The Cricket Thread

And then Holland hits the stumps with a straight drive.

 

Holland's failure to give Fuller the strike was totally inept.

 

With bat and ball, Garton is jumping into my XI at the moment for the 100 (most likely in that one rubbish slot which we were previously probably having to fill with Rawlins or Whiteley).

 

And fielding TBF.

 

Ah, the effective french cut there.

 

Wood can just swing at this last ball.

 

Slither of a chance to make 160

 

Not upset with a dot ball there.

 

Given ourselves a glimmer of hope. Sussex still big favourites but at least we didn't collapse.

 

I know we defended this yesterday, but Sussex are far superior with the bat than Essex. We'll need a majestic bowling performance, because I suspect we're anything between 20 and 40 light here. (The extra 20 odd runs we didn't get vs Garton.)

 

Surprised that the commentators questioned why we batted first (I guess it's just a default thing to say, when a side choose to bat and then loses).

If we'd chosen to bowl, Sussex would have scored about 200 and we wouldn't have even made 154 in reply. Hence an even greater NRR damage.

 

Get Donald and Rilee in that team and we might have the fire power to make competitive scores but unless Vincey and Short stay in for most of the innings we are going to continue to struggle to make 160.

 

CDG coming in for Holland in 3 matches time should help with that. But only until we then lose Short (assuming he doesn't get cut from the Aussie squad), at which point we're properly screwed unless we bring in a replacement overseas opener.

Alsop so far struggling to justify coming in for Northeast.

 

For once, Nasser Hussain is absolutely spot on here, after England’s miserable performance yesterday:

 

I would suggest that Silverwood potentially only has another seven months left.

Good results against India and Australia could completely change the picture. But I'm not sure he could survive losing them both - especially if the Ashes is a heavy defeat, which, to be honest, isn't exactly unlikely based on previous trips down under!

 

How about concentrating on New Zealand playing brilliantly rather than conjecture on England's abysmal performance?

 

I am certainly looking forward to Devon Conway joining Somerset and showing our top order how to bat. It’s not just the England team that need a kick up the arse, many first class counties are guilty of the same issues.

 

I hope he makes an immense contribution to Somerset's attempts to win trophies. As for two counties that need the proverbial, Hampshire is oñe and the other are the champions in mediocrity - Middlesex!

 

Good T20 team, very underwhelming in the County Championship.