Squad v Kent

[steve]

Bad news yesterday with Payne breaking down after six overs. It looks like he was brought back too early as with Norwell.
Also no news yet on a possible replacement for Worrall so our bowling is looking a bit thin. Worrall, Norwell and Payne are probably our three frontline bowlers.

On the batting front I think Hankins deserves a return after his excellent performances in the one day matches- and I am afraid the person looking most vulnerable is Jack Taylor.

[procswrongfoot]

I do think that we have reached the stage when some brutally honest decisions need to be made.

Rather sadly, I do agree that Jack's position in the team must be under threat. Feel somewhat disloyal for saying this, as Jack remains one of my favourite players. However, on present form he does not look a Number 5 batsman in 4 day cricket. Either we rest him or alternatively move him down the order.

Others who must be under pressure must include GvB who has given a poor return with the bat and his 49 overs have yielded a solitary wicket, which is simply not good enough. Then we have our supposed all rounder KNB, who somehow has become a token bowler (has only bowled 17 overs in our first 4 CC matches).

Thus my team for the Kent match would be: Dent, Howell, Bracey, Roderick, Hankins, Cockbain, Higgins, Smith, Miles, Taylor (M) and Liddle. The seam bowlers virtually select themselves based on lack of alternatives.

The overseas situation does need sorting out quickly. Also wonder if we have been attempting some form of short term loan.......Josh Shaw perhaps. (Still have not been enlightened as the 6' 9" tall trialist that John Light alluded to).

Weather for the match looks fairly decent. Would be no surprise for Kent to use the no toss rule and for us to be fighting a rearguard action once again. Matt Henry has been an absolute revelation for them with a staggering haul of wickets. At the moment, pessimistic me is somewhat thinking that a draw is probably the best that we can hope for. But can we manage to double our current dismal total of 2 batting bonus points?

[procswrongfoot]

Hands up......managed to get my pre-match team selection thoughts spectacularly wrong. (Also Kent totally confounded me by ignoring the no toss option).

So to completely prove me wrong, GvB and KNB were comfortably our match saviours (100 run partnership in both innings) in fighting a rearguard battle to secure us another draw. In fact, I am more than happy to state that KNB was in my mind our man of the match, scoring a total of 115 runs and undefeated in both innings. Perhaps more importantly/impressively he faced a mammoth total of 314 balls. Really didn't think that he had the necessary levels of concentration and restraint to achieve this, but played exactly in accordance with the needs of the actual state of the match.

After 5 matches, we now have the quite dismal total of 13 bonus points.

I have previously blathered on about the Bristol wicket for 4 day cricket, so I will refrain from merely repeating myself yet again. Suffice to say that in the last round of CC matches there were 6 results and only one draw

We desperately need the overseas situation to be resolved (Matt Henry has now taken a quite staggering total of 43 wickets for Kent in 5 matches) Perhaps stating the obvious, but a top class overseas makes such a huge difference to any potential chances of winning.

[paul]

I don't think we are taking this championship very seriously I strongly hasten to add that does not include the players playing they are doing their best and are digging in,and I think doing pretty well. Looks like we are settling for a good go at the Blast. Can't understand why George didn't play. The management obviously don't have the resources to go out and get reinforcements. I see Bresnan is not happy with his Yorkshire deal, but that probably means he is looking for more money, but he is looking for a better deal elsewhere. Wishful thinking, sorry. Well not long until Cheltenham now and so chance to turn draws into wins. Would like to think we can win both. Lets hope we can.