The Red Telephone
Striker
We head into our home game against leaders Essex in 5th place on the back of our excellent victory against Worcestershire at Kidderminster.
This game is a real test of our credentials as a side capable of challenging for the title against a county whose return to their silverware winning ways of the past coincidentally corresponded with our demotion in 2016 and the seasons that followed.
The visitors have began the campaign with two big wins against Notts and Lancashire and a draw against Kent. They seem to be a side where everyone chips in and although their three bowlers Cook, Porter and Snater are never going to win any prizes for bowling 90mph deliveries they are all excellent County bowlers and have taken 43 wickets between them after three rounds of matches (with Cook taking taking 15 in two games) while Saffer off spinner Simon Harmer - surely one of the best CC signings in the last decade - has chipped in with six.
Other ones to watch out for are of course Dean Elgar the former South African opener who signed a three year deal with Essex earlier this year having retired from International duties and is already amassing big scores, Matt Critchley the ex Derbyshire all rounder who has scored 151no and taken a 5fer and their own ex- Kent wicket keeper/batsman Jordan Cox whose early season scores with the bat matches our very own Olly Robinson's great start. Oh and there's also 'The Man With The Big Bat'....no not Nic Maddinson..but Feroze Khushi and it will be interesting to learn what Essex's punishment will be after that episode ...hmmm.
So that's Essex, but as some on the forum noted regarding the Worcs game, it was as if that was the real start to this ,so far, frustrating campaign after the saturated pitch and the Edgbaston road. What we saw was the Durham of last season where just when things appeared as if they were slipping we stepped up the gears and turned the game around on the 2nd day and finished it off in fine style on the 3rd.
As for our line up - well I imagine the Top 6 will remain unchanged and as for the others...Will Carse return? Will Pottsy have to sit this one out? (I hope not), Raine is a shoe in, Coggs showed how good he can be in the last game, the veteran Siddle no doubt will be playing against one of his former sides and what of Parkinson? The only player I imagine who will be making way is de Leede.
The weather... Who knows? If you're an optimist then look at the Met Office long range forecast and if not then avoid the others!
Haway Durham - Let's get into them!!!
This game is a real test of our credentials as a side capable of challenging for the title against a county whose return to their silverware winning ways of the past coincidentally corresponded with our demotion in 2016 and the seasons that followed.
The visitors have began the campaign with two big wins against Notts and Lancashire and a draw against Kent. They seem to be a side where everyone chips in and although their three bowlers Cook, Porter and Snater are never going to win any prizes for bowling 90mph deliveries they are all excellent County bowlers and have taken 43 wickets between them after three rounds of matches (with Cook taking taking 15 in two games) while Saffer off spinner Simon Harmer - surely one of the best CC signings in the last decade - has chipped in with six.
Other ones to watch out for are of course Dean Elgar the former South African opener who signed a three year deal with Essex earlier this year having retired from International duties and is already amassing big scores, Matt Critchley the ex Derbyshire all rounder who has scored 151no and taken a 5fer and their own ex- Kent wicket keeper/batsman Jordan Cox whose early season scores with the bat matches our very own Olly Robinson's great start. Oh and there's also 'The Man With The Big Bat'....no not Nic Maddinson..but Feroze Khushi and it will be interesting to learn what Essex's punishment will be after that episode ...hmmm.
So that's Essex, but as some on the forum noted regarding the Worcs game, it was as if that was the real start to this ,so far, frustrating campaign after the saturated pitch and the Edgbaston road. What we saw was the Durham of last season where just when things appeared as if they were slipping we stepped up the gears and turned the game around on the 2nd day and finished it off in fine style on the 3rd.
As for our line up - well I imagine the Top 6 will remain unchanged and as for the others...Will Carse return? Will Pottsy have to sit this one out? (I hope not), Raine is a shoe in, Coggs showed how good he can be in the last game, the veteran Siddle no doubt will be playing against one of his former sides and what of Parkinson? The only player I imagine who will be making way is de Leede.
The weather... Who knows? If you're an optimist then look at the Met Office long range forecast and if not then avoid the others!
Haway Durham - Let's get into them!!!
