Is a stronger 2nd XI Championship the answer?

[Aidan11]

After another Ashes thrashing,we go on about which players are not good enough. Rather than the ECB bollocks of too many CC games, is it worth improving the 2nd XI Championship?

We only play 5 games a season in the competition with the rest of the season playing friendlies and.white ball games.

I would double that number to make it more competitive. Put more emphasis on winning the 2nd xi Championship and promotion/relegation.

There have been many players who play well in the seconds but when they step up to the first team find it difficult. I think the answer is to narrow the gap between 2nd & 1st xi cricket.

Admittedly mine is a simplistic view but we need something that will create more skillful players.

Comparing the two sides in the Ashes, only Root and Stokes would have been good enough to get into that Australian team. Thats the difference between the two sides.

 

[Bri]

After another Ashes thrashing,we go on about which players are not good enough. Rather than the ECB bollocks of too many CC games, is it worth improving the 2nd XI Championship?

We only play 5 games a season in the competition with the rest of the season playing friendlies and.white ball games.

I would double that number to make it more competitive. Put more emphasis on winning the 2nd xi Championship and promotion/relegation.

There have been many players who play well in the seconds but when they step up to the first team find it difficult. I think the answer is to narrow the gap between 2nd & 1st xi cricket.

Admittedly mine is a simplistic view but we need something that will create more skillful players.

Comparing the two sides in the Ashes, only Root and Stokes would have been good enough to get into that Australian team. Thats the difference between the two sides.

I don't know how you would do that. Cash prizes for wins? I would have thought the best 'prize' for a 2nd 11 would be to play 1st team cricket and if he's not there it kind of reduces the quality of the 2nd team.

It's a thought but I don't see how.

Ultimately, a better County Championship is the answer and that is hamstrung by the ECB and the money men.

 

[Aidan11]

I don't know how you would do that. Cash prizes for wins? I would have thought the best 'prize' for a 2nd 11 would be to play 1st team cricket and if he's not there it kind of reduces the quality of the 2nd team.

It's a thought but I don't see how.

Ultimately, a better County Championship is the answer and that is hamstrung by the ECB and the money men.

Yeah, it does need some thought to improve the 2nds. Im not sure if they even get prize money, just a trophy. All this 16.4 money might help improve it.

I reckon it's a better idea than the ECB just chopping a couple of CC games.

 

[MustardAndOnions]

I am not sure myself.

Reality is 14 games does not lend itself to bowlers bowling quick, not even down to the pitches always, its just so much cricket its impossible.

Thats why someone like Ben Rain can bowl all day at his pace/

I love CC and I don't want any games reduced, as I enjoy going to it, and its a competition in its own right, but its not set up to produce the skills for test cricket

Obviously it does produce players, and I guess thats the good point of having so many players, it gives people a chance.

I don't know how you would do that. Cash prizes for wins? I would have thought the best 'prize' for a 2nd 11 would be to play 1st team cricket and if he's not there it kind of reduces the quality of the 2nd team.

It's a thought but I don't see how.

Ultimately, a better County Championship is the answer and that is hamstrung by the ECB and the money men.

The last part, thats true on some aspects, but I also believe my post above which is that amount of cricket, and on the pitches we generally have, isn't really suited to a lot of test cricket.

Its just what it is.

TBH its why I dont get the criticism of Key, he hasn't tried to reform it or cut the games, he decided to just keep out of it, but has plucked players out of it who have the raw skills to succeed like Bethell and Tongue etc

I think thats the way to go myself

 

[Fleagle]

After another Ashes thrashing,we go on about which players are not good enough. Rather than the ECB bollocks of too many CC games, is it worth improving the 2nd XI Championship?

We only play 5 games a season in the competition with the rest of the season playing friendlies and.white ball games.

I would double that number to make it more competitive. Put more emphasis on winning the 2nd xi Championship and promotion/relegation.

There have been many players who play well in the seconds but when they step up to the first team find it difficult. I think the answer is to narrow the gap between 2nd & 1st xi cricket.

It’s a thought, but if we’re trying to copy them lot, their second xi stuff is even more Mickey Mouse than ours. And the real issue is the step up from 1st xi to the test arena anyway.

Admittedly mine is a simplistic view but we need something that will create more skillful players.

Comparing the two sides in the Ashes, only Root and Stokes would have been good enough to get into that Australian team. Thats the difference between the two sides.

If you’re going by the actual performances in the series that’s over negative.

Based on that Head is nailed on to open, Smith and Root in the engine room, Stokes ahead of any of their supposed all rounders and Carey ahead of our non-keeper.

After that, based on what they did you’d obviously have Brook or Bethell ahead of either Lab or Khawaja in your top five and while it’s a choice between failures you’d have Crawley ahead of Weatherald as well. And if you’re restricting yourself to bowlers who were actually fit enough to play most of the games I reckon you’d either pick a four of Starc, Boland, Neser and Tongue or pack the batting, in which case the other of Brook or Bethell comes in. Either way it’s more like 6-5.

That’s one of the frustrations. They had their failures too. This was a missed chance.

 

[Parkside]

It’s a thought, but if we’re trying to copy them lot, their second xi stuff is even more Mickey Mouse than ours. And the real issue is the step up from 1st xi to the test arena anyway

2nd XI cricket in both countries is far too gentle but Grade cricket in Aussie is a really competitive environment and a tough school to compete in.I also think that our academy opting out of the NEPL as a team has had a detrimental effect on development.

 

[MustardAndOnions]

It’s a thought, but if we’re trying to copy them lot, their second xi stuff is even more Mickey Mouse than ours. And the real issue is the step up from 1st xi to the test arena anyway.


If you’re going by the actual performances in the series that’s over negative.

Based on that Head is nailed on to open, Smith and Root in the engine room, Stokes ahead of any of their supposed all rounders and Carey ahead of our non-keeper.

After that, based on what they did you’d obviously have Brook or Bethell ahead of either Lab or Khawaja in your top five and while it’s a choice between failures you’d have Crawley ahead of Weatherald as well. And if you’re restricting yourself to bowlers who were actually fit enough to play most of the games I reckon you’d either pick a four of Starc, Boland, Neser and Tongue or pack the batting, in which case the other of Brook or Bethell comes in. Either way it’s more like 6-5.

That’s one of the frustrations. They had their failures too. This was a missed chance.

Yeah I mean if we are talking like overall combined XI going forward Brook walks in

He averages 55 man.

Btw head averages 30 away from home

It’s more important we win home ashes series

I’m not as mad as others about this series myself always thought it was v unlikely we would win

Especially with a pink ball test which is so unfair

 

[Aidan11]

Pink ball tests should be cancelled.

Just a novelty. I wonder if these tests make any more money compared to proper tests.