Was thinking about doing it at the end of the current game, but it’s already clear that we need a complete miracle to get a positive result out of the trip to Sussex.
Poor. Very poor.
I was very vocal coming into the season about how confident I was that we could not only challenge for promotion, but that we could challenge for the title. I was almost expectant that we would be in and around the promotion places and two games in I felt justified in thinking that. We’d battered Glamorgan and Leicestershire and but for some better weather at Cardiff and a livelier than stone dead pitch at CLS we’d have been on 46 points after the opening pair of fixtures. I wasn’t overly worried that we couldn’t get over the line.
We were soundly beaten by a good side last week but this week we’ve capitulated to a pathetic 220 against an attack which would struggle to get into most counties’ second eleven sides.
The lack of fight is very worrying. More worrying though is the bowling. For years and years it’s been the strength of the team. I’ve lost count of the amount of times the bowlers have pulled the batsmen out of the clarts. We effectively won a title off the back of it in 2013. This year though, the drop off has been monumental. I can’t understand it. It has to be a mindset thing. Or a tactical thing perhaps? I can’t for one minute believe that proven county bowlers have dropped so far off a cliff in such a fashion on talent and effort alone. Many have pointed to the ‘samey’ nature of the attack through 3 and a bit games, I don’t disagree with that, but that’s not all that’s going on here.
To win matches you need to take 20 wickets, so far this season, we’ve managed 15, 12 and 9. And already this week it looks increasingly like we won’t get the chance to take any more than 10 in this game.
So so poor, so so disappointing. Devastating even.
I just hope they can find their mojo quickly, because the one thing that will work in our favour is that everyone will beat everyone this season (except perhaps from Notts), so there’s still plenty of time to turn it around.
Poor. Very poor.
I was very vocal coming into the season about how confident I was that we could not only challenge for promotion, but that we could challenge for the title. I was almost expectant that we would be in and around the promotion places and two games in I felt justified in thinking that. We’d battered Glamorgan and Leicestershire and but for some better weather at Cardiff and a livelier than stone dead pitch at CLS we’d have been on 46 points after the opening pair of fixtures. I wasn’t overly worried that we couldn’t get over the line.
We were soundly beaten by a good side last week but this week we’ve capitulated to a pathetic 220 against an attack which would struggle to get into most counties’ second eleven sides.
The lack of fight is very worrying. More worrying though is the bowling. For years and years it’s been the strength of the team. I’ve lost count of the amount of times the bowlers have pulled the batsmen out of the clarts. We effectively won a title off the back of it in 2013. This year though, the drop off has been monumental. I can’t understand it. It has to be a mindset thing. Or a tactical thing perhaps? I can’t for one minute believe that proven county bowlers have dropped so far off a cliff in such a fashion on talent and effort alone. Many have pointed to the ‘samey’ nature of the attack through 3 and a bit games, I don’t disagree with that, but that’s not all that’s going on here.
To win matches you need to take 20 wickets, so far this season, we’ve managed 15, 12 and 9. And already this week it looks increasingly like we won’t get the chance to take any more than 10 in this game.
So so poor, so so disappointing. Devastating even.
I just hope they can find their mojo quickly, because the one thing that will work in our favour is that everyone will beat everyone this season (except perhaps from Notts), so there’s still plenty of time to turn it around.
