The Cricket Thread 2015-16

Just back from the school run so I'm a bit late tweeting mine.

Well done lads and ta Yorkshire.

 

Interesting season overall. Not a lot to choose between 8 of the 9 teams and unlucky for Sussex and Worcestershire. Points wise Middlesex (runners-up) were nearer Worcestershire's total than the Champions.

 

Brilliant day, but me being me, I'm already looking towards next season. To my mind, there's no reason why an attack of Fidel, Berg, Crane/Topley and Abbott and/or McLaren (should one or both sign) shouldn't see us much higher up the table next time around. Whether we're talking top three, or safe mid-table, probably comes down to whether a batsmen score runs like they have in these past two months throughout the whole of next season, or whether they replicate their first four months again.

Exceptionally difficult to call player of the season between Fidel and Berg. I'll go Berg, just. But ultimately we needed them both to survive. They both did sensational jobs for us.

I can't see Jimmy wanting the four day captaincy back now, so we can presumably say that Vince is now our permanent captain in all formats.

Here's to a much better 2016, and hopefully our best four day finish since 2008.

 

Echo that SB. Some really good youngsters waiting to break through as well. Every reason to be optimistic

 

Hear hear to that SB.

Agree that this bowling attack shud do well next season. Consistent batting has been a major issue this season with too many of the top order out of form for long periods. Hard to fathom out why, Vince had a fantastic season before this one yet has been really patchy, just the way it goes with batsmens form i guess. A remarkable escape, and the professionalism, attitude and skill of the Yorkshire team yesterday shouldnt be understated.

 

Danny Briggs has left Hampshire to join Sussex. Didn't see that coming. Really disappointed we've let him go.

 

Don't understand that at all. Assume Mason and Brad are seen as the future

 

Briggs obviously wanted more playing time.

 

Sad but wish him well. Excited about next season.

 

Yeah me too, always liked Briggsy and he was a local lad, well local to Fran at least. Will seem odd him not playing for Hants. At least he wont be playing against us in County Championship games next season.

 

We'll suffer in the t20 as a result of this, that is pretty much a certainty. But by all accounts he would have left in 12 months time any way, when his contract was up. I mean, come on, it was getting to the point last season where he couldn't even get into our one day team, let alone our four day team. Maybe in five or ten years time he might be in a position in his career where he's happy to play just t20 cricket and a bit of one day cricket, but right now he has to continue to try and make it in the four day game.

Fair play to us therefore for agreeing to let him go now. We could easily have put our foot down and insisted he stayed. But clearly that wouldn't have been fair on him, and it might have risked his t20 performances for us next season dipping slightly. We've done the right thing for him, even though it's probably not the right thing for the club or us supporters.

It'll be interesting if this now changes our winter spending plans. Extra wages available to use, an extra space available in our t20 side.

I wonder how Will Beer feels now. That could be the end for his time at Sussex now. In many ways, he was their Briggs - able to get into the limited overs teams, but sidelined for four day cricket.

 

Spot on, you can liken it to the Jack Cork situation at Saints, he was clearly good enough to be playing regularly in the Premier League but was being kept out by better players and there were young players ready to supersede him too. Well done to Hants for doing the right thing and good luck Briggsy at Sussex.

 

Pakistan 173-2 as 1st Test nears tea.

 

247-3 .

 

Misbah given out caught behind after a very loooong delay. Didn't expect the decision to go our way after the review took so long.

 

Mason Crane has signed until 2017.

 

Pakistan 405-4 now....England being punished for poor performance in the field yesterday....2 dropped catches and a no-ball for one catch. Have to take your chances in the subcontinent....otherwise the scores are massive.

 

England 260-1. Good that England can bat as well, but these games can be so boring. Just a batsman's paradise with hard toil for the bowlers.

 

England 400-3, drifting to a draw. Double century for Cook. I presume it is in Abu Dhabi on safety grounds, but crowds are low as you might expect. What is in it for the hosts? Not Dubai, but interesting that they are talking about the heat and it is October!! World Cup will be interesting and by interesting, I mean unpleasant.

 

England declared with a 74 lead after their 9th wicket....good batting over all, but a bit of a collapse at the end. Now 24-2 with 2 wickets for Anderson, but now afternoon in Abu Dhabi. Inevitable draw....but not bad for us as it looked as if it could have been worse when the Pakistanis were piling on the runs. Not an easy match for the bowlers.