404-4 off 86 overs. A wicket to Singh. It would be good if we good take a couple more wickets inside the next 24 overs meaning that we pick up two bowling bonus points. If we can then draw the game and Middlesex lose we will leapfrog them.
A bit of an explanation re our missing seamers but nothing about the absent spinners from Walker. By all accounts, Kent share the same medical team as CAFC.
“It’s sort of summed up our season in lots of ways. Gilly [Gilchrist] picked up an injury which is a real blow for him, having not played much this year. He looked like he was getting back towards his best but pulled his hamstring.
“Grant fought really hard to come back from a season-ending injury 12 days ago. He looked to be on the right path and then he aggravated his hamstring again. He’s now out for the season.
“Matt Quinn is still not fit after an abductor injury which hasn’t got better and then there’s Ben Lister. He was meant to come to us after those New Zealand games but has managed to pull his hamstring so he’s now flown home.
“You couldn’t script it. It seems to be one of those seasons. We can’t seem to get bodies fit and, when they are fit, they don’t seem to stay fit.
A bit of an explanation re our missing seamers but nothing about the absent spinners from Walker. By all accounts, Kent share the same medical team as CAFC.
“It’s sort of summed up our season in lots of ways. Gilly [Gilchrist] picked up an injury which is a real blow for him, having not played much this year. He looked like he was getting back towards his best but pulled his hamstring.
“Grant fought really hard to come back from a season-ending injury 12 days ago. He looked to be on the right path and then he aggravated his hamstring again. He’s now out for the season.
“Matt Quinn is still not fit after an abductor injury which hasn’t got better and then there’s Ben Lister. He was meant to come to us after those New Zealand games but has managed to pull his hamstring so he’s now flown home.
“You couldn’t script it. It seems to be one of those seasons. We can’t seem to get bodies fit and, when they are fit, they don’t seem to stay fit.
“It’s been a real challenge.”
I don't know why they didn't say that earlier, instead of making everyone think that Quinn had been left out for 2 games
And a sort of explanation regarding Billings' absence from Walker though the highlighted bit doesn't sit comfortably with the Club captain not travelling with the team to Taunton or being in the dressing room for the Notts match:
“It’s really important that everyone was around in the build-up to the last three games.
“Obviously, Sam is still captain of the club. Although he’s not the captain of the four-day stuff, he’s still captain of the club and still wanted to be around to help the group, offering his experience and just his presence, really. So he was in the wider squad.
“But last week, we felt, with Zak [Crawley] back, and Finchy having played really well behind the stumps, there wasn’t really room for Sam to come in. It’s the same this week.
“He’s struggled a bit in red-ball cricket this season and stepped away from the captaincy. I think it’s the right decision. It’s been a long time since he’s hit a red ball.
“We had to go with what we thought was the best team to win this game of cricket and it was the same last week.
“It’s great Sam has still been around. He’s been brilliant with Finchy, helping him with his keeping and being around the group.
“Everybody has a role to play in these last three games - whether you’re playing, around practice or carrying drinks. It’s really important that everyone is on the same page and trying to help achieve what we are trying to do.
“Not everyone is going to play. That doesn’t mean you drift off and shut down for the season. Sam’s been around and really helped the group.
“But the strongest side last week was what we put out on the field and it’s the same this week.
And a sort of explanation regarding Billings' absence from Walker though the highlighted bit doesn't sit comfortably with the Club captain not travelling with the team to Taunton or being in the dressing room for the Notts match:
“It’s really important that everyone was around in the build-up to the last three games.
“Obviously, Sam is still captain of the club. Although he’s not the captain of the four-day stuff, he’s still captain of the club and still wanted to be around to help the group, offering his experience and just his presence, really. So he was in the wider squad.
“But last week, we felt, with Zak [Crawley] back, and Finchy having played really well behind the stumps, there wasn’t really room for Sam to come in. It’s the same this week.
“He’s struggled a bit in red-ball cricket this season and stepped away from the captaincy. I think it’s the right decision. It’s been a long time since he’s hit a red ball.
“We had to go with what we thought was the best team to win this game of cricket and it was the same last week.
“It’s great Sam has still been around. He’s been brilliant with Finchy, helping him with his keeping and being around the group.
“Everybody has a role to play in these last three games - whether you’re playing, around practice or carrying drinks. It’s really important that everyone is on the same page and trying to help achieve what we are trying to do.
“Not everyone is going to play. That doesn’t mean you drift off and shut down for the season. Sam’s been around and really helped the group.
“But the strongest side last week was what we put out on the field and it’s the same this week.
“Hopefully, that’ll all pay off.”
That sounds like a lot of rubbish to me . Even if I believe that he wouldn’t have got into the team with Crawley around , Walker can’t say with a straight face that Billings keeping wicket isn’t a better option than a non bowling O’Riordan, who hasn’t played himself for months.
And a sort of explanation regarding Billings' absence from Walker though the highlighted bit doesn't sit comfortably with the Club captain not travelling with the team to Taunton or being in the dressing room for the Notts match:
“It’s really important that everyone was around in the build-up to the last three games.
“Obviously, Sam is still captain of the club. Although he’s not the captain of the four-day stuff, he’s still captain of the club and still wanted to be around to help the group, offering his experience and just his presence, really. So he was in the wider squad.
“But last week, we felt, with Zak [Crawley] back, and Finchy having played really well behind the stumps, there wasn’t really room for Sam to come in. It’s the same this week.
“He’s struggled a bit in red-ball cricket this season and stepped away from the captaincy. I think it’s the right decision. It’s been a long time since he’s hit a red ball.
“We had to go with what we thought was the best team to win this game of cricket and it was the same last week.
“It’s great Sam has still been around. He’s been brilliant with Finchy, helping him with his keeping and being around the group.
“Everybody has a role to play in these last three games - whether you’re playing, around practice or carrying drinks. It’s really important that everyone is on the same page and trying to help achieve what we are trying to do.
“Not everyone is going to play. That doesn’t mean you drift off and shut down for the season. Sam’s been around and really helped the group.
“But the strongest side last week was what we put out on the field and it’s the same this week.
“Hopefully, that’ll all pay off.”
That sounds like a lot of rubbish to me . Even if I believe that he wouldn’t have got into the team with Crawley around , Walker can’t say with a straight face that Billings keeping wicket isn’t a better option than a non bowling O’Riordan, who hasn’t played himself for months.
And Billings is a much better keeper than Finch too. Finch as a batsman at 6, with Billings keeping at 7 looks a much better team.
Perhaps we need to go back to the statement regarding the decision that was made in respect of the captaincy to see where the truth might lie:
"Kent cricket can confirm that men's captain, Sam Billings, has decided to step down as captain in red-ball cricket for the rest of the 2023 season," a club statement read.
"Jack Leaning, who captained Kent against Surrey last time out in the Championship, will captain the side in Sam's absence.
"Billings will continue to lead the side in the Vitality Blast and remains the club captain in men's cricket."
So why did Billings step down for the rest of 2023? Did he really make that decision or was that forced upon him? The announcement wasn't that Billings has been dropped and Leaning would captain any games which he misses after all. This leads me to believe that Billings has decided not to play red ball cricket after this season.
Billings had an opportunity to play for the 2s when he was dropped but chose not to do so until the Friday before The Hundred in a 50 over white ball game. He wasn't playing in that match for Kent's benefit, he was doing so to have a hit in the middle. He then played in a 2s game after The Hundred and scored 0 and 8. That means he has scored 100 runs in red ball this season at an average of 8.33. He hasn't had a decent season in the CC for at least four years. Meanwhile O'Riordan has been quietly going about his business. He hasn't been a roaring success but has scored a number of 50s.
So, Billings, in effect, is just another player. O'Riordan has served his time in the 2s and averages 34.00 in FC cricket. Billings hasn't spent time finding his form and averages 31.27 but nothing like that for the last four seasons. He has gone straight back into the Kent side previously based on reputation rather than what he has actually done on the pitch. If we had taken the same attitude with Denly then Muyeye might never have got his chance. And there is the problem. It's one that caused Robinson to leave and I actually predicted that it would happen because this is "Sam Billings, England player". Cox has probably moved for the same reason. If that cycle isn't broken at some point then that player becomes a fixture whatever his form and regardless of whether he has been putting his interests first by playing franchise cricket rather than for Kent.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Billings isn't in the dressing room, running the drinks out to have a word with the players at that opportunity, giving support to the likes of Muyeye and O'Riordan if they happen to be batting at that time. But perhaps the decision that Billings won't be playing red ball after this season has, as I have said, already been made by him and the players know that too so the management believe that it isn't in the team's interest to have him hanging around especially as he might not agree with the decisions that the coach and new captain have been making. That can become disruptive and destructive so it is agreed that Billings can go off and do his own thing. And he has been doing just that as we know. Why he chooses to make those movements so public only he knows. Perhaps it is an ego thing.
Perhaps we need to go back to the statement regarding the decision that was made in respect of the captaincy to see where the truth might lie:
"Kent cricket can confirm that men's captain, Sam Billings, has decided to step down as captain in red-ball cricket for the rest of the 2023 season," a club statement read.
"Jack Leaning, who captained Kent against Surrey last time out in the Championship, will captain the side in Sam's absence.
"Billings will continue to lead the side in the Vitality Blast and remains the club captain in men's cricket."
So why did Billings step down for the rest of 2023? Did he really make that decision or was that forced upon him? The announcement wasn't that Billings has been dropped and Leaning would captain any games which he misses after all. This leads me to believe that Billings has decided not to play red ball cricket after this season.
Billings had an opportunity to play for the 2s when he was dropped but chose not to do so until the Friday before The Hundred in a 50 over white ball game. He wasn't playing in that match for Kent's benefit, he was doing so to have a hit in the middle. He then played in a 2s game after The Hundred and scored 0 and 8. That means he has scored 100 runs in red ball this season at an average of 8.33. He hasn't had a decent season in the CC for at least four years. Meanwhile O'Riordan has been quietly going about his business. He hasn't been a roaring success but has scored a number of 50s.
So, Billings, in effect, is just another player. O'Riordan has served his time in the 2s and averages 34.00 in FC cricket. Billings hasn't spent time finding his form and averages 31.27 but nothing like that for the last four seasons. He has gone straight back into the Kent side previously based on reputation rather than what he has actually done on the pitch. If we had taken the same attitude with Denly then Muyeye might never have got his chance. And there is the problem. It's one that caused Robinson to leave and I actually predicted that it would happen because this is "Sam Billings, England player". Cox has probably moved for the same reason. If that cycle isn't broken at some point then that player becomes a fixture whatever his form and regardless of whether he has been putting his interests first by playing franchise cricket rather than for Kent.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Billings isn't in the dressing room, running the drinks out to have a word with the players at that opportunity, giving support to the likes of Muyeye and O'Riordan if they happen to be batting at that time. But perhaps the decision that Billings won't be playing red ball after this season has, as I have said, already been made by him and the players know that too so the management believe that it isn't in the team's interest to have him hanging around especially as he might not agree with the decisions that the coach and new captain have been making. That can become disruptive and destructive so it is agreed that Billings can go off and do his own thing. And he has been doing just that as we know. Why he chooses to make those movements so public only he knows. Perhaps it is an ego thing.
As I said at the time , only Kent could have three top class keeper batters one year and lose them all within 2. Walker should have told Key that they refused to give Billings the gloves last year - at least then we’d have kept Robinson.
Middlesex are 78-1 and 116 runs behind Warwickshire.
The likelihood now is that both games will end up drawn so just a question as to whether we can narrow the gap between us and Middlesex via bonus points. It is a bit of a concern that we only have 24 overs to pick up those 5 wickets for the 3 bowling points but also that we need to get to 300 to get at least 2 batting points with potentially not enough time left in the game to do so.
Perhaps we need to go back to the statement regarding the decision that was made in respect of the captaincy to see where the truth might lie:
"Kent cricket can confirm that men's captain, Sam Billings, has decided to step down as captain in red-ball cricket for the rest of the 2023 season," a club statement read.
"Jack Leaning, who captained Kent against Surrey last time out in the Championship, will captain the side in Sam's absence.
"Billings will continue to lead the side in the Vitality Blast and remains the club captain in men's cricket."
So why did Billings step down for the rest of 2023? Did he really make that decision or was that forced upon him? The announcement wasn't that Billings has been dropped and Leaning would captain any games which he misses after all. This leads me to believe that Billings has decided not to play red ball cricket after this season.
Billings had an opportunity to play for the 2s when he was dropped but chose not to do so until the Friday before The Hundred in a 50 over white ball game. He wasn't playing in that match for Kent's benefit, he was doing so to have a hit in the middle. He then played in a 2s game after The Hundred and scored 0 and 8. That means he has scored 100 runs in red ball this season at an average of 8.33. He hasn't had a decent season in the CC for at least four years. Meanwhile O'Riordan has been quietly going about his business. He hasn't been a roaring success but has scored a number of 50s.
So, Billings, in effect, is just another player. O'Riordan has served his time in the 2s and averages 34.00 in FC cricket. Billings hasn't spent time finding his form and averages 31.27 but nothing like that for the last four seasons. He has gone straight back into the Kent side previously based on reputation rather than what he has actually done on the pitch. If we had taken the same attitude with Denly then Muyeye might never have got his chance. And there is the problem. It's one that caused Robinson to leave and I actually predicted that it would happen because this is "Sam Billings, England player". Cox has probably moved for the same reason. If that cycle isn't broken at some point then that player becomes a fixture whatever his form and regardless of whether he has been putting his interests first by playing franchise cricket rather than for Kent.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Billings isn't in the dressing room, running the drinks out to have a word with the players at that opportunity, giving support to the likes of Muyeye and O'Riordan if they happen to be batting at that time. But perhaps the decision that Billings won't be playing red ball after this season has, as I have said, already been made by him and the players know that too so the management believe that it isn't in the team's interest to have him hanging around especially as he might not agree with the decisions that the coach and new captain have been making. That can become disruptive and destructive so it is agreed that Billings can go off and do his own thing. And he has been doing just that as we know. Why he chooses to make those movements so public only he knows. Perhaps it is an ego thing.
As I said at the time , only Kent could have three top class keeper batters one year and lose them all within 2. Walker should have told Key that they refused to give Billings the gloves last year - at least then we’d have kept Robinson.
Key had no say as Billings wasn't centrally contracted and to be fair, it wasn't a question of Billings just taking the gloves - he took Robinson's place in the side and it would have been a very hard thing for Walker as coach to tell the highest paid player and his captain that he wasn't getting back in the side. Billings came in for Robinson against Northants and batted at 7 with those above him being Compton, Crawley, DBD, Denly, Leaning and Cox.
The mistake was. perhaps, giving Billings a three-year contract in the knowledge that Robinson could leave at the end of that season and that Cox was free to go at the end of this but also sending Robinson out on loan to Durham for the Blast as it was his lack of games in that comp, ironically, that allowed him to leave a year before the end of his contract. Had he played a certain number of games in the Blast for us he would have had to stay with us until the end of this season and as things turned out he would have been a fixture this season in the side and signed a new contract in the knowledge that Cox was going and Billings had lost all known form.
Perhaps we need to go back to the statement regarding the decision that was made in respect of the captaincy to see where the truth might lie:
"Kent cricket can confirm that men's captain, Sam Billings, has decided to step down as captain in red-ball cricket for the rest of the 2023 season," a club statement read.
"Jack Leaning, who captained Kent against Surrey last time out in the Championship, will captain the side in Sam's absence.
"Billings will continue to lead the side in the Vitality Blast and remains the club captain in men's cricket."
So why did Billings step down for the rest of 2023? Did he really make that decision or was that forced upon him? The announcement wasn't that Billings has been dropped and Leaning would captain any games which he misses after all. This leads me to believe that Billings has decided not to play red ball cricket after this season.
Billings had an opportunity to play for the 2s when he was dropped but chose not to do so until the Friday before The Hundred in a 50 over white ball game. He wasn't playing in that match for Kent's benefit, he was doing so to have a hit in the middle. He then played in a 2s game after The Hundred and scored 0 and 8. That means he has scored 100 runs in red ball this season at an average of 8.33. He hasn't had a decent season in the CC for at least four years. Meanwhile O'Riordan has been quietly going about his business. He hasn't been a roaring success but has scored a number of 50s.
So, Billings, in effect, is just another player. O'Riordan has served his time in the 2s and averages 34.00 in FC cricket. Billings hasn't spent time finding his form and averages 31.27 but nothing like that for the last four seasons. He has gone straight back into the Kent side previously based on reputation rather than what he has actually done on the pitch. If we had taken the same attitude with Denly then Muyeye might never have got his chance. And there is the problem. It's one that caused Robinson to leave and I actually predicted that it would happen because this is "Sam Billings, England player". Cox has probably moved for the same reason. If that cycle isn't broken at some point then that player becomes a fixture whatever his form and regardless of whether he has been putting his interests first by playing franchise cricket rather than for Kent.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Billings isn't in the dressing room, running the drinks out to have a word with the players at that opportunity, giving support to the likes of Muyeye and O'Riordan if they happen to be batting at that time. But perhaps the decision that Billings won't be playing red ball after this season has, as I have said, already been made by him and the players know that too so the management believe that it isn't in the team's interest to have him hanging around especially as he might not agree with the decisions that the coach and new captain have been making. That can become disruptive and destructive so it is agreed that Billings can go off and do his own thing. And he has been doing just that as we know. Why he chooses to make those movements so public only he knows. Perhaps it is an ego thing.
As I said at the time , only Kent could have three top class keeper batters one year and lose them all within 2. Walker should have told Key that they refused to give Billings the gloves last year - at least then we’d have kept Robinson.
Key had no say as Billings wasn't centrally contracted and to be fair, it wasn't a question of Billings just taking the gloves - he took Robinson's place in the side and it would have been a very hard thing for Walker as coach to tell the highest paid player and his captain that he wasn't getting back in the side. Billings came in for Robinson against Northants and batted at 7 with those above him being Compton, Crawley, DBD, Denly, Leaning and Cox.
The mistake was. perhaps, giving Billings a three-year contract in the knowledge that Robinson could leave at the end of that season and that Cox was free to go at the end of this but also sending Robinson out on loan to Durham for the Blast as it was his lack of games in that comp, ironically, that allowed him to leave a year before the end of his contract. Had he played a certain number of games in the Blast for us he would have had to stay with us until the end of this season and as things turned out he would have been a fixture this season in the side and signed a new contract in the knowledge that Cox was going and Billings had lost all known form.
I’m sure you are right about that first game but I’m sure there were games when Robinson played as a batsman after that and Billings kept, which hadn’t happened for some time
Perhaps we need to go back to the statement regarding the decision that was made in respect of the captaincy to see where the truth might lie:
"Kent cricket can confirm that men's captain, Sam Billings, has decided to step down as captain in red-ball cricket for the rest of the 2023 season," a club statement read.
"Jack Leaning, who captained Kent against Surrey last time out in the Championship, will captain the side in Sam's absence.
"Billings will continue to lead the side in the Vitality Blast and remains the club captain in men's cricket."
So why did Billings step down for the rest of 2023? Did he really make that decision or was that forced upon him? The announcement wasn't that Billings has been dropped and Leaning would captain any games which he misses after all. This leads me to believe that Billings has decided not to play red ball cricket after this season.
Billings had an opportunity to play for the 2s when he was dropped but chose not to do so until the Friday before The Hundred in a 50 over white ball game. He wasn't playing in that match for Kent's benefit, he was doing so to have a hit in the middle. He then played in a 2s game after The Hundred and scored 0 and 8. That means he has scored 100 runs in red ball this season at an average of 8.33. He hasn't had a decent season in the CC for at least four years. Meanwhile O'Riordan has been quietly going about his business. He hasn't been a roaring success but has scored a number of 50s.
So, Billings, in effect, is just another player. O'Riordan has served his time in the 2s and averages 34.00 in FC cricket. Billings hasn't spent time finding his form and averages 31.27 but nothing like that for the last four seasons. He has gone straight back into the Kent side previously based on reputation rather than what he has actually done on the pitch. If we had taken the same attitude with Denly then Muyeye might never have got his chance. And there is the problem. It's one that caused Robinson to leave and I actually predicted that it would happen because this is "Sam Billings, England player". Cox has probably moved for the same reason. If that cycle isn't broken at some point then that player becomes a fixture whatever his form and regardless of whether he has been putting his interests first by playing franchise cricket rather than for Kent.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Billings isn't in the dressing room, running the drinks out to have a word with the players at that opportunity, giving support to the likes of Muyeye and O'Riordan if they happen to be batting at that time. But perhaps the decision that Billings won't be playing red ball after this season has, as I have said, already been made by him and the players know that too so the management believe that it isn't in the team's interest to have him hanging around especially as he might not agree with the decisions that the coach and new captain have been making. That can become disruptive and destructive so it is agreed that Billings can go off and do his own thing. And he has been doing just that as we know. Why he chooses to make those movements so public only he knows. Perhaps it is an ego thing.
As I said at the time , only Kent could have three top class keeper batters one year and lose them all within 2. Walker should have told Key that they refused to give Billings the gloves last year - at least then we’d have kept Robinson.
Key had no say as Billings wasn't centrally contracted and to be fair, it wasn't a question of Billings just taking the gloves - he took Robinson's place in the side and it would have been a very hard thing for Walker as coach to tell the highest paid player and his captain that he wasn't getting back in the side. Billings came in for Robinson against Northants and batted at 7 with those above him being Compton, Crawley, DBD, Denly, Leaning and Cox.
The mistake was. perhaps, giving Billings a three-year contract in the knowledge that Robinson could leave at the end of that season and that Cox was free to go at the end of this but also sending Robinson out on loan to Durham for the Blast as it was his lack of games in that comp, ironically, that allowed him to leave a year before the end of his contract. Had he played a certain number of games in the Blast for us he would have had to stay with us until the end of this season and as things turned out he would have been a fixture this season in the side and signed a new contract in the knowledge that Cox was going and Billings had lost all known form.
I’m sure you are right about that first game but I’m sure there were games when Robinson played as a batsman after that and Billings kept, which hadn’t happened for some time
That is indeed correct. But Billings still had England aspirations as did Robinson as did Cox. Billings, as captain, could pull rank and Walker wasn't going to upset the apple cart in stopping that from happening. Move forward 12 months and it did happen with the gloves passing from Billings to Cox because common sense dictated that there was no way that Billings was going to get anywhere near the England team. Billings has said on socially media in the aftermath of the news of Cox's departure to Essex that he "literally gave the gloves to Cox" as a testament to his support of Cox. Perhaps having to do that in itself caused a rift between Billings and the management especially as he then perceived Cox to be metaphorically sticking two fingers up at him and the Club.
This incident is somewhat unique. Jas Singh "bowls" Lewis Goldsworthy. Except he doesn't. Part of Goldsworthy's bat comes off and hits the stumps thereby detaching the bails. But it's a "no ball". Silly Jas!
Well Somerset have, arguably, stuffed us for bonus points by declaring. That means that if both us and Middlesex draw, we will almost certainly still be behind them in the table.
Comments
“It’s sort of summed up our season in lots of ways. Gilly [Gilchrist] picked up an injury which is a real blow for him, having not played much this year. He looked like he was getting back towards his best but pulled his hamstring.
“Grant fought really hard to come back from a season-ending injury 12 days ago. He looked to be on the right path and then he aggravated his hamstring again. He’s now out for the season.
“Matt Quinn is still not fit after an abductor injury which hasn’t got better and then there’s Ben Lister. He was meant to come to us after those New Zealand games but has managed to pull his hamstring so he’s now flown home.
“You couldn’t script it. It seems to be one of those seasons. We can’t seem to get bodies fit and, when they are fit, they don’t seem to stay fit.
“It’s been a real challenge.”
“It’s really important that everyone was around in the build-up to the last three games.
“Obviously, Sam is still captain of the club. Although he’s not the captain of the four-day stuff, he’s still captain of the club and still wanted to be around to help the group, offering his experience and just his presence, really. So he was in the wider squad.
“But last week, we felt, with Zak [Crawley] back, and Finchy having played really well behind the stumps, there wasn’t really room for Sam to come in. It’s the same this week.
“He’s struggled a bit in red-ball cricket this season and stepped away from the captaincy. I think it’s the right decision. It’s been a long time since he’s hit a red ball.
“We had to go with what we thought was the best team to win this game of cricket and it was the same last week.
“It’s great Sam has still been around. He’s been brilliant with Finchy, helping him with his keeping and being around the group.
“Everybody has a role to play in these last three games - whether you’re playing, around practice or carrying drinks. It’s really important that everyone is on the same page and trying to help achieve what we are trying to do.
“Not everyone is going to play. That doesn’t mean you drift off and shut down for the season. Sam’s been around and really helped the group.
“But the strongest side last week was what we put out on the field and it’s the same this week.
“Hopefully, that’ll all pay off.”
So why did Billings step down for the rest of 2023? Did he really make that decision or was that forced upon him? The announcement wasn't that Billings has been dropped and Leaning would captain any games which he misses after all. This leads me to believe that Billings has decided not to play red ball cricket after this season.
Billings had an opportunity to play for the 2s when he was dropped but chose not to do so until the Friday before The Hundred in a 50 over white ball game. He wasn't playing in that match for Kent's benefit, he was doing so to have a hit in the middle. He then played in a 2s game after The Hundred and scored 0 and 8. That means he has scored 100 runs in red ball this season at an average of 8.33. He hasn't had a decent season in the CC for at least four years. Meanwhile O'Riordan has been quietly going about his business. He hasn't been a roaring success but has scored a number of 50s.
So, Billings, in effect, is just another player. O'Riordan has served his time in the 2s and averages 34.00 in FC cricket. Billings hasn't spent time finding his form and averages 31.27 but nothing like that for the last four seasons. He has gone straight back into the Kent side previously based on reputation rather than what he has actually done on the pitch. If we had taken the same attitude with Denly then Muyeye might never have got his chance. And there is the problem. It's one that caused Robinson to leave and I actually predicted that it would happen because this is "Sam Billings, England player". Cox has probably moved for the same reason. If that cycle isn't broken at some point then that player becomes a fixture whatever his form and regardless of whether he has been putting his interests first by playing franchise cricket rather than for Kent.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Billings isn't in the dressing room, running the drinks out to have a word with the players at that opportunity, giving support to the likes of Muyeye and O'Riordan if they happen to be batting at that time. But perhaps the decision that Billings won't be playing red ball after this season has, as I have said, already been made by him and the players know that too so the management believe that it isn't in the team's interest to have him hanging around especially as he might not agree with the decisions that the coach and new captain have been making. That can become disruptive and destructive so it is agreed that Billings can go off and do his own thing. And he has been doing just that as we know. Why he chooses to make those movements so public only he knows. Perhaps it is an ego thing.
And in true Shakey language " Methinks he doth protest too much ."
The likelihood now is that both games will end up drawn so just a question as to whether we can narrow the gap between us and Middlesex via bonus points. It is a bit of a concern that we only have 24 overs to pick up those 5 wickets for the 3 bowling points but also that we need to get to 300 to get at least 2 batting points with potentially not enough time left in the game to do so.
The mistake was. perhaps, giving Billings a three-year contract in the knowledge that Robinson could leave at the end of that season and that Cox was free to go at the end of this but also sending Robinson out on loan to Durham for the Blast as it was his lack of games in that comp, ironically, that allowed him to leave a year before the end of his contract. Had he played a certain number of games in the Blast for us he would have had to stay with us until the end of this season and as things turned out he would have been a fixture this season in the side and signed a new contract in the knowledge that Cox was going and Billings had lost all known form.
Kent already 6-1 , Compton walking.
Stream not live for me...still showing a Day 3 screen.