Kent CCC 2017

Addick Addict said:

killerandflash said:

Addick Addict said:

killerandflash said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39857312

Surprised Billings isn't playing, seeing that he's avilable

I think perhaps the Kent management are sending a message to both Billings and Rouse - Billings leaves again on Monday and whilst he is a better batsman than Rouse, is it worth disrupting the team unit for a player who won't be available in the foreseeable future?

Incidentally how do player contracts work with things like the IPL, as they're outside the ECB, central contracts etc?

Do they take unpaid leave, are clubs like Kent compensated by the IPL clubs for their missing players?

Here's the answer (well sort of anyway):

The terms and conditions of central contracts, which were renegotiated by the Professional Cricketers’ Association last August, introduced separate deals for Test and white-ball players. Those on Test contracts, such as Stokes and Joe Root, will lose 0.5 percent of their England salary, thought to be about £700,000, every day they are on IPL duty.
Those on the lower white-ball contracts will be docked 1 percent of the value of their one day central contract which matches their county deal, going down to 0.7 per cent per day after 21 days. Those contracts will be lower, meaning England’s bigger stars on the higher Test contracts will be deducted more money to play in India.
The deduction is to fund payments from the ECB to compensate the counties for the fact their player is unavailable at a time when he could be playing domestic cricket. The money will be split among the counties and paid as top-up grants for their academies.

Glad you asked now aren't you MOL!

happyvalley said:

Romping home at the moment 200 - 2 . 12 overs remaining

killerandflash said:

231/5 of 44.2 all getting a bit more tense

cantersaddick said:

Addick Addict said:

cantersaddick said:

Surely you can fit them both in? Billings can play as a batsman of you don't want to upset the team and Rouse is going well?

The only batsman out of form is Denly and he's our 6th bowler so it would mean us going in with just five bowlers, two wicket keepers, Sam Northeast, DBD, Dickson and Blake.

Fair enough. Tough one... we will take him. Could do with another keeper batsman!

Addick Addict said:

Joe Denly's place might be under pressure - in the last 5 weeks he has managed just 121 runs in 9 innings.

It all depends on the nature of the wicket and whether we think we need the second spinner as the 6th bowler. Otherwise, Will Gidman is currently out of the side and Adam Ball has scored hundreds in his last two 2nd X1 games.

Addick Addict said:

wmcf123 said:

Addick Addict said:

Joe Denly's place might be under pressure - in the last 5 weeks he has managed just 121 runs in 9 innings.

It all depends on the nature of the wicket and whether we think we need the second spinner as the 6th bowler. Otherwise, Will Gidman is currently out of the side and Adam Ball has scored hundreds in his last two 2nd X1 games.

That's Ball's level

Ball was prolific with the bat as a youngster up to and including getting into the Bexley first X1 in the Kent Premier League as a 15 year old. He was England U19 captain too.

I think Kent had a vision of him ultimately replacing Darren Stevens so tried to encourage his bowling. I also believe that the change of emphasis didn't do him much good and only served to undermine his batting - coming in down the order with very few overs left and constantly getting out doing so probably didn't do his confidence much good.

Now I am not saying that Ball will make it but, at some point, Kent have either got to give him a run in the top 5 or release him. Most, including myself, were surprised when a couple of seasons ago Blake was given another contract - he'd done very little previously but one or two vital innings that season proved the making of him.