The Cricket Thread 2015-16

YOU CAN'T DROP GAYLE!

 

Kent dropped him twice, and I think I read that Essex dropped him once too.

 

Trego out. Phew.

 

Hildreth is a very good batsman, but I'm happy to see him coming out now rather than Allenby and Cooper. Always the chance that Hildreth might eat up a few balls whilst getting himself in.

 

Gayle dropped again!

 

Worcestershire use their wicket keeper as an extra fielder (pads and gloves off) against Northamptonshire. Mmm in the rules, but not the spirit of the game, surely.

 

Fair play to Worcs. I've got nothing against inventive captaincy. And of course they're taking away the possibility of having the batsman stumped or caught behind the stumps (not to mention putting even more pressure than usual on the bowler not the slide one past leg stump), so it's not like there was no disadvantage to Worcs of such a tactic.

 

Although we have yet to officially announce it, it looks like Andre Adams has decided to retire from cricket. (He was due to leave us at the end of this month any way).

Bird and Terry both come into our 13 man squad, with Brad Wheal missing out. I wouldn't be surprised if we field an attack of Tommo, Bird, Fidel and Berg (supported by Ervine and Dawson). We badly need to start taking wickets, and as solid as Briggs has been so far this season, you can't see him taking 5-47 or something similar.

 

I'd drop Dawson TBH. Or at least move him down to number 5. Carbs opening, Smith at 3.

 

He deserves to be dropped. But I'm not sure that Berg is good enough to bat at 8 in D1, let alone at 7 (if you're going to replace Dawson with a bowler).

Alternatively, if you're going to stick with six batsmen plus Wheater, well that means Terry starting. Think I'd stick with Dawson in that case.

 

I think he is. He's batted there (and higher) for Middlesex.

 

Indeed he has. And he himself said that he believes he's a top six batsman, when we signed him.

But the facts are that this season he averages 21.6 with the bat, which is less than even Briggs (and less than Dawson, by the way), and 28.9 for his whole FC career. Two centuries in 123 innings. Dawson has three times as many.

The only way that we can realistically put Berg at 7, in my opinion, is when we have the top 6 firing and Wood coming in at 8.

Wheater is also not good enough to bat at five in D1, in my opinion, but that's another issue.

 

And Dawson's been dropped. Tomlinson rested Bird, Edwards, Berg and Ervine the seam attack with Briggs in as spinner. Pleased with that.

 

Berg with a wicket in his over. Needed that, because Sussex have got off to a flyer.

We don't have another four game for two weeks, and last week we only bowled for one innings. So I wouldn't be surprised if Tommo has been outright dropped, as opposed to rested.

 

Bird strikes!

 

Hopefully that wicket settles Bird down. Hardly been an impressive start to his very short Hants career until that point.

 

Berg has 3 Sussex 87/4. Great morning's work.

 

Berg's been head and shoulders our best four-day seamer so far this season. One more wicket before lunch would be fantastic.

 

This partnership has just wrestled some of the initiative back towards Sussex, but nevertheless they remain on dodgy ground at lunch. Add two wickets to this current score, and we're well on top.

 

Need a wicket NOW.