Gareth Harte



brandon said:
It’s not as straightforward as that.
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Surely it is? Apart from a couple of games for Burnham did a local young un get a top six spot last year?

And we’ve just lost Scott Steel, who didn’t get a go in the BWT and was shunted down the order in the T20. Opportunities limited by Saffas in both cases.

It’s a fair argument for saying that Durham are stronger on the pitch for the imports but I’d find it hard for anyone to tell me that they aren’t blocking the local conveyor belt (even if it’s a weak one).
 
NorthCountryBoy said:
Surely it is? Apart from a couple of games for Burnham did a local young un get a top six spot last year?

And we’ve just lost Scott Steel, who didn’t get a go in the BWT and was shunted down the order in the T20. Opportunities limited by Saffas in both cases.

It’s a fair argument for saying that Durham are stronger on the pitch for the imports but I’d find it hard for anyone to tell me that they aren’t blocking the local conveyor belt (even if it’s a weak one).
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It’s a results business.

I want a team full of local lads winning every game as much as any Durham fan, but the practicality of the situation we have faced since the FTECB shafting has meant our better local talent (Stoneman, Borthwick, Jennings, Onions, Hart*) went elsewhere and largely we were forced elsewhere to fill the void. We still had to try to be competitive and although we can argue all night on individuals’ successes and failures it’s a moot point.

The management of the time clearly felt that any local youth we had around weren’t ready for First Class cricket at that time and given how vociferous the neighsayers were during those lean years I can’t imagine there’d have been a great amount of support for local talent had we been losing by an innings every week.

Thankfully now we’ve got Borthwick (and Raine**) back, along with a number of other lads signed back on for 2021 I would hope the quota of homegrowns begins to dominate the side again.

Let’s be honest, we do much better than most, I’d hazard a guess and suggest aside from Yorkshire, we’re probably the most ‘local’ side on the county circuit.
 
brandon said:
It’s a results business.

I want a team full of local lads winning every game as much as any Durham fan, but the practicality of the situation we have faced since the FTECB shafting has meant our better local talent (Stoneman, Borthwick, Jennings, Onions, Hart*) went elsewhere and largely we were forced elsewhere to fill the void. We still had to try to be competitive and although we can argue all night on individuals’ successes and failures it’s a moot point.

The management of the time clearly felt that any local youth we had around weren’t ready for First Class cricket at that time and given how vociferous the neighsayers were during those lean years I can’t imagine there’d have been a great amount of support for local talent had we been losing by an innings every week.

Thankfully now we’ve got Borthwick (and Raine**) back, along with a number of other lads signed back on for 2021 I would hope the quota of homegrowns begins to dominate the side again.

Let’s be honest, we do much better than most, I’d hazard a guess and suggest aside from Yorkshire, we’re probably the most ‘local’ side on the county circuit.
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Loads of local players yes but aged 30+.
 
brandon said:
It’s a results business.

I want a team full of local lads winning every game as much as any Durham fan, but the practicality of the situation we have faced since the FTECB shafting has meant our better local talent (Stoneman, Borthwick, Jennings, Onions, Hart*) went elsewhere and largely we were forced elsewhere to fill the void. We still had to try to be competitive and although we can argue all night on individuals’ successes and failures it’s a moot point.

The management of the time clearly felt that any local youth we had around weren’t ready for First Class cricket at that time and given how vociferous the neighsayers were during those lean years I can’t imagine there’d have been a great amount of support for local talent had we been losing by an innings every week.

Thankfully now we’ve got Borthwick (and Raine**) back, along with a number of other lads signed back on for 2021 I would hope the quota of homegrowns begins to dominate the side again.

Let’s be honest, we do much better than most, I’d hazard a guess and suggest aside from Yorkshire, we’re probably the most ‘local’ side on the county circuit.
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I don't think county cricket is a results business just as important if not more is developing your own talent and hoping some go on to play for England. We may never see Stokes and possibly Wood play a significant amount of cricket for Durham again but what they have achieved playing for England is huge credit to Durham. It means that in terms of results Durham will not be as successful but that's really the main function of county cricket.
 
leecoo said:
We let go one of our better local ones in Scott steel
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He was offered a contract, but decided to go elsewhere - not sure if you can claim that one as ‘we let go’ in fairness.
wayne entwhistle no9 said:
I don't think county cricket is a results business
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Stopped reading there. No offence intended, but ALL professional sport is a results business. It’s also a ‘money business’ unfortunately and teams that get humped every week don’t make money.
wayne entwhistle no9 said:
We may never see Stokes and possibly Wood play a significant amount of cricket for Durham again but what they have achieved playing for England is huge credit to Durham. It means that in terms of results Durham will not be as successful but that's really the main function of county cricket.
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Ok, so I lied, I didn’t really stop reading at the first sentence and I agree wholeheartedly about those lads being a huge credit to Durham. Just like Harmy and Collingwood were among other ‘lesser’ lights.

In an ideal world that is the main function of county cricket and it’s something the pundits and the journalists and FTECB like to remind us of regularly too.

In reality however, clubs still need to be successful on the field and off it. Winning cricket matches goes a long way to that because up to now, clubs don’t get particularly well rewarded financially for producing quality international cricketers. Counties need to be financially viable, many things contribute towards that, but as referenced above, winning is something that always helps the various ways and means that a club can earn that viability.
 
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brandon said:
He was offered a contract, but decided to go elsewhere - not sure if you can claim that one as ‘we let go’ in fairness.


Stopped reading there. No offence intended, but ALL professional sport is a results business. It’s also a ‘money business’ unfortunately and teams that get humped every week don’t make money.
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No offence taken but the vast majority of Durham's income is what they receive from the ECB not what they earn by winning cricket matches.
 
Scott Steel situation is a worry. Losing prospects to wealthy clubs I've learnt to accept but Leicester ffs.
Within this debate about imports let's not forget we still haven't allocated our 2 overseas players. Behardien isn't returning and Bedingham has a British passport.
 
This is no loss to me, nothing against the lad himself, but not up for this type of signings

agree with posts above, really annoyed at the way Scott Steel left, just poor by the club no matter how you spin it
 
Parkside said:
Scott Steel situation is a worry. Losing prospects to wealthy clubs I've learnt to accept but Leicester ffs.
Within this debate about imports let's not forget we still haven't allocated our 2 overseas players. Behardien isn't returning and Bedingham has a British passport.
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Bedingham is overseas. He has a British passport but has not "qualified" yet. He would count as a Kolpak at the moment. The other Overseas, if he arrives, will be Bancroft.
Correction ! Bedingham was signed on the belief that he would qualify for a British Passport but he was refused. His only route in is as Overseas unless the rules change and he gets a British Passport.
 
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Parkside said:
Scott Steel situation is a worry. Losing prospects to wealthy clubs I've learnt to accept but Leicester ffs.
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I don’t know what the figures where in both cases, but it seems that perhaps they valued him higher than we did. I’m not too worried about that if I’m honest, been more of a white ball specialist and it seemed very much to me like the scenario back in 2005 when Leicester prioritised white ball while we focussed on red.

Worked out alright for us then ;)
GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
bring back muchall
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You leave him where he’s at lad, he’s doing alright :lol:
 
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Looking at the 2021 senior squad list we currently have 16 pros on full contracts, 3 youngsters on summer contracts, 2 England players on central contracts and a photo of Bancroft who I don't think has yet been signed up.
 

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