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County Championship 2018

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brandon

Striker
Season curtain raiser tomorrow at 19:30 - MCC v Essex.

Slightly warmer today, plenty of sun, It's nearly here lads and I'm not just talking about Tit Monday :cool:

Odds:

D1 - Essex 11/4, Yorkshire 4-1, Lancashire 9/2, Surrey 5/1, Nottinghamshire 7/1, Hampshit 8/1, Somerset 12/1, Worcestershire 20/1.

D2 - Middlesex 2/1, Warwickshire 7/2, Sussex 11/2, Kent 7/1, Northants 10/1, Glamorgan & Gloucestershire 14/1, DURHAM 16/1, Derbyshire 20/1, Leicestershire 25/1.

Don't mind that, doesn't really mean much I suppose, weren't any Promotion odds on bet365, sure somewhere will have some if anyone else wants to share......? Like that nobody fancies us, feels just like 2013 ;). I'm very positive about the side we have and our prospects, not suggesting we'll go up or win anything, but I think Beefy and Lewis have done well over the winter regarding recruitment.

HA'WAY DURHAM!!
 

Not confident at all about our season, especially if we do end up losing even more players with England, although there are rumours Kholi may spend a couple of months with us.

Reckon this'll be a long season on the red-ball front.
 
Those 2nd Div odds feels like not much more than make the relegated teams the most likely to get promoted, but as we know it doesn't always work like that.

I agree on the recruitment for Durham and it looks like we have a competitive squad .... but I reckon it depends on bowlers being able to stay fit and whether McCarthy or Stokes will play any games.

Didn't Sussex in 2013 make a lot of noise about 'going to win it this year' and they got relegated and haven't got back into Div 1 yet? Maybe it was 2014, can't recall clearly. But they've got good bowlers but I wonder whether Jordan and Archer will play much CC.

The Kent squad doesn't look that strong.

We could have a good chance, I think those odds on Durham are a bit pessimistic.

ps is there a chance that England will come calling early for Colly and effectively say to him 'now or never'?
 
Not confident at all about our season, especially if we do end up losing even more players with England, although there are rumours Kholi may spend a couple of months with us.

Reckon this'll be a long season on the red-ball front.

How so marra? Still plenty of talent there even without Stoneman and a Curran - probably only the former will miss too much cricket, I expect though that Team England will allow Stoneman to play himself into form.

Regarding Kohli, you're probably the only side capable of bankrolling it, but looking at his schedule (IPL and India) I see no real benefit whatsoever to any county bringing him in.
 
I see another tough season for us too. Despite the usual claptrap from the coaching staff and players I don't see our batting improving, or our attack taking 20 wickets. "Galeylad" :rolleyes: has shown little signs of ever being a decent coach or man manager and rumours of dressing room unrest won't go away. I expect similar to last season in the white ball stuff. Not a disaster but nowhere near winning either competition.
 
Those 2nd Div odds feels like not much more than make the relegated teams the most likely to get promoted, but as we know it doesn't always work like that.

I agree on the recruitment for Durham and it looks like we have a competitive squad .... but I reckon it depends on bowlers being able to stay fit and whether McCarthy or Stokes will play any games.

Didn't Sussex in 2013 make a lot of noise about 'going to win it this year' and they got relegated and haven't got back into Div 1 yet? Maybe it was 2014, can't recall clearly. But they've got good bowlers but I wonder whether Jordan and Archer will play much CC.

The Kent squad doesn't look that strong.

We could have a good chance, I think those odds on Durham are a bit pessimistic.

ps is there a chance that England will come calling early for Colly and effectively say to him 'now or never'?

Yeah, I would never really make too much of those odds, I suspect the Promotion odds might make more sense but echo your comments really - Kent and Northants are both above us but I don't make a great deal or either of them. It's clear like you said regarding the relegated teams and they've also taken last seasons positions into account regarding the two I just mentioned and Glamorgan too I reckon who for me are bang average.

Looking at our bowling as a whole, I'm actually really optimistic. I hadn't even factored Stokes in at all, which is probably wise given his likely summer workload. McCarthy should be with us for April at least and then after the Test Match (11-15 May) we should have him until August. Although I'm not overly concerned about that, could benefit us just as much to have him playing those games in the international arena. Wood I hope will play some red ball stuff for us, proving his fitness and form for the England games, perhaps I can be hopeful of as many as 6 games?!!

Aside from those, Rushy, Rimmington, Potts and Weighell will likely make up our quartet when McCarthy isn't here. Gavin Main is still employed by us too iirc - but Josh Coughlin will be keen to make an impact this term and I think the coaches and Colly like him.

Anything came out further about Carse? Any chance of seeing him later in the season?

I see another tough season for us too. Despite the usual claptrap from the coaching staff and players I don't see our batting improving, or our attack taking 20 wickets. "Galeylad" :rolleyes: has shown little signs of ever being a decent coach or man manager and rumours of dressing room unrest won't go away. I expect similar to last season in the white ball stuff. Not a disaster but nowhere near winning either competition.

I see Gillespie is at Sussex - thought he'd left Yorkshire to go back home? Bit shite if he's with them now after saying that to you lads.
 
Assuming Stokes and Wood will hardly feature due to England and IPL commitments, what do we reckon our strongest side is?

Markram/Latham
Clark
Steel
Smith
Collingwood
Pringle
Poynter
Rimmington
McCarthy
Rushworth
Potts?
 
Not confident at all about our season, especially if we do end up losing even more players with England, although there are rumours Kholi may spend a couple of months with us.

Reckon this'll be a long season on the red-ball front.
The situation Durham find themselves in now is the cricketing equivalent of the safc illegal payments scandal. It’s a long way back for Durham. The whole thing has been ripped apart quite deliberately.
 
Yeah, I would never really make too much of those odds, I suspect the Promotion odds might make more sense but echo your comments really - Kent and Northants are both above us but I don't make a great deal or either of them. It's clear like you said regarding the relegated teams and they've also taken last seasons positions into account regarding the two I just mentioned and Glamorgan too I reckon who for me are bang average.

Looking at our bowling as a whole, I'm actually really optimistic. I hadn't even factored Stokes in at all, which is probably wise given his likely summer workload. McCarthy should be with us for April at least and then after the Test Match (11-15 May) we should have him until August. Although I'm not overly concerned about that, could benefit us just as much to have him playing those games in the international arena. Wood I hope will play some red ball stuff for us, proving his fitness and form for the England games, perhaps I can be hopeful of as many as 6 games?!!

Aside from those, Rushy, Rimmington, Potts and Weighell will likely make up our quartet when McCarthy isn't here. Gavin Main is still employed by us too iirc - but Josh Coughlin will be keen to make an impact this term and I think the coaches and Colly like him.

Anything came out further about Carse? Any chance of seeing him later in the season?



I see Gillespie is at Sussex - thought he'd left Yorkshire to go back home? Bit shite if he's with them now after saying that to you lads.
Quite a few rumours swirling around about that actually from the bizarre: he fell out with the club after publicly criticising the dairy industry with one of our sponsors being Wensleydale Creamery, to the slightly more believable: he could see the decline coming and wanted to leave on a high. Personally I like the boring but common sense opinion: He left with genuine hopes of landing a top job in Australia but after waiting for 12 months saw nothing in the pipeline so took the Sussex opportunity. He alone makes them my favourites for promotion.
 
Assuming Stokes and Wood will hardly feature due to England and IPL commitments, what do we reckon our strongest side is?

Markram/Latham
Clark
Steel
Smith
Collingwood
Pringle
Poynter
Rimmington
McCarthy
Rushworth
Potts?

Something like:

Markram/Latham
Steel
Smith
Clark
Collingwood
Richardson
Poynter
Rimmington
McCarthy
Potts
Rushworth

Pringle and Weighell to consider as first alternates.

The situation Durham find themselves in now is the cricketing equivalent of the safc illegal payments scandal. It’s a long way back for Durham. The whole thing has been ripped apart quite deliberately.

Except Durham have a much more talented squad than SAFC.
 
The situation Durham find themselves in now is the cricketing equivalent of the safc illegal payments scandal. It’s a long way back for Durham. The whole thing has been ripped apart quite deliberately.
Funnily enough thats what I said at the time. But the squad isnt bad at all.

batting still looks weak bar the overseas and colly
Steel and Clark can make runs. We'll have to see how Markram does, ie can he adjust to the new environment. And ofc Smith can make runs, weve seen that, but will he is the question.
 
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Funnily enough thats what I said at the time. But the squad isnt bad at all.


Steel and Clark can make runs. We'll have to see how Markram does, ie can he adjust to the new environment. And ofc Smith can make runs, weve seen that, but will he is the question.
Well of course they all potentially can but Clark and Smith are average good to see we won't be short of bowling options anyway
 
Can Colly roll back the years Again?

I’m not so sure. Will Father Time catch up with him being 41/42?

Hope Durham get promoted but I can’t see it again.
 
I'd happy with a strong 4th place, probably behind the 2 relegated teams and Sussex. We'd get tonked in Div 1 unless there were 3 or 4 new faces.
 
Can Colly roll back the years Again?

I’m not so sure. Will Father Time catch up with him being 41/42?

Hope Durham get promoted but I can’t see it again.

Well he's taking wickets for the MCC against Essex ;)

Which by the way doesn't seem to be being covered by the BBC or Cricinfo :rolleyes:

There is a live stream though -
 
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