, regionally based with play offs for the top 2 from each group. Like American sports. Play 3 day games and 4 in the play offs. There should be NO overseas players allowed in the County Champ, save them for the white ball games. This format saves on travel and hotel expenses and generates local interest. Typical of the ECB to come up with a good format and then dump it
I agree with a lot of what @Addick Addict writes, here's my theory. It's ok advocating fewer 'first class' red ball teams, but (say) Kent were to disappear in the reshuffle and (say) be amalgamated with Sussex or absorbed by Surrey to become the Ovalteenies, myself and a lot on here would be royally pissed off
What's needed is a step back to the original Bob Willis trophy format, 3 groups of 6, regionally based with play offs for the top 2 from each group. Like American sports. Play 3 day games and 4 in the play offs. There should be NO overseas players allowed in the County Champ, save them for the white ball games. This format saves on travel and hotel expenses and generates local interest. Typical of the ECB to come up with a good format and then dump it
I strongly disagree with that part though. While it might benefit the overseas players, it surely also benefits the domestic players playing against them. Especially if you can play some of the games in the heart of summer.
Back in my yoof, most counties had a top quality overseas quick, therefore you couldn't score runs in the CC just by playing against dibbly dobbly medium pacers, you also had to survive against Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan etc
That level of player won't play in the CC now, but for an opposition player, facing Matt Henry on a pacey pitch in July is much better preparation for Test cricket than facing Darren Stevens on a green pitch in May or September.
I agree with a lot of what @Addick Addict writes, here's my theory. It's ok advocating fewer 'first class' red ball teams, but (say) Kent were to disappear in the reshuffle and (say) be amalgamated with Sussex or absorbed by Surrey to become the Ovalteenies, myself and a lot on here would be royally pissed off
What's needed is a step back to the original Bob Willis trophy format, 3 groups of 6, regionally based with play offs for the top 2 from each group. Like American sports. Play 3 day games and 4 in the play offs. There should be NO overseas players allowed in the County Champ, save them for the white ball games. This format saves on travel and hotel expenses and generates local interest. Typical of the ECB to come up with a good format and then dump it
I strongly disagree with that part though. While it might benefit the overseas players, it surely also benefits the domestic players playing against them. Especially if you can play some of the games in the heart of summer.
Back in my yoof, most counties had a top quality overseas quick, therefore you couldn't score runs in the CC just by playing against dibbly dobbly medium pacers, you also had to survive against Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan etc
That level of player won't play in the CC now, but for an opposition player, facing Matt Henry on a pacey pitch in July is much better preparation for Test cricket than facing Darren Stevens on a green pitch in May or September.
If the county championship were to continue (which I hope it does) as the pinnacle of sub-Test, first class cricket in England (which I hope it doesn't), I would advocate a compromise between those who think adding overseas players is a necessary requirement to increase the quality of matches and those who think that offering overseas players easy, well remunerated practice in English conditions will be to the detriment of England's chances of winning Test matches at home.
Both are right. There are - and will always be - too few home-grown players of the highest quality to ensure eighteen teams are packed with top-class talent. So top-class overseas players are required to fill the chasm.
And providing overseas players with lost of experience navigating the wickets, weather and other conditions in England provides excellent preparation for any team touring in England to win.
So, if the county championship were to continue as the final step before Test cricket in England, I would put in a different restriction on overseas players. To ensure that only the very best were selected and that those selected were not schooled on English conditions by playing for counties, I would allow counties to sign as many overseas players as they wanted; but with the qualification that each had already played at least two Tests for their country, in England.
That way only the very best players are likely to be signed and players who hadn't already played Test cricket in England wouldn't be given the chance to learn English conditions in England before being picked.
Too few counties seem to have full season overseas pros. Always seem to be an overseas player for a few months and are then replaced by another. I remember rob key saying he learnt a lot from Rahul dravid being at Kent. I can imagine others learnt a lot from their overseas stars.
Agreed re Bob Willis trophy, think it really made it competitive and there was some great performances. Every innings counted and if you arent good enough you don’t play. Isn’t any wonder when the bob Willis trophy was played we beat Pakistan and West Indies relatively comfortably.
I actually don't mind overseas players coming here and learning about local conditions, as it's better for cricket as a whole. Test series where the visiting team are all at sea benefit nobody, as you end up with poor cricket and Test matches barely reaching the 4th day, which will kill spectator interest. I want well prepared visiting sides to give England a good contest this summer.
Similarly, I want English players to play overseas as well, so that when they go to Australia or India, they also understand the local conditions and aren't completely at sea. Covid rules wouldn't allow it I imagine, but if Hameed had been playing in Australia for a month before the Ashes, I'm sure he would have done much better.
Indeed that's one advantage of the T20 franchises. Yes it's a different form of cricket, but at least by playing in the Bash or IPL, English players are getting to know the pitches and conditions overseas. I bet Billings is far more used to the bounce of Australia pitches than say Dan Lawrence, because he's actually played competitive matches on them.
I actually don't mind overseas players coming here and learning about local conditions, as it's better for cricket as a whole. Test series where the visiting team are all at sea benefit nobody, as you end up with poor cricket and Test matches barely reaching the 4th day, which will kill spectator interest. I want well prepared visiting sides to give England a good contest this summer.
Similarly, I want English players to play overseas as well, so that when they go to Australia or India, they also understand the local conditions and aren't completely at sea. Covid rules wouldn't allow it I imagine, but if Hameed had been playing in Australia for a month before the Ashes, I'm sure he would have done much better.
Indeed that's one advantage of the T20 franchises. Yes it's a different form of cricket, but at least by playing in the Bash or IPL, English players are getting to know the pitches and conditions overseas. I bet Billings is far more used to the bounce of Australia pitches than say Dan Lawrence, because he's actually played competitive matches on them.
But aren't we being encouraged to believe that playing white ball cricket in front of big crowds, with some of the world's best players is exactly why we've lost the Ashes yet again and the only way to succeed in Tests is to play many more 'first class' matches?
Were there any restrictions on attendance numbers for the Fourth Test?
I note that the largest crowd was about 28,000 on Day 3 and just under 12,000 for the final day.
Sydney has a capacity of 48,000.
I don't think so
Sydney has rapidly rising Covid numbers at the moment, which would have put a lot of people off attending.
Much of Australia is struggling - 90k cases yesterday. Many players in the Big Bash have had it and a lot of club games were called off at the weekend and Seb has had to move out of his flat in Adelaide for seven days because his flatmate has been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive. Australia also had 27 deaths yesterday which, given that they've "only" had 2,416 in total (compared to our 150K plus) is indicative that it is as serious as it has been over there.
I actually don't mind overseas players coming here and learning about local conditions, as it's better for cricket as a whole. Test series where the visiting team are all at sea benefit nobody, as you end up with poor cricket and Test matches barely reaching the 4th day, which will kill spectator interest. I want well prepared visiting sides to give England a good contest this summer.
Similarly, I want English players to play overseas as well, so that when they go to Australia or India, they also understand the local conditions and aren't completely at sea. Covid rules wouldn't allow it I imagine, but if Hameed had been playing in Australia for a month before the Ashes, I'm sure he would have done much better.
Indeed that's one advantage of the T20 franchises. Yes it's a different form of cricket, but at least by playing in the Bash or IPL, English players are getting to know the pitches and conditions overseas. I bet Billings is far more used to the bounce of Australia pitches than say Dan Lawrence, because he's actually played competitive matches on them.
But aren't we being encouraged to believe that playing white ball cricket in front of big crowds, with some of the world's best players is exactly why we've lost the Ashes yet again and the only way to succeed in Tests is to play many more 'first class' matches?
You need both, though not necessarily at the same time.
The Big Bash is fine anyway as it doesn't clash with the county championship. Billings for example isn't missing any red ball cricket by playing out there, whereas the IPL DOES clash with the English domestic game.
And playing franchise cricket at the expense of red ball cricket is less of a problem for the experienced players, IF they already have a solid grounding in the red ball game. The bigger problems are for the youngsters coming through, growing up in an environment where playing funky white ball shots is favoured, and where the domestic red ball game is sidelined. The likes of Root and Stokes honed their technique back when T20 etc was just in its infancy.
I agree with a lot of what @Addick Addict writes, here's my theory. It's ok advocating fewer 'first class' red ball teams, but (say) Kent were to disappear in the reshuffle and (say) be amalgamated with Sussex or absorbed by Surrey to become the Ovalteenies, myself and a lot on here would be royally pissed off
What's needed is a step back to the original Bob Willis trophy format, 3 groups of 6, regionally based with play offs for the top 2 from each group. Like American sports. Play 3 day games and 4 in the play offs. There should be NO overseas players allowed in the County Champ, save them for the white ball games. This format saves on travel and hotel expenses and generates local interest. Typical of the ECB to come up with a good format and then dump it
to tidy up a few points made by other posters.
Overseas players .. English players do not play in the Indian or Australian long form red ball tournaments, so why should we allow their players the benefit of getting experience of English conditions. The major problem our batsmen have had to contend with (other than Covid) this overseas series, is the high bounce and pace generated from hard Aussie pitches. An off season trip down under to play even Grade cricket would be beneficial, though of course, the 'top' players are on tour somewhere or playing in one of the ever multiplying 20 ball tournaments. I would hope that the Lions tour down under has been very beneficial to our younger players.
Facing 'quality' bowling in the CC .. back to my other hobby horse, central contracts. England does not produce very many really fast bowlers. The ECB is obsessed with controlling the game time played by the few we have, e.g. Wood and Overton. The two just mentioned should be available for their counties to play specifically just red ball cricket. Wood, Robinson and other pace bowlers are forever suffering injury or 'niggles'. That's because they are gym fit and not match fit. Sorry to go into ancient history here, Trueman, Statham and Snow for example played county cricket and were seemingly always fit for test cricket. I'll exempt Anderson and Broad here, like all us older folk, they need to conserve their energy for hen it REALLY matters lol.
Learning from overseas players .. Bring (e.g. Dravid) into a coaching role now that he is retired from playing. I have no objection to a Jason Gillespie or a Ricky Ponting coaching any CC side. What I don't want is for young tyro's from overseas getting long term exposure to English conditions, scoring lots of runs and/or taking lots of wickets which should be the remit of young (or old for that matter) English professionals, and then coming back with their respective international sides and repeating the trick in test matches against England.
One last point, every CC team should be obliged to play at least one spinner in every game. I am loath to meddle too much into what is allowed and what is not, BUT, two birds with one stone .. a method or rule to control the number of overs bowled by any bowler could be brought in, difficult of, course without getting too far into the area of one day cricket .. this though could A) save fast bowlers getting too cream crackered and allow spinners to bowl and develop their skills
Bilbo talking to the Guardian about the possibility of playing in the last test
“I am 100% ready if required, and I will give absolutely everything I can,” said Billings. “I have been playing consistent cricket and scoring runs. It doesn’t really matter what format it is, it’s more about rhythm, confidence and mindset. Like any side I go into I will try to make a positive impact on and off the field, in any environment I am put into.”
I believe we need to a play a better standard of 4 day cricket in the UK in order to produce better test players …… but this may put a current players slant on it
Bilbo talking to the Guardian about the possibility of playing in the last test
“I am 100% ready if required, and I will give absolutely everything I can,” said Billings. “I have been playing consistent cricket and scoring runs. It doesn’t really matter what format it is, it’s more about rhythm, confidence and mindset. Like any side I go into I will try to make a positive impact on and off the field, in any environment I am put into.”
I believe we need to a play a better standard of 4 day cricket in the UK in order to produce better test players …… but this may put a current players slant on it
But then to be fair he's hardly going to downplay his matches in the Blast
And the alternative is someone with NO cricket in the last few weeks, red or white, this is a unique situation.
Billings is 2 years older than Foakes and averages 4 less with the bat in FC cricket
I suspect that if Foakes was still in Oz with the lions he would have been called up instead of Billings, even the other keeper Bracey who was in good form for the Lions .. with the series lost and Billings available it makes sense to bring him in rather than flying in a replacement from England .. NOT that I am doubting Billings' ability, I am in fact a fan and it would be a tough call choosing from the three I have mentioned, all very decent keeper/batsmen
With Covid rules you wouldn't be able to fly someone in anyway, as the quarantine time would take too long
Billings just happens to be "lucky" to be in the country, and a "short" drive away. It's lucky he hadn't been in Perth, as that would have been a horrendous journey
Maybe…..as he’s there…..we could ask Djokavic if he can join the squad.
I see Crawley has blamed pitches for his relatively poor CC average and specifically at Canterbury. The difficult track there is confirmed by Billings' statistics:
I see Crawley has blamed pitches for his relatively poor CC average and specifically at Canterbury. The difficult track there is confirmed by Billings' statistics:
I do find the overseas players in County Championship games debate quite interesting , Sussex have Mohammed Rizwan signed for the first half of the season , think it's up until June when he's got Pakistan duties. Fantastic player to have available for a squad that badly needed someone experienced so the whole side isn't under 25. But I can see the point of a quality player like him getting extended time in English conditions before the next Pakistan tour over here being counterproductive.
Although after seeing some of Travis Head's county performances last season , I didn't see a guy that would score an Ashes hundred!
I see Crawley has blamed pitches for his relatively poor CC average and specifically at Canterbury. The difficult track there is confirmed by Billings' statistics:
Billings for Buttler Burns for Hameed Woakes for Leach Robinson for Anderson (rested) Pope for Bairstow (if fails fitness tests)
Harsh on Leach to be dropped after bowling very well in the last match.Lot of bowling for Root/Malan assuming that Stokes can't bowl.
I read it was more likely Stokes not fit than Bairstow but all speculation at this point
The issue is Stokes' inability to bowl, the game being a day/nighter and the pitch looking very much like it's going to be a "green top". Had Stokes been fit to bowl then I'm sure Leach would have played.
Not quite Ashes related but still interesting in the Keeper/Batsman debate.
Surrey batsman Laurie Evans playing in the BBL for Perth Scorchers. Bancroft deemed a close contact of someone with COVID and Josh Inglis injured so Evans given the gloves and asked to keep. By all accounts he kept very well with a couple of catches and a very sharp stumping.
I'm not aware he had ever kept before. Infact he's been used as a part time medium pacer in the past.
Not suggesting him as an option for any England side but I think it shows the difference between keeping in t20, where anyone can pick it up and look alright having never done it before, and the long format where it is a full time art all about practice and repitition.
Billings for Buttler Burns for Hameed Woakes for Leach Robinson for Anderson (rested) Pope for Bairstow (if fails fitness tests)
Harsh on Leach to be dropped after bowling very well in the last match.Lot of bowling for Root/Malan assuming that Stokes can't bowl.
I read it was more likely Stokes not fit than Bairstow but all speculation at this point
The issue is Stokes' inability to bowl, the game being a day/nighter and the pitch looking very much like it's going to be a "green top". Had Stokes been fit to bowl then I'm sure Leach would have played.
Agreed. I'd be tempted to use Woakes at 7 if they want the allrounder. He's not done great with the ball this series but has looked one of our more accomplished batsmen.
Not quite Ashes related but still interesting in the Keeper/Batsman debate.
Surrey batsman Laurie Evans playing in the BBL for Perth Scorchers. Bancroft deemed a close contact of someone with COVID and Josh Inglis injured so Evans given the gloves and asked to keep. By all accounts he kept very well with a couple of catches and a very sharp stumping.
I'm not aware he had ever kept before. Infact he's been used as a part time medium pacer in the past.
Not suggesting him as an option for any England side but I think it shows the difference between keeping in t20, where anyone can pick it up and look alright having never done it before, and the long format where it is a full time art all about practice and repitition.
There will be a lot of batsmen who started as keepers and gave it up at one point or other. In T20s a keeper probably actually takes a ball, on average, once an over. What really defines the best keepers is how few mistakes they make and that comes down to concentration. One such player is Joe Clarke - he's been batting really well in the Big Bash but his glovework is poor in my opinion.
Equally, sometimes, people can become a bit influenced by the keeper that takes that blinding diving catch - one because he may then drop a regimental one (like Buttler for example) but also because the best use their feet to get them as close to being in line with the ball as possible which then means they don't have to dive but, if they do, it's because they are trying to stop/catch a ball that the keepers that don't move their feet wouldn't get anywhere near.
I would say that, a bit like Refs, the very best keepers are the ones that are hardly noticed because they are tidy and make everything look so simple - they don't tend to drop a thing be it takes off the bowler to throws from the outfield. I've said it before but Sam Billings, Ollie Robinson and Jordan Cox (Seb too) were all coached by the same specialist keeping and former Kent age group coach - one about to make his England debut and the other two have kept for England Lions/England U19. Sadly, Kent haven't been quite so successful at producing fast bowlers!
It does seem that an awful of batters can do a bit of keeping now, whereas it might be more useful for the team if they could turn their arm over! Root and Malan can contribute some spin, but none of Burns, Hameed, Crawley or Pope can bowl
Indeed in T20 cricket especially, being able to bowl a couple of overs makes you so much more useful. From a Kent perspective, being able to bowl leggies massively helped Denly's career, while both DBD and Blake now contribute with the ball as well.
Comments
What would happen if you reduce the teams to eight you would reduce participation in cricket and talented potential cricketers to other sports. Eight franchises to cover the whole of England and Wales - that would be an average of more than five geographical counties per franchise given that there are more than 40 of them. A maximum of 10 players per current County would make the cut. That's right - you would have to show the door to a dozen players at each of Surrey, Kent, Essex etc etc, some of which would have become internationals but who would be forced to give up the game and seek alternative employment.
There would only be so many games that players from eight teams can play so the opportunity to watch games will be massively reduced. Not that many people are going to travel hundred of miles to watch every home game either. When you live that far away, what would the chances of you making a T20 game after work?
All of which means that we have to retain the current number of Counties. But make the CC more competitive and prevent international players from using those Central Contracts as a back stop - when you're being paid £700,000 not to play in the CC there really isn't much incentive to do so. The likes of Buttler, Archer, Hales, Roy and Bairstow will still want to play in the IPL whether they have a Central Contract or not. They will become franchise players. Good luck to them if that's what they want to do. None of them are indispensable Test players - either because they either aren't good enough to guarantee a Test slot or because, as in the case of Archer, his ongoing injuries mean that he will probably end up playing white ball only anyway a la Tymal Mills.
It's ok advocating fewer 'first class' red ball teams, but (say) Kent were to disappear in the reshuffle and (say) be amalgamated with Sussex or absorbed by Surrey to become the Ovalteenies, myself and a lot on here would be royally pissed off
What's needed is a step back to the original Bob Willis trophy format, 3 groups of 6, regionally based with play offs for the top 2 from each group. Like American sports. Play 3 day games and 4 in the play offs. There should be NO overseas players allowed in the County Champ, save them for the white ball games. This format saves on travel and hotel expenses and generates local interest.
Typical of the ECB to come up with a good format and then dump it
Back in my yoof, most counties had a top quality overseas quick, therefore you couldn't score runs in the CC just by playing against dibbly dobbly medium pacers, you also had to survive against Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan etc
That level of player won't play in the CC now, but for an opposition player, facing Matt Henry on a pacey pitch in July is much better preparation for Test cricket than facing Darren Stevens on a green pitch in May or September.
Both are right. There are - and will always be - too few home-grown players of the highest quality to ensure eighteen teams are packed with top-class talent. So top-class overseas players are required to fill the chasm.
And providing overseas players with lost of experience navigating the wickets, weather and other conditions in England provides excellent preparation for any team touring in England to win.
So, if the county championship were to continue as the final step before Test cricket in England, I would put in a different restriction on overseas players. To ensure that only the very best were selected and that those selected were not schooled on English conditions by playing for counties, I would allow counties to sign as many overseas players as they wanted; but with the qualification that each had already played at least two Tests for their country, in England.
That way only the very best players are likely to be signed and players who hadn't already played Test cricket in England wouldn't be given the chance to learn English conditions in England before being picked.
Similarly, I want English players to play overseas as well, so that when they go to Australia or India, they also understand the local conditions and aren't completely at sea. Covid rules wouldn't allow it I imagine, but if Hameed had been playing in Australia for a month before the Ashes, I'm sure he would have done much better.
Indeed that's one advantage of the T20 franchises. Yes it's a different form of cricket, but at least by playing in the Bash or IPL, English players are getting to know the pitches and conditions overseas. I bet Billings is far more used to the bounce of Australia pitches than say Dan Lawrence, because he's actually played competitive matches on them.
I note that the largest crowd was about 28,000 on Day 3 and just under 12,000 for the final day.
Sydney has a capacity of 48,000.
Sydney has rapidly rising Covid numbers at the moment, which would have put a lot of people off attending.
The Big Bash is fine anyway as it doesn't clash with the county championship. Billings for example isn't missing any red ball cricket by playing out there, whereas the IPL DOES clash with the English domestic game.
And playing franchise cricket at the expense of red ball cricket is less of a problem for the experienced players, IF they already have a solid grounding in the red ball game. The bigger problems are for the youngsters coming through, growing up in an environment where playing funky white ball shots is favoured, and where the domestic red ball game is sidelined. The likes of Root and Stokes honed their technique back when T20 etc was just in its infancy.
Overseas players .. English players do not play in the Indian or Australian long form red ball tournaments, so why should we allow their players the benefit of getting experience of English conditions.
The major problem our batsmen have had to contend with (other than Covid) this overseas series, is the high bounce and pace generated from hard Aussie pitches. An off season trip down under to play even Grade cricket would be beneficial, though of course, the 'top' players are on tour somewhere or playing in one of the ever multiplying 20 ball tournaments. I would hope that the Lions tour down under has been very beneficial to our younger players.
Facing 'quality' bowling in the CC .. back to my other hobby horse, central contracts. England does not produce very many really fast bowlers. The ECB is obsessed with controlling the game time played by the few we have, e.g. Wood and Overton.
The two just mentioned should be available for their counties to play specifically just red ball cricket. Wood, Robinson and other pace bowlers are forever suffering injury or 'niggles'. That's because they are gym fit and not match fit. Sorry to go into ancient history here, Trueman, Statham and Snow for example played county cricket and were seemingly always fit for test cricket. I'll exempt Anderson and Broad here, like all us older folk, they need to conserve their energy for hen it REALLY matters lol.
Learning from overseas players .. Bring (e.g. Dravid) into a coaching role now that he is retired from playing. I have no objection to a Jason Gillespie or a Ricky Ponting coaching any CC side. What I don't want is for young tyro's from overseas getting long term exposure to English conditions, scoring lots of runs and/or taking lots of wickets which should be the remit of young (or old for that matter) English professionals, and then coming back with their respective international sides and repeating the trick in test matches against England.
One last point, every CC team should be obliged to play at least one spinner in every game. I am loath to meddle too much into what is allowed and what is not, BUT, two birds with one stone .. a method or rule to control the number of overs bowled by any bowler could be brought in, difficult of, course without getting too far into the area of one day cricket .. this though could A) save fast bowlers getting too cream crackered and
I rest my case (for now) M'Luds
“I am 100% ready if required, and I will give absolutely everything I can,” said Billings. “I have been playing consistent cricket and scoring runs. It doesn’t really matter what format it is, it’s more about rhythm, confidence and mindset. Like any side I go into I will try to make a positive impact on and off the field, in any environment I am put into.”
I believe we need to a play a better standard of 4 day cricket in the UK in order to produce better test players …… but this may put a current players slant on it
And the alternative is someone with NO cricket in the last few weeks, red or white, this is a unique situation.
Although after seeing some of Travis Head's county performances last season , I didn't see a guy that would score an Ashes hundred!
Billings for Buttler
Burns for Hameed
Woakes for Leach
Robinson for Anderson (rested)
Pope for Bairstow (if fails fitness tests)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59945356?fbclid=IwAR3hceu7u7WSgbwIiIVYw6DgXdUOkLxPBdnT-6sPnZ6J5Zs2Uf1ydAn3cuYhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59945356?fbclid=IwAR3hceu7u7WSgbwIiIVYw6DgXdUOkLxPBdnT-6sPnZ6J5Zs2Uf1ydAn3cuY
I read it was more likely Stokes not fit than Bairstow but all speculation at this point
The issue is Stokes' inability to bowl, the game being a day/nighter and the pitch looking very much like it's going to be a "green top". Had Stokes been fit to bowl then I'm sure Leach would have played.
Surrey batsman Laurie Evans playing in the BBL for Perth Scorchers. Bancroft deemed a close contact of someone with COVID and Josh Inglis injured so Evans given the gloves and asked to keep. By all accounts he kept very well with a couple of catches and a very sharp stumping.
I'm not aware he had ever kept before. Infact he's been used as a part time medium pacer in the past.
Not suggesting him as an option for any England side but I think it shows the difference between keeping in t20, where anyone can pick it up and look alright having never done it before, and the long format where it is a full time art all about practice and repitition.
Equally, sometimes, people can become a bit influenced by the keeper that takes that blinding diving catch - one because he may then drop a regimental one (like Buttler for example) but also because the best use their feet to get them as close to being in line with the ball as possible which then means they don't have to dive but, if they do, it's because they are trying to stop/catch a ball that the keepers that don't move their feet wouldn't get anywhere near.
I would say that, a bit like Refs, the very best keepers are the ones that are hardly noticed because they are tidy and make everything look so simple - they don't tend to drop a thing be it takes off the bowler to throws from the outfield. I've said it before but Sam Billings, Ollie Robinson and Jordan Cox (Seb too) were all coached by the same specialist keeping and former Kent age group coach - one about to make his England debut and the other two have kept for England Lions/England U19. Sadly, Kent haven't been quite so successful at producing fast bowlers!
Indeed in T20 cricket especially, being able to bowl a couple of overs makes you so much more useful. From a Kent perspective, being able to bowl leggies massively helped Denly's career, while both DBD and Blake now contribute with the ball as well.