Kent CCC 2018

Playing the USA again today. Kent have won the toss and are batting. Denly and Thomas replaced by Qayyum and Tredwell so, along with Riley, we are playing three front line spinners with Haggett, Stewart and Gidman the seamers.

20-1 off 8. Zac Crawley gone for 4.

34-2 off 12. DBD gone and Rouse has come in to join Dickson.

This is becoming somewhat laughable from 33-1 to 51-6 against the mighty USA! Both Gidman and Blake out, the latter stumped.

172-9 off 50 thanks, in the main, to the 87 run 7th wicket partnership between Haggett (42) and Stewart (44)

126-7 off 36 so 47 required off 14

One each to Haggett and Riley

139-9 another to Haggett

Given that the numbers 10 & 11 of the albeit cricketing super power that is the USA are in, we surely can't lose this?

On second thoughts we probably could.

Addick Addict said:

In other news and according to Cricnfo, Sam Northeast is going to be signing for Hants.

Confirmed today that SNE has signed on a long term contract with Hants.

The background and feelings of many of the supporters:

Kent maintain that they offered Northeast one of the best contracts in their history to stay with them beyond this season. Although the captaincy is an annual appointment, they were not prepared to allow him to remain as captain for this year unless he signed an extension. "We wanted to plan for the future and spoke to Sam for several months, but he did not want to stay," said a spokesman.

Northeast, who grew up on the Kent coast at Deal and first played for Kent when still at school, was told last year by Matt Walker, the head coach, that he was not their preferred choice of captain. Their relationship broke down irretrievably - to the extent that Northeast stayed away from the St Lawrence ground and practised instead at Beckenham. He has also been frustrated by the club's shortage of finance - largely caused by poor management in the past - and, despite a number of talented young players on the staff, not gaining promotion.

In terms of the breakdown of communication and lack of information to the club's supporters and members, this sorry episode is uncannily reminiscent of the departure of Mike Denness, the most successful captain in Kent's history, and who had captained England, in 1976. What Kent would give now for the two trophies he won that season.

On BT now Kent are batting against the Leewards Hurricanes and in the very first over Zac Crawley is bowled by their opening quickie.

When I say bowled I don't actually mean bowled because the ball hit the bails so hard that the ball sailed over the keeper's head and went to the boundary - but the bails didn't actually come off so we got 4 byes instead!!!

I have seen the stumps hit before and the bails not come off but not at that pace and you could try it a billion times and it wouldn't happen again.

71-0 off 17

DBD 31* (42)
Crawley 34* (60)

Interesting triumvirate sitting together in the crowd - Jimmy Adams, Graham Johnson and Paul Downton presumably discussing what has and what will be going on at the club.