The Cricket Thread

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Of course Surrey have (re)signed Sibley. Because they need to strengthen their squad...
 
I suppose what that might do is make Ryan Patel decide against signing a new contract, if he doesn't fancy sitting behind Burns and Sibley in the pecking order.

He's averaging 43 in the Championship this season (albeit with the advantage of playing at the Oval), and only Curran has scored more for Surrey (albeit Pope and Foakes have also scored more if you include their test runs).
 
As rumoured, Ed Barnard goes to Warwickshire from 2023. That's a shame, he's a player I'd have quite liked at Hampshire, his batting in particular has really improved in the last couple of years. Having said that, I guess he'd have been in direct competition for Barker's spot at number 8, unless we'd have had him instead of Abbas and an overseas batter in the top order or something.

There are quite a few players out of contract this winter, so hopefully we will be able to pick up someone exciting. That elusive solid experienced English-qualified county opener would be a good starting point! I think Adam Lyth might be available (if he chooses to leave) and Malan if he's unsettled at Yorkshire, although he's not really an opener.

New three year contact announced for Lyth this morning. One of the few players it seems Yorks have/will managed to hold onto.
 
No Vince is the t20 or ODI squads, so that ensures he's free for the t20 KO stages (should we qualify) and then the three Championship matches.

Officially it seems like the squads are for the matches vs India only. But the matches against SA start just two days later, so I imagine the same squads will be carried forward. And that would mean Brook, Willey and Malan missing the four day match against us (and presumably Root and Bairstow won't be made available by the ECB).

Depending on how accommodating the ECB are - and who makes the final XI for each match - the two sides potentially hardest hit for the t20 KO stages are Surrey (Curran, Roy, Jordan, Topley) and Lancs (Buttler, Livingstone, Salt, Parkinson, Gleeson). The best two sides on paper could be someway short of that.