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Post by scrumpjob on Jan 26, 2020 22:24:57 GMT
So Dom Goodman and the brothers Price all getting pro contracts for the season ahead. Thoughts?
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Post by procswrongfoot on Feb 2, 2020 11:25:34 GMT
Not convinced that this is necessarily the right thread to have a rant.......but rather struggling to resist.
At present, I am feeling totally underwhelmed at the current news coming out of Nevil Road. Our club is beset by the continuing underlying lack of ambition, which is frankly depressing.
With just over 2 months to the start of the season, we currently have a painfully looking thin squad. Desperately need some positive news, unless we are supposedly intending to acquire a few loan signings to help us limp along through the season.
Never mind, we seemingly merely exist in order to relentlessly promote ourselves as a staging post for occasional international cricket. Quite unbelievably, we now also seem intent/obliged to positively promote Welsh Fire......the Horrible Hundred designed to ruin the height of our cricket loving season. I wonder if others share my feelings of being marginalised and increasingly unimportant.
Anyway, congratulations to the recently announced 3 young guns who have been awarded contracts. To be quite honest, youngsters who score centuries for our Second Eleven or take 5 wicket hauls, get me potentially excited. Perhaps sounding churlish, but the quoted achievements of the 3 lads to date appear rather underwhelming.
Natural skill needs to be harnessed to dedication and a strong mental approach, in order to stand out and make the necessary grade to become a county pro. Massive good luck to the lads and I will follow their achievements with great interest.
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Post by scrumpjob on Feb 16, 2020 17:03:17 GMT
I think we are looking ok:
Dent (c) Hammond Bracey (wk)
Are the options to open and I think any combination is strong as would be all three making up the top 3.
Top/Middle order is stacked with options and several are handy for the odd over with the ball as well:
J.Taylor Hankins Cockbain Van Buuren Scott Roderick (wk) T.Price O.Price
A good selection of all rounders who are all decent or better batsmen:
Higgins Charlesworth Howell Smith Goodman
A strong pace battery with Taylor's addition adding some real x-factor albeit he's aging:
J.Taylor Payne M.Taylor Shaw Whittingham
And an overseas spinner who could be brilliant with a prospect as backup:
Ahmad Drissell
I think Whittingham will hopefully be like a new signing if fit again and Howell and/or Hankins may have to open at times but we are looking ok.
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Post by procswrongfoot on Feb 17, 2020 13:42:42 GMT
Very much applaud the positivity of the above post.
Accordingly, l feel rather guilty to add my personal dose of realism (or is it merely pessimism?).
Of the 23 players listed above, the actual realistic options for our opening CC match quickly diminish.
1. Would confidently predict that Goodman and the Price brothers won't feature in either the CC or T20 this season. Hopefully, ones for the future. 2. Pretty sure that Cockbain has a white ball only contract. 3. Drissell won't feature on early season wickets. Also Ahmad will be unavailable. 4. Whittingham must be a major concern fitness wise. 5. Struggle to believe that Hammond has the necessary technique (far too loose) to be a competent First Division opener. Last season in 23 innings he only scored 418 runs (av19) against Div 2 attacks. Conversely, his agressive approach is ideally suited to T20.
Additionally, our best batsman (Bracey) should bat at 3 please. Hope that we avoid the temptation of making him open. Admittedly, based on very limited evidence, l would be tempted to go with Charlesworth as opening partner for Dent.
Anyway, at present my line up for the opening CC at Headingly in April would be:
Dent, Charlesworth, Bracey, Roderick, Scott/Hankins, Higgins, Howell, van Buuren, Payne, Shaw, Taylor (Jerome).
Hammond, Jack Taylor, Cockbain and Smith to feature regularly in all our white ball cricket line ups.
Of course, Jerome Taylor is a Kolpak for this season. Presumably means that we can still anticipate an overseas signing for the first half of the season. Would automatically slot somewhere within the above line up, depending on actual skill set.
No great surprise, but a quick check of the bookies odds for next season have us and Northants as strong favourites for relegation.
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Post by scrumpjob on Feb 17, 2020 22:29:06 GMT
I dont think you are wrong. The squad looks slightly skewed towards the short formats.
I do think though that Dent, Bracey and Higgins should all be reliable run scorers in division 1 and it's key that we've kept hold of all 3. I think we should remember that Hammond is still developing as a batsman after coming through as a spinner so I'm sure he will have been working on his red ball game. Roderick and van Buuren should be able and Charlesworth will be looking to cement a place in the team and contribute more runs. Scott will be under pressure to contribute after getting a 3 year deal and I've heard good things from Middlesex fans who were disappointed he left.
That overseas signing for the early part of the season will be key though.
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Post by maxpayen on Sept 15, 2020 10:09:49 GMT
There has been some commentators using the terms up and coming/ good young team for us and our performances this year. Out of interest does anyone know the exact age’s of the players who played against Mayo (including used subs)? I have a felling that we are a lot older than what people believe! Also if the average profile is 27+ is there an argument to be made that this group have had their chance and therefore a new team needs be formulated. Realistically how close is this group and is there longevity within the group i.e sustained success over the course of 4-6 years? ------------------------- Get fast, free Geico Car Insurance Quotes today. Find affordable insurance coverage for your car, motorcycle, and much more.
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