It is a given that to win a game of cricket you must take twenty wickets. I cannot dispute that. But in terms of winning the County Championship, the quality or rather the sheer weight of a team’s batting makes a far, far bigger difference. Just look at the tables: In Division 1 the range of batting points accumulated is big. From the highest points total (by Surrey of … [Read more...] about It’s batting that makes the difference!
The season structure – unstructured thoughts!
Am I alone in thinking that the present structure of an English (and Welsh) cricket season leaves much to be desired? One reads this in the press and on social media and I would love to hear what the players and coaches think. Dropping franchise cricket into the schedule will only make it more congested, however short the actual games are. Rather than what feels like an … [Read more...] about The season structure – unstructured thoughts!
A time for optimism
I have to put on my rose-tinted spectacles with four games remaining; although Surrey are the clear leaders, with a 32 point lead over Somerset, I’m sure I am not the only supporter trying to work out how we can overtake them. For a brief moment, I’ll have a long cold look at the most daunting prospect remaining. The disheartening aspect is the substantial beating we took … [Read more...] about A time for optimism
The leagues don’t lie!
As the excitement and mayhem of the second of the two limited overs competitions reaches quarter final stage, I reach a navel gazing moment and look at the league tables and notice some justice and some similarities between the Royal London One Day Cup 50 and Vitality Blast T20 final tables. Starting with the early season competition, in which Somerset failed to progress, … [Read more...] about The leagues don’t lie!
Stephen Hubbard: “Will the franchises control how many games “their” players play before their season?”
The debate about the details of the format of The Hundred is, in my opinion, a distraction, and possibly a deliberate diversion, fascinating and hard-to-understand though the undecided format is. It is control which is being sought, with independent minded counties being an inconvenient historical relic to a central board whose primary concern appears to be about their … [Read more...] about Stephen Hubbard: “Will the franchises control how many games “their” players play before their season?”