Twisted
Striker
And then there would still be players on the bubble of not quite earning deals abd being released
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Durham Departures 2024
- Thread starter Aidan11
- Start date
And then there would still be players on the bubble of not quite earning deals abd being released
Ottery
Full Back
Andrew Pratt came through that route too, I think
I saw him and his dad Gordon at Kings Cross station when I followed Pools. Pretty sure he had been on a Wicketkeeper’s course at the Lords Indoor School
Dan..Dan..Dan..Dan
Striker
True. It's the absence of any sort of real mechanism for those players to still be competative at a level where they are not totally lost to the possibility of being a first class player. Not everyone has reached their potential at a relatively early age. Arguably more so with batsmen than bowlers
We should be looking to maximise the number of England qualified players as it seems there is an increasing trend to buying in foreign players where it is possible. Two more CC teams is worth trying IMHO. Alternatively we can just batten down the hatches and hope that the threat to CC cricket will go away. Which it won't. Then wait for England to hit rock bottom and complain 'There aren't enough players coming through and the talent pool is too small'.
Sol Bell has been gone years hasn’t he?
Some cracking cricket badger knowledge that.
I couldn't tell you most of my family middle names let alone an Aussie cricketers
Whey, I knar Boony’s
It’s a lovely thought and for a cricket romantic like me I’m all for it, BUT, with finances and funding in domestic cricket as stretched as they already are, I’m not sure it’s a feasible option.
Wasn’t that what ‘Unicorns’ were from the One Day League a few year back…?
That was more of a thing before academies became so prevalent at the 18 counties though. I remember in our early days we signed a few players from ‘the Lords Groundstaff’. I always thought of it as being akin to ‘apprentices’ in the olden days of professional football - sweeping the stands, manning the turnstiles on matchdays and cleaning the boots of the first teamers.
Sorry, but that’s absolute wibble. You say in one breath that the coaches should’ve sussed out sooner they weren’t good enough and then go on to say they weren’t given enough of a chance
The fact is, like any other professional sport, the journey through the age groups to the top level of cricket is a very very difficult one to progress right the way through. It’s a tough school, it’s the reason why elite sportsmen are often referred to as ‘the 1%’.
Clearly you have a connection to lads who you know on a personal level, longer serving forumistas will know that I too felt that way about one or two players once - but you’re allowing your biases to cloud your judgement.
Ultimately, the fact of the matter is that DCCC have a phenomenal record with identifying and nurturing talent and as much as I would’ve loved to see all of these lads flourish (I too know one of them on a personal level) I’m more than comfortable with trusting their judgement on the players you speak of.
We do our best mate although sometimes it’s not good enough
Aye, always one obvious exception to the rule when it comes to ‘good debate’ even though they post far more than anyone else on here.
We have the Regional Premier League structure, which despite being much maligned by a particular lesser spotted poster on here, is in my view a very good mechanism for providing a competitive level of competition below the professional game.
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Dan..Dan..Dan..Dan
Striker
It would be interesting to know the volume of players that have progressed from RPL to the first class game. I'm sure it's a decent standard.
Twisted
Striker
I don't see what 'the threat to cc cricket' is when you're talking about players who don't make it in country cricket go play local leagues.
Im sure you wont have heard marty talk about chris rushworth being released by Durham as a youngster but he worked his way back and did alright for himself
Dan..Dan..Dan..Dan
Striker
I bailed out at 'I don't see what 'the threat to cc cricket' is..........'
Ben Raine likewise. Mind that's about it. 2 in 30+ years!
Twisted
Striker
You think players not making at counties is the major threat to cc?
Raine left for another county rather than making it back via the NEPL but I'm sure there'll be other examples. I've no idea about other counties, and you could argue it's a similar pathway for all of young guns who seem to be doing fairly well!
There'll always be players who don't make it
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Dan..Dan..Dan..Dan
Striker
Maybe you have misinterpreted my post. The threat is that of the determination of the ECB to marginalise CC in favour of lining their pockets with cash from comedy cricket.
At best they will neglect CC, at worst actively undermine it. I love CC and hate to think that by the end of this decade it may have the equivalent cricketing status of the Carabao Cup, if you'll allow that comparison.
Twisted
Striker
We totally agree. Although i think the coca cola cup comparison is overly optimistic.
There are many changes I'd make to safeguard the future of cricket. More counties isn't one of them. The fixtures are horrific right now and adding more to what exists now would just mean more days played in bleak midwinter... We already start the season playing in snow and end it with Christmas decorations up in the shops.
Bri
Striker
And they've got to move players out to allow new ones to come in at the bottom. It must be a tricky decision.Should imagine there’ll also be some kind of minimum wage stipulation as well which will be a key factor on whether the young uns are worth keeping on
Weighall too
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chopsfc007
Striker
It will be nothing like the caraboa cup in that cup until the latter stages teams often play a totally weakened team which won't happen in the longer format stuff
Ottery
Full Back
the first cricket book I read, Dudley Doust's bio of Botham published in 1980, I think, i.e. before the Headingley renaissance, has a fantastic account of Botham's time on the Lords' ground staff...
A slightly less racy account is here:
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GordonMuchallNo1Fan
Striker
Franklin set Bushnell back, totally messed him about. However he hasn't kicked on this season which is a shame as I genuinely believe he's a good cricketer and I hope he gets fixed up. That said competition for places has been tough. Good luck to him
Dan..Dan..Dan..Dan
Striker
I meant that the CC would just fall down the pecking order of importance.
Twisted
Striker
Despite people on here demanding both we can't be a club that plays 11 players from the north east and contend for titles. The like of rushy, raine, coetzer and many more had to move on to get games as we had such a strong team back then when we were dominating. If the same happens again we can't really complain
Largely comprised of Academy products when we won the CC in 2013. Somerset reached 2 finals and were competing for CC throughout this season with predominantly academy products. We've got a large catchment area to draw on Durham,Northumberland,Cumbria and Scotland.I'd argue,with the addition of the two permitted overseas,we should be capable of competing for titles with academy products.In fact if we can't fulfil that aim,I'd be questioning both the recruitment and coaching in the academy.
Hopefully,Borthwick and Clark's involvement in the 2nds will help in the progression of the youngsters. I'd like Stoneman to be given a role as batting coach in the Academy.
Let's not forget the sole aim of our going 1st class i.e. to give local youngsters the opportunity to play cricket at the top level.
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Wasn’t at Wearside College was it?
