The cricket schedule is baffling really. How you can have a 14 game CC from a 10 team division, yet still have blank weeks when teams don't have a game of any sort.
Lancashire have sent Matt Parkinson on loan to Durham for the rest of the season. Even though we wanted him, it's not a surprise given that Lancashire have no interest in helping us to stay in Div 1.
Lancashire have sent Matt Parkinson on loan to Durham for the rest of the season. Even though we wanted him, it's not a surprise given that Lancashire have no interest in helping us to stay in Div 1.
He would have been really useful for the final 3 games too...
I hope Durham are grateful that we helped get his mojo back in the 50 over cup.
Lancashire have sent Matt Parkinson on loan to Durham for the rest of the season. Even though we wanted him, it's not a surprise given that Lancashire have no interest in helping us to stay in Div 1.
He would have been really useful for the final 3 games too...
I hope Durham are grateful that we helped get his mojo back in the 50 over cup.
Especially if Evison is fit as he can bat at 7 and it would allow us to have three seamers plus two spinners or four seamers plus Parkinson depending on the nature of the wicket.
Kent 2s have just started a 4 day Championship game against Essex at Billericay CC. Interestingly Billings is playing and has the gloves despite the fact that Finch is in the side which suggests he will be returning to both roles come next week - although he's out for a six ball duck.
Ekansh Singh, the classy 17 year old batsman, I have mentioned previously is once again in the side (although just out for a single) with the balance of the 12 all contracted players bar a couple of triallists - namely 23 year old Hishaam Khan, a left arm quick who has played for at least four county 2s (including half a dozen matches for us back in May) and the other is F E Testa who I think is Finlay Testa from Lancashire but I can't be absolutely sure because he does not appear to have a cricinfo profile and cricket acrhive doesn't seem to indicate that he has played any 2s games for anyone!
Anyway, back to the game. We are currently 106-5 with O'Riordan (28), Muyeye (36), Billings (0), Finch (13) and Ekansh Singh (1) the men to depart. Leaning (17) and Ekansh Singh (1) are at the crease. Can't find a live stream but the scorecard with videos of boundaries and dismissals is below:
I'm sure Billings will return and keep wicket next week, indeed it would be bizarre if he didn't seeing that he's just kept for and captained the Oval Quavers in the Hundred.
I'm sure Billings will return and keep wicket next week, indeed it would be bizarre if he didn't seeing that he's just kept for and captained the Oval Quavers in the Hundred.
He didn't stop playing white ball for us though. He resigned the captaincy and agreed to step down from the CC side but captained and kept in The Blast. When we were desperately short of players for the Notts CC game (toby Albert, Ben Geddes and Alex Blake had to play) he still didn't make himself available. But was OK to play in a white ball 2s game on the Friday before The Hundred started. I agree that he should play next week as Club Captain but as he seems to pick and choose when he is available I'm not sure that is a certainty or, even, if he doesn't choose to go down the white ball route full time - I believe he is already booked to play for two franchises this winter with no doubt the prospect of more.
Oh dear oh dear!!! Qadri has had to retire hurt with what looks like a nasty knee or ankle injury - he played the ball to square and set off for a run but then collapsed in a matter of a couple of strides. If it is as bad as it looks then he won't be available next week and the fact that Parkinson has taken 4-58 for Durham makes Qadri's injury even more painful.
Kent 2s are 249 all out (Qadri, needless to say, didn't return to bat). Leaning top scored with 101 (155). Leaning is also skipper which suggests that he will retain the job even if Billings does return next week.
Essex have finished the day on 143-0 off 27 overs.
I said that I couldn't find any information about the triallist F E Testa (I've assumed that it's Finlay who plays in the Lancashire League but his figures aren't impressive and I can't see that he's played county 2s anywhere) - the poor lad looks very young and from what I can see struggles to land a ball in the batsman's half of the pitch as evidenced by his figures to date of 3-0-29-0. He's clearly raw but given the lack of information available about him, it does make one wonder how he got to play for Kent 2s.
Essex have finished the day on 143-0 off 27 overs.
I said that I couldn't find any information about the triallist F E Testa (I've assumed that it's Finlay who plays in the Lancashire League but his figures aren't impressive and I can't see that he's played county 2s anywhere) - the poor lad looks very young and from what I can see struggles to land a ball in the batsman's half of the pitch as evidenced by his figures to date of 3-0-29-0. He's clearly raw but given the lack of information available about him, it does make one wonder how he got to play for Kent 2s.
Essex have finished the day on 143-0 off 27 overs.
I said that I couldn't find any information about the triallist F E Testa (I've assumed that it's Finlay who plays in the Lancashire League but his figures aren't impressive and I can't see that he's played county 2s anywhere) - the poor lad looks very young and from what I can see struggles to land a ball in the batsman's half of the pitch as evidenced by his figures to date of 3-0-29-0. He's clearly raw but given the lack of information available about him, it does make one wonder how he got to play for Kent 2s.
With a name like that, he's got to be cut out for Test cricket...
I'm sure Billings will return and keep wicket next week, indeed it would be bizarre if he didn't seeing that he's just kept for and captained the Oval Quavers in the Hundred.
He didn't stop playing white ball for us though. He resigned the captaincy and agreed to step down from the CC side but captained and kept in The Blast. When we were desperately short of players for the Notts CC game (toby Albert, Ben Geddes and Alex Blake had to play) he still didn't make himself available. But was OK to play in a white ball 2s game on the Friday before The Hundred started. I agree that he should play next week as Club Captain but as he seems to pick and choose when he is available I'm not sure that is a certainty or, even, if he doesn't choose to go down the white ball route full time - I believe he is already booked to play for two franchises this winter with no doubt the prospect of more.
The plot thickens. Despite what it originally said on the scorecard, Finch is actually keeping. Now, with potentially Crawley, Compton, Leaning, DBD, Denly, Muyeye and Evison available, I really don't see how Finch and Billings get into next week's side.
Simon Cook has been appointed as replacement for Paul Downton as Director of Cricket. Whether it is the right decision to promote from within, as opposed to someone from outside looking in, only time will tell. Wish Simon every success.
Simon Cook has been appointed as replacement for Paul Downton as Director of Cricket. Whether it is the right decision to promote from within, as opposed to someone from outside looking in, only time will tell. Wish Simon every success.
Simon Cook has been appointed as replacement for Paul Downton as Director of Cricket. Whether it is the right decision to promote from within, as opposed to someone from outside looking in, only time will tell. Wish Simon every success.
Very left field appointment,
I suppose the interesting aspect of this is that the bowling coach has been appointed to it above the Head Coach. In fact, the new DOR was the "interim" Head Coach for the 50 over competition. The obvious question is whether everyone else will remain or whether Cook sees the way forward to change a few things with the most obvious move being Hogan becoming bowling coach. We will probably know the answer to that by the end of the month.
Simon Cook has been appointed as replacement for Paul Downton as Director of Cricket. Whether it is the right decision to promote from within, as opposed to someone from outside looking in, only time will tell. Wish Simon every success.
Very left field appointment,
Wow really surprised at this. Good luck to the guy but I would have thought they would want a new brush etc. perhaps it’s a money thing
I see Josh de Caires returned figures of 39.2-8-106-8 for Middlesex. His old man must have taught him everything he didn't know about spin bowling.
Think Athers snr was a part time leggie until his back gave out
Indeed - his two Test wickets were his Lancs team mate, Wasim Akram and also Dilip Vengsakar. Not the worst scalps. De Caires has always been, through age group county cricket, an opening bat who bowls too but he's moved down the order for the Middx First XI and become a front line spinner. No doubt he will move back up in time but even if he doesn't and his bowling continues to improve then he could be just the all rounder England are crying out for.
Simon Cook has been appointed as replacement for Paul Downton as Director of Cricket. Whether it is the right decision to promote from within, as opposed to someone from outside looking in, only time will tell. Wish Simon every success.
Very left field appointment,
Wow really surprised at this. Good luck to the guy but I would have thought they would want a new brush etc. perhaps it’s a money thing
The Director of Cricket is much more of a desk job than being a coach, so we'll see how effective Cook is, in terms of recruitment, contract management etc
Comments
I hope Durham are grateful that we helped get his mojo back in the 50 over cup.
Ekansh Singh, the classy 17 year old batsman, I have mentioned previously is once again in the side (although just out for a single) with the balance of the 12 all contracted players bar a couple of triallists - namely 23 year old Hishaam Khan, a left arm quick who has played for at least four county 2s (including half a dozen matches for us back in May) and the other is F E Testa who I think is Finlay Testa from Lancashire but I can't be absolutely sure because he does not appear to have a cricinfo profile and cricket acrhive doesn't seem to indicate that he has played any 2s games for anyone!
Anyway, back to the game. We are currently 106-5 with O'Riordan (28), Muyeye (36), Billings (0), Finch (13) and Ekansh Singh (1) the men to depart. Leaning (17) and Ekansh Singh (1) are at the crease. Can't find a live stream but the scorecard with videos of boundaries and dismissals is below:
https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#m04d18aa0-f10b-4f48-8c01-b381b37ad119
Edit - having now seen all the dismissals, the wicket does have the look of being two paced with tennis ball bounce to boot - a typical club track
I said that I couldn't find any information about the triallist F E Testa (I've assumed that it's Finlay who plays in the Lancashire League but his figures aren't impressive and I can't see that he's played county 2s anywhere) - the poor lad looks very young and from what I can see struggles to land a ball in the batsman's half of the pitch as evidenced by his figures to date of 3-0-29-0. He's clearly raw but given the lack of information available about him, it does make one wonder how he got to play for Kent 2s.
Porter 5-33
mini recovery from 100-6
Northants still 240 odd behind Lancs with nine 2nd innings wickets left