The Ashes & Hampshire Cricket Summer Thread - II

Just give us Glamorgan in the draw later today...

 

Glamorgan win, and finish with a NRR of 0.576. They may or may not finish above Somerset, but either way they have qualified.

 

Oh please let us get Glamorgan!

 

Yeah. Glamorgan or Somerset/Northants. It's really a no-brainer!

I don't think Gloucs are mathematically out yet, but I can't see it. Even if they do win from here.

 

Thinking about it, will Somerset be weakened by ODI call ups? Buttler and Kieswetter will be in the squad I guess.

 

Probably not Kieswetter, but Buttler certainly.

At least if Briggs and/or Carberry get called up, they might not play - and thus the ECB might released them back to us for the one game. Especially if we're the Monday game (harder to do for the Saturday game, where there's an ODI each side). Buttler though will play for England.

And what about Notts? Lumb, Hales, Taylor and Patel are all potentials - although none are nailed on to be selected.

 

Looking like it's going to be Somerset. Written in the stars that Somerset and Notts will face each other - if not in the SFs, then the finals. They always run into each other year in a knock-out game. And invariably, Somerset always beat them.

 

Is the draw live on SKY?

 

Yes

 

Come on ECB Man, give us Glamorgan...

 

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!

 

He listened Brendy....Yesss!!!

 

Haha. Lords here we come!

 

You've had an inspired couple of hours with Carberry and now this.

 

Smash the taffs

 

If selected, it'll be a return to the Rose Bowl for Simon Jones. (And for Marcus North too, not that he exactly featured much for us!)

 

From a spectators point of view, I hope we're the Saturday SF. Midweek evening 40 over games are just a pain - having to finish work slightly early, and the games don't finish until late.

However, if Carberry and/or Briggs are selected in the ODI (neither a certainly however - Briggs in particular will depend on Swann's fitness, given that Tredwell is certain to be picked), then being the Monday SF gives more scope for the ECB potentially releasing them back to us for 24 hours.

 

Think you should tip us to win both cups while you're in form!

 

It is a shame that the ODI's are happening at the same time as the SF's. Interest in County Cricket is never going to increase because the best players are unavailable to play.

Most sides with Eng regulars are used to playing without them and don't factor them in when planning for the season. However other players who do well for their counties and force their way into the international set up can not be replaced or covered so readily. Last weeks game against Lancs comes to mind.

This year is going to be even worse. Eng have already said that many of their Ashes squad will be rested for the ODI's. At a guess I would say that will be Cook, KP, Swann, Broad and Anderson and maybe Bell all of which will be replaced by inform County players further weakening the County game at the business end of the season. I suspect Carb's is a shoe in.

Maybe they should reduce the number of County matches in a season across all formats to create space in the calendar so there can be a bit of a gap between international and domestic matches.

 

Given that he's captain, I'd be amazed if Cook wasn't in the ODI squad (and that does then cloud the Carberry situation slightly), but yes given that the next world cup isn't until 2015 and we have another Ashes series just around the corner, I'm expecting KP and Swann to both be rested.

Scrapping all England Lions matches during the county season, and international t20 matches (except for the t20 world cup) would be where I'd start.