9 bowlers used, Evison the breakout allrounder star of a previous winning campaign not. Quite funny how shambolic Kent are now, unless you support them I guess
I'll remind you of this in about three or so hours time when we score the winning runs...............
Just got back from Canterbury. Bloody M2 delays don’t help the mood after another defeat. Terrific game for the neutrals, 607 runs scored and 19 wickets and glorious sunshine.
Hard to criticise the Spitfires after such an effort, but the old adage “you can’t win anything with kids” rings true. O’Riordon has done very little with the bat which has been the main reason for him playing. Jaydn Denly looks an excellent prospect but needs more time, Ekansh Singh has also played in earlier games but he’s another 18 year old who needs development. Overall the batting has been a bit of a mess in the 50 over comp with no real recognised openers in the side, a fragile middle order and a long tail. None of the pace bowlers have impressed much either. A disappointing campaign all round.
Compton's absence is, I'm sure, to do with his and our view of him not being in agreement. Meanwhile two other openers, Muyeye and DBD, haven't played in the Mickey Mouse comp in the last two weeks and could have been turning our for us instead.
Spent over 7 hours boiling under the Canterbury sun in support of our club today but came away with nowt but a feeling of utter frustration at another winnable match thrown away.
Watching the previous 2 games via the stream, and regardless of the decent victory on Friday, it's abundantly clear to me, albeit never having played the sport, that our team is unbalanced. And as a result, we've seen 11 players take the pitch, with 10 of them having the ability to bowl.
I've read the posts already made on the subject, and it would appear that this isn't just my opinion....
In addition, AA's query regarding Evison's exclusion of late, is another point that I share.
6 wickets taken by our upcoming young Denly and our opening batter - 2 players who certainly played their parts today along with Harry & Jack without whom, we would have capitulated to the Durham bowling much earlier in the proceedings.
With Matt Walker pre-occupied with his fun cricket team (spit) , who should we be looking to for leadership & much needed direction going forward as another disappointing season nears its end ?
It's always great when someone nobody has heard off outside those in that circle does something fantastic playing cricket. So, I give you Bejamin Sleeman at the Bunbury Festival. The reaction of the two batters says it all
ECB funding for Tier One Women's teams is £1.5M annually against £230K annually for Tier Two and there will be no promotion or relegation for the next five years. So the likes of Kent will be expected to produce the England internationals of tomorrow on a shoestring and some of those promising young players are naturally likely to migrate, at an early age, to the nearest Tier 1 county. In our case that is likely to be Surrey. This is the stepping stone, no doubt, to what will happen to the Men's game with the only difference being that the eight teams are likely to be all of the Test/Hundred hosting counties.
ECB funding for Tier One Women's teams is £1.5M annually against £230K annually for Tier Two and there will be no promotion or relegation for the next five years. So the likes of Kent will be expected to produce the England internationals of tomorrow on a shoestring and some of those promising young players are naturally likely to migrate, at an early age, to the nearest Tier 1 county. In our case that is likely to be Surrey. This is the stepping stone, no doubt, to what will happen to the Men's game with the only difference being that the eight teams are likely to be all of the Test/Hundred hosting counties.
ECB is literally pissing on the faces of the non test ground counties while telling us all it's raining - The women's game format is the exact template ECB won't admit it has formulated for the men's game, it is just sitting on its hands until Kent or one of the other expendable counties goes into administration and they have someone else to blame for the failure.
Leicestershire's coach also raising the very pertinent issue of panto cricket contracted players unavailable for their parent counties despite warming the bench for the panto games when the county is struggling for players in the List A 50 over competition. Never forgetting that 50 over cricket is still the ICC's number one format for money and numbers of tournaments. ECB makes a lot of noise about red ball being the priority The 100 only exists cos ECB monumentally fucked up its T20 creation domestically. When it caught on, it was the obvious choice for a franchise model which would sit comfortably alongside the redball and 50 over requirements of the national side.
Heard a top ranked female hundred player (first choice English 50 over international) bemoaning the schedule "play away, travel the length of the country next day, play at home a day later, travel away and repeat - no time for recovery let alone coaching or practice". She's top tier paid domestic player and even the money isn't papering over the cracks.
In short ECB = not fit for purpose. A dictatorship with no regard for those for whom it is responsible
Just read the above 2 posts which set out 100% where our beloved county sits in the ECB "pyramid"....and it's even more devastating than I thought.
Fight or flight is the question I'm posing at this crucial time.
If we just sit back, head in hands, despairing, then we're surrendering and committing KCCC to it's inevitable end.
Albeit on a different scale & context, troops were mustered, plans were formed and the fight to regain "our Charlton " from the Belgians' clutches began.
Some may still snigger at the attempts, whilst others will say the actions only made Duchatelet more determined ...but we didn't give up easily.
Is there nothing that the "ordinary fan" can do before the death knell tolls for KCCC ?
We urgently need a vehicle to which we can cling - someone who's willing & able to bring those like minded supporters together & begin the battle for the Spitfires....
For those that are interested, Kent won the toss and elected to bat. Ekansh in for the injured Stobo who broke his little finger in the last game hence him dropping down the order in that game. Grant Stewart is playing as a batter to manage his workload.
This really does have the feeling of a season that should result in basically everyone connected with the senior management of Kent being not only fired but barred from entering the county, doesn't it
This really does have the feeling of a season that should result in basically everyone connected with the senior management of Kent being not only fired but barred from entering the county, doesn't it
For the money Kent offer, they will struggle to get someone like Sangakkara. That is the reason, I suspect, why Walker has been allowed to be at The Hundred for the last three years.
Everything is being driven by the finances which I suspect is at the root of the Compton and whether he is granted a red and white ball contract is the issue
We also have to take into account that we are missing Joe Denly, DBD, Muyeye and Billings all of whom would be in our top six. It's an absolute disgrace that DBD and Muyeye have not played any cricket for 18 and 17 days respectively because of their "involvement" elsewhere
Comments
............so close
Terrific game for the neutrals, 607 runs scored and 19 wickets and glorious sunshine.
Overall the batting has been a bit of a mess in the 50 over comp with no real recognised openers in the side, a fragile middle order and a long tail. None of the pace bowlers have impressed much either.
A disappointing campaign all round.
Spent over 7 hours boiling under the Canterbury sun in support of our club today but came away with nowt but a feeling of utter frustration at another winnable match thrown away.
Watching the previous 2 games via the stream, and regardless of the decent victory on Friday, it's abundantly clear to me, albeit never having played the sport, that our team is unbalanced. And as a result, we've seen 11 players take the pitch, with 10 of them having the ability to bowl.
I've read the posts already made on the subject, and it would appear that this isn't just my opinion....
In addition, AA's query regarding Evison's exclusion of late, is another point that I share.
6 wickets taken by our upcoming young Denly and our opening batter - 2 players who certainly played their parts today along with Harry & Jack without whom, we would have capitulated to the Durham bowling much earlier in the proceedings.
With Matt Walker pre-occupied with his fun cricket team (spit) , who should we be looking to for leadership & much needed direction going forward as another disappointing season nears its end ?
Where do we go from here ?
( Answers on a postage stamp, please )
https://x.com/Olssz/status/1822574920489914565
Leicestershire's coach also raising the very pertinent issue of panto cricket contracted players unavailable for their parent counties despite warming the bench for the panto games when the county is struggling for players in the List A 50 over competition.
Never forgetting that 50 over cricket is still the ICC's number one format for money and numbers of tournaments.
ECB makes a lot of noise about red ball being the priority
The 100 only exists cos ECB monumentally fucked up its T20 creation domestically. When it caught on, it was the obvious choice for a franchise model which would sit comfortably alongside the redball and 50 over requirements of the national side.
Heard a top ranked female hundred player (first choice English 50 over international) bemoaning the schedule "play away, travel the length of the country next day, play at home a day later, travel away and repeat - no time for recovery let alone coaching or practice". She's top tier paid domestic player and even the money isn't papering over the cracks.
In short ECB = not fit for purpose. A dictatorship with no regard for those for whom it is responsible
Fight or flight is the question I'm posing at this crucial time.
If we just sit back, head in hands, despairing, then we're surrendering and committing KCCC to it's inevitable end.
Albeit on a different scale & context, troops were mustered, plans were formed and the fight to regain "our Charlton " from the Belgians' clutches began.
Some may still snigger at the attempts, whilst others will say the actions only made Duchatelet more determined ...but we didn't give up easily.
Is there nothing that the "ordinary fan" can do before the death knell tolls for KCCC ?
We urgently need a vehicle to which we can cling - someone who's willing & able to bring those like minded supporters together & begin the battle for the Spitfires....
Is anyone listening out there ?
Both O'Riordan and Evison out
Finch caught behind
15-4 (5.3)
49-5 (16.1)
50-6 (18.3)