Both Jaydn and Ekansh have reached their tons. Good work boys!
Given the largely poor batting this season one or both deserve an opportunity in the first team I reckon. Jaydn's bowling potential might give him an edge.
Someone on the Kent group on Facebook has re-produced the Academy Group from 2010 - 15 in total. Probably our best in terms of all round sportsmen/women:
England cricketers - Sam Billings, Oli (?) Robinson & Tammy Beaumont Pro cricketers - Adam Ball, Adam Riley, Fabian Cowdrey & Daniel Bell-Drummond Pro footballer - Joe Pigott Semi-pro footballer - Tom Chapman
Never let it be said that Beckenham is flatter than the baize on a snooker table at the World Championships. The 2s game has finished Kent 530-9 dec vs Essex 554-4 dec. No less than six players hit a ton and another three made 50s with two of those undefeated.
You probably know all of these but a few others might not - Bolton's keeper Nathan Baxter and had to make a "really" difficult choice between Kent and Chelsea and England rugby's Ben Earl was in the same age group academy as Crawley and O'Riordan. On the flip side, Adam Ball was in the same U10s at Arsenal as someone called Harry Kane and another promising kid called Chuks Aneke but no idea what happened to him.
You probably know all of these but a few others might not - Bolton's keeper Nathan Baxter and had to make a "really" difficult choice between Kent and Chelsea and England rugby's Ben Earl was in the same age group academy as Crawley and O'Riordan. On the flip side, Adam Ball was in the same U10s at Arsenal as someone called Harry Kane and another promising kid called Chuks Aneke but no idea what happened to him.
With his injury record, Chuks would fit in very nicely at Kent.
Benik Afobe, as well as Ball, Chuks and Kane was in that team too. Chuks, seated right in the middle of the front row, was an imposing unit even at that age.
Stewart and Finch return but the latter won't keep but presumably will open. Crawley has been made unavailable by England and Evison has a side strain and "is replaced by fellow seaming all-rounder Ekansh Singh as a like-for-like replacement". That comment allied with "Loan Player Jamal Richards is included in the squad and could make the final appearance of his spell at the Club" suggests that Richards might be the one to miss out.
I’m sure Richards will eventually turn into a decent county player but he looked well off it at lords
He batted well in the second innings but he is really inexperienced in the bowling department and this was only his second FC game. I recall us taking James Harris on loan from Middx who was 26 at the time and ready to do a job straightaway. Those days seem to have gone and effectively we have taken Richards on loan, in the same way as a Championship side might take a PL footballer with next to no experience. That said, to lose Dudgeon, Gilchrist, Quinn, Evison, Jas and Cohen is pretty brutal and needs must.
Stewart and Finch return but the latter won't keep but presumably will open. Crawley has been made unavailable by England and Evison has a side strain and "is replaced by fellow seaming all-rounder Ekansh Singh as a like-for-like replacement". That comment allied with "Loan Player Jamal Richards is included in the squad and could make the final appearance of his spell at the Club" suggests that Richards might be the one to miss out.
Crawley not being allowed to play is baffling, when the Test isn't for 2 weeks. He's not a fast bowler needing his minutes to be managed, he's an out of form player desperately needing minutes in the middle, to try and build on his better 2nd innings performance in the last game. He could play this game, have a couple of days off, and still have a whole week to prepare for the mighty Zimbabwe.
Stewart and Finch return but the latter won't keep but presumably will open. Crawley has been made unavailable by England and Evison has a side strain and "is replaced by fellow seaming all-rounder Ekansh Singh as a like-for-like replacement". That comment allied with "Loan Player Jamal Richards is included in the squad and could make the final appearance of his spell at the Club" suggests that Richards might be the one to miss out.
Crawley not being allowed to play is baffling, when the Test isn't for 2 weeks. He's not a fast bowler needing his minutes to be managed, he's an out of form player desperately needing minutes in the middle, to try and build on his better 2nd innings performance in the last game. He could play this game, have a couple of days off, and still have a whole week to prepare for the mighty Zimbabwe.
Aren't the England players having a training camp this week, then a rest and then the test?
Stewart and Finch return but the latter won't keep but presumably will open. Crawley has been made unavailable by England and Evison has a side strain and "is replaced by fellow seaming all-rounder Ekansh Singh as a like-for-like replacement". That comment allied with "Loan Player Jamal Richards is included in the squad and could make the final appearance of his spell at the Club" suggests that Richards might be the one to miss out.
Crawley not being allowed to play is baffling, when the Test isn't for 2 weeks. He's not a fast bowler needing his minutes to be managed, he's an out of form player desperately needing minutes in the middle, to try and build on his better 2nd innings performance in the last game. He could play this game, have a couple of days off, and still have a whole week to prepare for the mighty Zimbabwe.
Aren't the England players having a training camp this week, then a rest and then the test?
They are. I've been fortunate enough to see their schedule:
Sunningdale, St George's, Walton Heath and Princes followed by a week in Marbella
Not that it affects us but the IPL being suspended will have an interesting effect on the CC. Will be a few players suddenly available you’d think
I'm not sure how much it will as there is only one more round of matches before the Blast kicks in. Certainly the likes of Buttler isn't going to be rushing back to play for Lancs because he doesn't play red ball anyway. Most will probably just take the opportunity to have another week or so off.
I don’t follow it too closely so wasn’t sure how near the end it was, I guess some would have been involved in the post season (play offs?) but not many. Can’t imagine the IPL were too happy with the PSL moving to the UAE first
The writing was, unfortunately, on the wall for Richards in that preview. There has to be a bit realism about the bowling of Ekansh. He is not, as has been suggested by the official site, a "like for like" replacement for Joey Evison simply because he does not have the miles behind him as a bowler. I hope he proves me wrong about that but right about his ability with the bat. Go well Ekansh!
Benik Afobe, as well as Ball, Chuks and Kane was in that team too. Chuks, seated right in the middle of the front row, was an imposing unit even at that age.
He's sitting as opposed to standing as he was injured
Evison is a batting all rounder anyway, very much a 5th bowler.
DBD can fill in if we need more seam options.
Agree about Evison being a batting all rounder but he did take 6 wickets in the last game which was more than any of our bowlers. Trouble with DBD is that he doesn't bowl himself. Whether that is because of his long standing back issues I don't know but, as captain, in 13 games last season he didn't bowl a single ball and there would have been plenty of times when we would have needed him to turn his arm over. He bowled just 35 overs in 2023.
Comments
England cricketers - Sam Billings, Oli (?) Robinson & Tammy Beaumont
Pro cricketers - Adam Ball, Adam Riley, Fabian Cowdrey & Daniel Bell-Drummond
Pro footballer - Joe Pigott
Semi-pro footballer - Tom Chapman
Benik Afobe, as well as Ball, Chuks and Kane was in that team too. Chuks, seated right in the middle of the front row, was an imposing unit even at that age.
Sunningdale, St George's, Walton Heath and Princes followed by a week in Marbella
We won the toss and decided to bowl, no Richards and Ekansh makes his FC debut
DBD can fill in if we need more seam options.
Anyone else ?
34-1