Durham Season Review

So now that the season is over in terms of promotion - I thought it would be worth discussing how things have gone in 2019. I had initially thought about calling the thread ‘Durham - The Post Mortem’ but then nobody has died and I feel like that would be far too negative in a season where I genuinely feel like we’ve made huge progress with regards to getting back to where we belong.

To have gone on an 8 game unbeaten run in the Championship, putting the side within touching distance of promotion despite losing our first four games was fantastic and but for a disastrous start we could be talking about a title charge, let alone promotion.

The white ball game isn’t my forte and admittedly, every season we’ve had where we didn’t win a white ball Trophy was instantly forgettable. This one will be no different, but I would like to see the club attempt to get D’Arcy Short back for next year.

On the subject of next year, I’d like to see a move for Bancroft or Latham - international calendar permitting. I alluded to it on the Borthwick thread, but there’s no question that our weakest suit is our batting and if we need to spend money anywhere it is on either an opener or a 3/4 batsman.

Eckersley has been a fine acquisition too, I look forward to his continual growth in the side - however the rest of the middle order remains a real issue. We’ve got about 6/7 players vying for positions 4-6 and in truth nobody seems to want to make any position in the middle order their own.

Rushy continues to prove his worth, I’ve ran out of superlatives to use to describe him and his performances.

Ben Raine has been a fantastic signing, easily the find of the season, but I would like to see more from him with the bat.

Aside from those two, we probably need a solid new ball bowler - Carse has threatened to emerge as that, but I still worry he’s just as likely to take 0-60 in 12 overs as he is to rip through the opposition.

There was a murmur elsewhere about Onions being a free agent this winter, I would be surprised if he returned going off the way he left and the cloud which seemed to hang over the whole saga - but Franklin wasn’t around then and so perhaps bygones can be bygones. Again, I can’t see it, but I’d be delighted now we’ve seen the benefit of hindsight regarding his resurgence at Old Trafford.

All in all, there’s much to be excited about, it feels as though we’re heading in the right direction and although there’s disappointment over the Northants defeat and the way the season has ended I’m positive on the whole. The end of this season has a lot of similarities for me, in terms of how I feel towards it as 2006 - we’re getting the right people in the right places and the feel good factor seems to be returning, it could all end up going nowhere I admit and maybe this feeling is just a bit of trapped wind - but I think we’re on the cusp of something really exciting again :cool:

Oh and I know we’ve still got one game left, I’m going and I intend to enjoy it thoroughly.
 


So now that the season is over in terms of promotion - I thought it would be worth discussing how things have gone in 2019. I had initially thought about calling the thread ‘Durham - The Post Mortem’ but then nobody has died and I feel like that would be far too negative in a season where I genuinely feel like we’ve made huge progress with regards to getting back to where we belong.

To have gone on an 8 game unbeaten run in the Championship, putting the side within touching distance of promotion despite losing our first four games was fantastic and but for a disastrous start we could be talking about a title charge, let alone promotion.

The white ball game isn’t my forte and admittedly, every season we’ve had where we didn’t win a white ball Trophy was instantly forgettable. This one will be no different, but I would like to see the club attempt to get D’Arcy Short back for next year.

On the subject of next year, I’d like to see a move for Bancroft or Latham - international calendar permitting. I alluded to it on the Borthwick thread, but there’s no question that our weakest suit is our batting and if we need to spend money anywhere it is on either an opener or a 3/4 batsman.

Eckersley has been a fine acquisition too, I look forward to his continual growth in the side - however the rest of the middle order remains a real issue. We’ve got about 6/7 players vying for positions 4-6 and in truth nobody seems to want to make any position in the middle order their own.

Rushy continues to prove his worth, I’ve ran out of superlatives to use to describe him and his performances.

Ben Raine has been a fantastic signing, easily the find of the season, but I would like to see more from him with the bat.

Aside from those two, we probably need a solid new ball bowler - Carse has threatened to emerge as that, but I still worry he’s just as likely to take 0-60 in 12 overs as he is to rip through the opposition.

There was a murmur elsewhere about Onions being a free agent this winter, I would be surprised if he returned going off the way he left and the cloud which seemed to hang over the whole saga - but Franklin wasn’t around then and so perhaps bygones can be bygones. Again, I can’t see it, but I’d be delighted now we’ve seen the benefit of hindsight regarding his resurgence at Old Trafford.

All in all, there’s much to be excited about, it feels as though we’re heading in the right direction and although there’s disappointment over the Northants defeat and the way the season has ended I’m positive on the whole. The end of this season has a lot of similarities for me, in terms of how I feel towards it as 2006 - we’re getting the right people in the right places and the feel good factor seems to be returning, it could all end up going nowhere I admit and maybe this feeling is just a bit of trapped wind - but I think we’re on the cusp of something really exciting again :cool:

Oh and I know we’ve still got one game left, I’m going and I intend to enjoy it thoroughly.
Rushy is going to make you find new superlatives after he hits the winning runs tomorrow ;)

So many positives to take from the season after how it started.

Clearly only having 19 batting points tells you everything you need to know. Albeit we are completely shafted in 7 games due to the toss rule.

But isn't the salary cap over next season? So you imagine their will be work done in recruitment that will strengthen that top 6.
 
Rushy is going to make you find new superlatives after he hits the winning runs tomorrow ;)

So many positives to take from the season after how it started.

Clearly only having 19 batting points tells you everything you need to know. Albeit we are completely shafted in 7 games due to the toss rule.

But isn't the salary cap over next season? So you imagine their will be work done in recruitment that will strengthen that top 6.

Salary cap or not, it’ll be more of an issue whether we can afford to pay players - it does appear though that the wolves aren’t at the door like they were a couple of years ago.
 
Salary cap or not, it’ll be more of an issue whether we can afford to pay players - it does appear though that the wolves aren’t at the door like they were a couple of years ago.
I think the fact that we where able to bring in Short for the T20 suggest the economics are a little bit better than last few seasons.
The worry is they are bringing in the likes of Robson on trial and playing him in the 1st team when he is effectively s failed county batsmen and probably no better than we have got. The concern is that the real market we are shopping in for new players.
 
I think the fact that we where able to bring in Short for the T20 suggest the economics are a little bit better than last few seasons.
The worry is they are bringing in the likes of Robson on trial and playing him in the 1st team when he is effectively s failed county batsmen and probably no better than we have got. The concern is that the real market we are shopping in for new players.
Same could be said for our captain if you're taking the view on Robson.

Talking of the T20 attendances seemed good this season. Throw in a successful world cup game and some concerts then perhaps finances are ok.
Salary cap or not, it’ll be more of an issue whether we can afford to pay players - it does appear though that the wolves aren’t at the door like they were a couple of years ago.
Well let's hope people fill out the ground for the T20 despite the FTECB stance
 
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I think the fact that we where able to bring in Short for the T20 suggest the economics are a little bit better than last few seasons.
The worry is they are bringing in the likes of Robson on trial and playing him in the 1st team when he is effectively s failed county batsmen and probably no better than we have got. The concern is that the real market we are shopping in for new players.
Yes, that is a concern as does the article below if the academy is to be our sole area of recruitment.
However there is both a minimum and maximum salary cap and with the £1.3m bribe each county is receiving from FTECB from 2020 the minimum cap has been doubled to £1.5m. This implies Durham would have to increase their wage bill substantially. Early in the season Bostock accepted that investment in this area was necessary but there has been no evidence since of it happening.
 
Mostly agree with Brandon although not quite as optimistic.

I'm pleased with North and Franklin. They seem proactive and whatever Lewis' talents in retrospect I think he was a bit tired and a change would be good for him as well as Durham.

With the overseas players the only thing I'd ask for is a bit of continuity. If it's either Bancroft or Latham (would be brilliant) it would be great if they could come back for year after year which would give them a chance to make a difference.
 
Same could be said for our captain if you're taking the view on Robson.

Talking of the T20 attendances seemed good this season. Throw in a successful world cup game and some concerts then perhaps finances are ok.

Well let's hope people fill out the ground for the T20 despite the FTECB stance
True but very few of those signings come off in county cricket especially batsmen.
If they had proven batsmen lined up for next season I doubt they would be bothering with the likes of Robson on loan.
 
It looks as though Australia have no tests planned at all for next summer, the only cricket they play between March and the T20 World Cup in October is a white ball tour of England in July.

It could be that with the T20 World Cup taking place in October, international sides will be looking more towards that so test cricket could play 2nd fiddle.

England play West Indies early summer and then Pakistan later on, but other than that at this moment there’s no test cricket scheduled. This could obviously change, but it may be that more ‘test specialist’ players are available for the majority, if not all, of next summer.
 
The ship seems to have been steadied.

Massive changes in the playing staff this year, I'm really pleased that they've been ruthless with the players that will never make it. Nothing personal with any of them but Will Smith was well past it, and players like Harding, Pringle and Richardson were never going to be anything more than fillers and I expect Poynter is a goner as well.

Lees, Ned, and Raine have all been excellent signings.

So the youth has been thrown in and generally has shown promise. Really looking forward to how the Steels, Trev and the next wave of youngsters develop next year.

It's a shame we couldn't quite get it together in time this year, with 3 going up it is the best promotion opportunity we'll see.
 
Yes, that is a concern as does the article below if the academy is to be our sole area of recruitment.
However there is both a minimum and maximum salary cap and with the £1.3m bribe each county is receiving from FTECB from 2020 the minimum cap has been doubled to £1.5m. This implies Durham would have to increase their wage bill substantially. Early in the season Bostock accepted that investment in this area was necessary but there has been no evidence since of it happening.
Any idea how the academy lads have got on this season. It's a lot more difficult to follow their progress since they disbanded the NEPL side.
Doneathy and Sol Bell appear to be the 2 that have played quite a bit of 2nd team cricket.
 
Any idea how the academy lads have got on this season. It's a lot more difficult to follow their progress since they disbanded the NEPL side.
Doneathy and Sol Bell appear to be the 2 that have played quite a bit of 2nd team cricket.
Jon Bushnell as well but I don't think any of them are knocking on the 1st team door yet. Killeen minor is also very promising but he's only about 15.
 
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Bookmarked!!

Interesting that Richardson did so well in the RLC50 while only getting the chance of 1 game in the championship - and look what happened to him.

Burnham. I think he did ok but not great, maybe it was a bit difficult getting back in the swing - but I really hope he does better next year, I'm not the best judge but I think he's got the talent.

And Cameron Steel, what's happened to him? He took a blow which it's said affected his confidence - ok, but this season isn't good enough by a long way. Can and must do better.

Given their contributions this season there are big question marks around Poynter and Clark. Last season I thought Poynter was doing ok - but this season, pretty much nothing from him.
 
Plenty to be positive about.

Raine, Eckersley, Rushy and Carse the pick for me in the 4 day game. Scott Steel a massive positive in the limited overs formats. Cameron Steel and Clark have had poor seasons. 899 runs for Lees in the county championship, needs to be over 1000 next season. Raine 54 wickets in the county championship is an excellent effort

Kick on next season. I've enjoyed this season. All the best
 
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