The Cricket Thread

Although that said, we didn't know that we'd lose Wood and Topley to injury. (Similarly our decision to agree to no recall clause in Arafat's loan deal. We knew what we were doing, but we didn't know we'd lose Wood and Topley).

 

Hampshire have to get 296 to beat Middlesex. Crane bowled well got four wickets.

 

Did well to restrain Mccullum could have been carnage

 

Got him out in the nick of time.

 

Thunderstorm stops play, 1 wicket down already.

 

In Croydon today and its been raining here for a couple of hours with thunder and lightning. Could be a long stoppage.

 

Currently requiring 158 runs from 18.5 overs

 

As good as they both are, there's probably too much really for these two to do by themselves, so so much comes down to how the remaining guys perform. If one (or two) of them can make 20+ then we can chase this. But none of them are exactly big hitting limited overs guys.

 

Good bloody job we bowled first! I would not fancy this scenario if we were defending a total with McCullum, Morgan etc.

 

Four of these last six overs from Patel, Stirling and Franklin is handy.

Just don't get out now guys please, if it's starting to rain a bit again.

 

Ervine's out.

 

God Dawson is good in one day cricket these days. Well played.

 

Smith...

 

Good win

 

Anyone see the Notts v Northampton score? Blimey. Were they bowling under arm?

 

Either that or the boundaries were 10m away from the wicket.

 

I wish we'd announce what we're doing with Carberry. Three games in a row now we've named him in the squad, but not picked him. For the two one-day games, I thought it was probably more a case of us resting him, to see if we could refresh him mentally and physically following a poor start the season - whilst at the same time giving the youth a chance. I think it's pretty common that the one day comp is the least cared about by the counties. But I really thought we'd recall him today, especially given he's played in all three of our t20s to date. So maybe he is injured, maybe the shin injury he picked up on Thursday was more serious that suspected. But if so, why did he play on Friday night, and why has he been announced in all three squads since?

If he's fit, I'd have picked him ahead of Best here. Absolutely no need for seven bowlers plus Ervine. And for me Best is the weakest of the seven. (Nothing to do with batting ability between him, Andrew, Berg and Smith. That low down the order it doesn't matter if 11 can bat or not. It's just coincidental that he happens to be the weakest batter amongst the bowlers).

 

Ok, Solent have said he has a hand injury and can't hold a bat properly (so a different injury to last week). Seem strange that we keep on naming him in the squad then.

 

Probably haven't got anyone else!

 

Yeah it's for that reason why I'm going to now accept Best playing in this game. No Vince, no Carberry, no Alsop. Weatherley would be the only other option, but he hasn't fired in his two appearances so far. So it has to be a bowler really, and I'd take Best over Stevenson and Wheal (and no need for a fourth spinner in Crane).

Good first over Best.