I can't comprehend how prior to facing Hants, who were chasing the title, I thought that we were staring relegation right smack in the face and yet we will now actually finish 26 points clear of doing so.
The same! I remeber looking at the fixtures at the end of july and thinking wow - we need a lot of rain in september to get some draws as we won't win either of those. I think Somerset were thinking of the winter break, but Hampshire was just bizarre given the way we played prior. Super Kent eh!!!
I was sat in the pub only a couple of weeks ago with 3 friends (2 hampshire 1 surrey) telling them that Hampshire were certs for the title because they would batter Kent who were so bad this year that the 4 of us could beat them. I also saw no way Surrey would beat Yorkshire. Good thing we did with today's result.
Surrey would have played a lot better if they had something to play for
As it is, Hampshire are 1 point from getting second place (with Lancs likely to beat your lot) which is bad news for Warks, as it means Hants have to bat for the draw
The decision to go was Robinson's. The events that culminated in him making that decision was partly caused by Kent and partly by England.
The only other thing I will add is this. One senior Kent coach said to me a few years ago that "we never thought Robinson would make it. We always knew Crawley would". Sometimes, against that backdrop, it is much harder to shift people's opinions and you have to do twice as well as the person that is rated in order to overcome that. The other aspect is that when you feel that you aren't rated, it can affect your confidence and put even more pressure on your performances to the extent that you have to get a score each and every time you walk out. Crawley has never had to combat that for Kent or England and yet he has a worst First Class average than Robinson.
Where that perspective can change is when you leave. I'm sure many of us have witnessed someone at our place at work who isn't rated by the management and doesn't ever get promoted so elects to leave. Only for that person's replacement to be a total downgrade on his predecessor. Time will tell whether that is the case should Billings get injured again.
He decided to go because he wasn’t being used , which was madness .
Is there a reason why we have 2 different colours for our red ball caps, with some players wearing browny maroon, and others blue? Is maroon only for those awarded a county cap?
I've asked the boy and he says that the maroon ones are just faded blue ones - probably a combination of exposure to sunlight and the use of unfriendly detergents! From what I've seen from the Instagram photos it has happened to those that have had their Kent cap for a while (DBD, Crawley and Denly for example). Here is one of Geraint Jones where it looks a bit more obvious:
I've asked the boy and he says that the maroon ones are just faded blue ones - probably a combination of exposure to sunlight and the use of unfriendly detergents! From what I've seen from the Instagram photos it has happened to those that have had their Kent cap for a while (DBD, Crawley and Denly for example). Here is one of Geraint Jones where it looks a bit more obvious:
Surprising that a blue hat goes maroon/brown after washing? You would expect it to go to a faded blue, like some of the more weathered England caps (e.g. Stokes)
But looking at this photo, it makes sense that if it's an age thing that Stevo's is the different colour! Or the picture of Rob Key, though his cap looks pretty pristine?
Stevo's looks like he just stuffs it in his bag anyhow whereas Key's looks like it has been folded neatly. Stevo's has also had 17 years of being removed and handed to the Umpire whereas Key's just sat on his head! Fulton did mention in commentary that they were at opposite ends of the spectrum so far as looking after gear was concerned and that the Club had to stop Stevo from wearing Key's tops because of the different number.
Declaring early after lots of time lost to the weather, sacrificing bonus points, now desperately trying to score quickly, to somehow create a big enough total so that they can bowl out Hampshire. Instead they've subsided to 173-9
And that's the bizarre aspect of our final couple of weeks of the season. Only four teams in the country have finished above us in the four day game and we've won the only one day competition. We would have to say that, on the basis of those successes, it has been a pretty decent season and yet for five months we were never really at the races.
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As it is, Hampshire are 1 point from getting second place (with Lancs likely to beat your lot) which is bad news for Warks, as it means Hants have to bat for the draw
But looking at this photo, it makes sense that if it's an age thing that Stevo's is the different colour! Or the picture of Rob Key, though his cap looks pretty pristine?
Declaring early after lots of time lost to the weather, sacrificing bonus points, now desperately trying to score quickly, to somehow create a big enough total so that they can bowl out Hampshire. Instead they've subsided to 173-9
Northants require 146 with only 5 wickets in hand
Northants require 58 with 2 wickets in hand
You hope that rain doesn't decide this
We have finished 5th, having looked two games ago that we were going to be relegated!!!
124-8 and 15 to win