With the first CC game starting two weeks tomorrow and just the one warm up match scheduled before then, I wonder if we will try to fit in another game even if it is a two day "we bat one day, you bat the next". With a number of teams having played abroad in the last month one can't help thinking that we will be at a bit of a disadvantage especially if next weeks game is abandoned.
This is a situation where the likes of Billings will be at an advantage to the rest of the team, as while it's T20 he's been playing in Pakistan, he'll be match sharp
This is a situation where the likes of Billings will be at an advantage to the rest of the team, as while it's T20 he's been playing in Pakistan, he'll be match sharp
The issue is as much to do with match fitness and specifically in relation to the seamers. For these warm up games they might bowl in total say 15-20 overs each which is a decent stepping stone to what they would be expected to do in a CC match where they might have to bowl 30 overs plus. That match fitness isn't easy to attain in the gym. For someone like Billings, there will still be an element of acclimatisation in that the white ball doesn't do anything like what the red ball will do here at the start of April and there is a need to put away the more risky shots that he would be used to playing in T20.
“The group is a strong one – we know that. We’re still looking maybe for another domestic bowler but all in all the squad is becoming more and more strong year on year.”
“That brings its own challenges and presents a lot of competition which does lead to players leaving the club as they’re not playing as often as they’d like – it has its down side but of course, we can’t worry about that and you’ve just got to get the strongest squad that you can possibly put together so that you can bring the club more success.”
“It’s going to be very interesting to have everyone around at the start of the year. There’ll be huge competition for places in the Championship side and we’re going to have to be smart how we manage our bowlers and make sure we look after the seamers a bit better than we did last year.”
“All in all, we’re looking like a really competitive group.”
So there's a couple of admissions there - we're a bowler light (presumably a seamer short) and we over worked them last year hence the injuries and there is serious competition for places. By that, I suspect he means specifically in the CC batting department given that we have the likes of Compton, Crawley, Denly, DBD, Cox, Leaning, Billings, Muyeye, Finch and Evison all competing for a maximum of seven spots. In fact, one assumes that Evison is a must to start the season as the all rounder and 4th/5th seamer and on the basis that he left Notts to play in our first team which means that nine are competing for six places - Muyeye and Finch are the obvious ones to miss out but who will be the other one?
There is a suggestion by some that it might be DBD but he averaged 43.95 last season in the CC. It's not going to be Compton (player of the year and averaged 54.22), Crawley (because the ECB would send him elsewhere if that were the case even though he only averaged 27.47) or Billings (skipper) - the likes of Leaning (41.94), Denly (40.72) and Cox (45.85) would have every right to feel somewhat aggrieved if they were to be dropped.
There's nothing like a pre season photo of the players (minus Hogan, Klaassen, Hardeep Singh, Richardson and Linde) being taken on a bright, sunny pre season day.
There are as many coaches and backroom staff in that photo as players!
18 players and 15 backroom staff - to be fair though they include all of the staff to the extent that the analyst and both the 1st XI and 2nd XI scorers are in the photo as well as the Director of Cricket
Meanwhile the predictions for the CC have been made by Wisden Cricket Monthly - Lancashire to be declared Champions and us to finish, well, there's no subtle way of saying this, bottom. Walker needs to pin the article to the dressing room door!
Meanwhile the predictions for the CC have been made by Wisden Cricket Monthly - Lancashire to be declared Champions and us to finish, well, there's no subtle way of saying this, bottom. Walker needs to pin the article to the dressing room door!
To be honest, our CC side looks weaker than the one which finished last season, considering Evison had already arrived
Comments
“The group is a strong one – we know that. We’re still looking maybe for another domestic bowler but all in all the squad is becoming more and more strong year on year.”
“That brings its own challenges and presents a lot of competition which does lead to players leaving the club as they’re not playing as often as they’d like – it has its down side but of course, we can’t worry about that and you’ve just got to get the strongest squad that you can possibly put together so that you can bring the club more success.”
“It’s going to be very interesting to have everyone around at the start of the year. There’ll be huge competition for places in the Championship side and we’re going to have to be smart how we manage our bowlers and make sure we look after the seamers a bit better than we did last year.”
“All in all, we’re looking like a really competitive group.”
So there's a couple of admissions there - we're a bowler light (presumably a seamer short) and we over worked them last year hence the injuries and there is serious competition for places. By that, I suspect he means specifically in the CC batting department given that we have the likes of Compton, Crawley, Denly, DBD, Cox, Leaning, Billings, Muyeye, Finch and Evison all competing for a maximum of seven spots. In fact, one assumes that Evison is a must to start the season as the all rounder and 4th/5th seamer and on the basis that he left Notts to play in our first team which means that nine are competing for six places - Muyeye and Finch are the obvious ones to miss out but who will be the other one?
There is a suggestion by some that it might be DBD but he averaged 43.95 last season in the CC. It's not going to be Compton (player of the year and averaged 54.22), Crawley (because the ECB would send him elsewhere if that were the case even though he only averaged 27.47) or Billings (skipper) - the likes of Leaning (41.94), Denly (40.72) and Cox (45.85) would have every right to feel somewhat aggrieved if they were to be dropped.
Full article here:
https://www.kentsportsnews.com/walker-glad-to-have-gidman-and-billings-21-03-2023/?fbclid=IwAR2Z67zoxKvG-m9fwvrmf5xe9nxIt9lEeBR_JiOBSuc5oDqPqVT7bYSMvHY
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