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Quarter Term Report

I'll now comment as we've secured a draw after a very poor effort on Thursday with the bat. On the whole I have been very disappointed what I've witnessed, I feel we are fortunate to have 42 but I'm more than happy to take that at the moment.

1 - the state of the ground is beyond embarrassing & the retail offering is inadequate, I think the club shop only went back online last week with some only recieving their shirts ordered before start of the season, this week.
2 - team performance overall is a concern, Dickson and Potts looking good but plenty lacking in most if not all aspects. Is this down to coaching or the state of the wickets?
3 - captaincy and his performances are a major concern. For me he doesn't warrant a place in the team, I'd replace him with Jones and I'd give Raine the captaincy
4 - What exactly has Franklin achieved so far? Has he improved us? (Don't give him credit for the 1 day cup, he pissed off to the 100).
5 - Petersen a major disappointment at the moment and when you see some overseas who have signed for longer, it makes you wonder if we missed out. Has recruitment been good enough?
6 - Salisbury deserves a chance
7 - Eckersley is also a concern.

See how we go these next few weeks but a lot of concerns around some players and also our Head Coach who isn't impressing me at all, I'm not seeing any progress under him. The ground needs tidying up quickly.
 
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GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
I'll now comment as we've secured a draw after a very poor effort on Thursday with the bat. On the whole I have been very disappointed what I've witnessed, I feel we are fortunate to have 42 but I'm more than happy to take that at the moment.

1 - the state of the ground is beyond embarrassing & the retail offering is inadequate, I think the club shop only went back online last week with some only recieving their shirts ordered before start of the season, this week.
2 - team performance overall is a concern, Dickson and Potts looking good but plenty lacking in most if not all aspects. Is this down to coaching or the state of the wickets?
3 - captaincy and his performances are a major concern. For me he doesn't warrant a place in the team, I'd replace him with Jones and I'd give Raine the captaincy
4 - What exactly has Franklin achieved so far? Has he improved us? (Don't give him credit for the 1 day cup, he pissed off to the 100).
5 - Petersen a major disappointment at the moment and when you see some overseas who have signed for longer, it makes you wonder if we missed out. Has recruitment been good enough?
6 - Salisbury deserves a chance
7 - Eckersley is also a concern.

See how we go these next few weeks but a lot of concerns around some players and also our Head Coach who isn't impressing me at all, I'm not seeing any progress under him. The ground needs tidying up quickly.
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You make some good points.
1. The ground. For me it points to the fact we are skint. The trapdoor should have been removed a few seasons ago.

2. Potts has shown you can take wickets on these flatter wickets as the Notts bowlers did. The thing they do is bend their backs and bowl with a bit of pace. 70 mph ain't going to do it.

3. Borthwick batting is a huge concern and probably the captaincy is effecting it. He won't go anywhere till the T20 starts but if it does not improve I can see him standing down before the end of the season. The problem is who replaces him? Raine made it clear that he didn't want the captaincy when Ned eventually took it last time as did Lees and Lee's definitely won't want it while he is involved with England.

4. Franklin. Overseas coach who looks like he has run his course. I would prefer us to have a coach who is here 12 months of the year and has links to the local area in a cricketing sense. Internally that would probably be Walker (who has been hammered in the past on here and by members) or Killer.

5. Petersen. Overseas pro with a test match pedigree who in the short term doesn't look like he will score heavily during his time here. Unfortunately sometimes overseas are duds especially locums.

6 Salisbury. Honest tryer who cracks on with his job. No problem with him playing and I like his attitude but he is not going to win you many games.

7. Eckersley. It looks like it's true what Leicestershire fans said about him " he blows hot and cold' he appears to have spells where he scores runs and looks like a genuine bat at this level and then even longer spells where he looks like a genuine number 9.

Anyway keep the faith and don't cancel your anual leave just yet!
 
GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
I'll now comment as we've secured a draw after a very poor effort on Thursday with the bat. On the whole I have been very disappointed what I've witnessed, I feel we are fortunate to have 42 but I'm more than happy to take that at the moment.

1 - the state of the ground is beyond embarrassing & the retail offering is inadequate, I think the club shop only went back online last week with some only recieving their shirts ordered before start of the season, this week.
2 - team performance overall is a concern, Dickson and Potts looking good but plenty lacking in most if not all aspects. Is this down to coaching or the state of the wickets?
3 - captaincy and his performances are a major concern. For me he doesn't warrant a place in the team, I'd replace him with Jones and I'd give Raine the captaincy
4 - What exactly has Franklin achieved so far? Has he improved us? (Don't give him credit for the 1 day cup, he pissed off to the 100).
5 - Petersen a major disappointment at the moment and when you see some overseas who have signed for longer, it makes you wonder if we missed out. Has recruitment been good enough?
6 - Salisbury deserves a chance
7 - Eckersley is also a concern.

See how we go these next few weeks but a lot of concerns around some players and also our Head Coach who isn't impressing me at all, I'm not seeing any progress under him. The ground needs tidying up quickly.
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Great points. It's been a real curate's egg of a season with a lot of good players underperforming and some young players (Potts, Trevaskis) or previously not so good players (Dickson) in good form.

Re:1 - I bet FTECB demanded the upgrade in return for the women's International and we spent all winter arguing with them about money as well as storms and covid absences holding things up. Are we getting any womens Hundred matches? I bet they give them all to the racists, that dangled carrot ended up being a load of bollocks.

Re:3 spot on, said this on the match thread.

Re:7 spot on. He's flown under the radar because of other high profile underperformances but for a wicketkeeper batsman he's been poor with the bat. Decision to let Poynter and Bancroft go looking a bit ropey in hindsight. By all accounts Tom Mackintosh is a really promising player, but he's only 19 or thereabouts.
 
smoker said:
Great points. It's been a real curate's egg of a season with a lot of good players underperforming and some young players (Potts, Trevaskis) or previously not so good players (Dickson) in good form.

Re:1 - I bet FTECB demanded the upgrade in return for the women's International and we spent all winter arguing with them about money as well as storms and covid absences holding things up. Are we getting any womens Hundred matches? I bet they give them all to the racists, that dangled carrot ended up being a load of bollocks.

Re:3 spot on, said this on the match thread.

Re:7 spot on. He's flown under the radar because of other high profile underperformances but for a wicketkeeper batsman he's been poor with the bat. Decision to let Poynter and Bancroft go looking a bit ropey in hindsight. By all accounts Tom Mackintosh is a really promising player, but he's only 19 or thereabouts.
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Poynter was as bad as Ned and Bancroft averaged about 22 last season
 
smoker said:
Great points. It's been a real curate's egg of a season with a lot of good players underperforming and some young players (Potts, Trevaskis) or previously not so good players (Dickson) in good form.

Re:1 - I bet FTECB demanded the upgrade in return for the women's International and we spent all winter arguing with them about money as well as storms and covid absences holding things up. Are we getting any womens Hundred matches? I bet they give them all to the racists, that dangled carrot ended up being a load of bollocks.

Re:3 spot on, said this on the match thread.

Re:7 spot on. He's flown under the radar because of other high profile underperformances but for a wicketkeeper batsman he's been poor with the bat. Decision to let Poynter and Bancroft go looking a bit ropey in hindsight. By all accounts Tom Mackintosh is a really promising player, but he's only 19 or thereabouts.
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1 - Rumour was we got the money late, heard that from several good sources. That said that doesn't have any bearing on the state of some of the ground though and the retail "offering" for example.

3 - Be interesting to see who is dropped for Stokes.

7 - Was never a fan of Poynter. Bancroft I didn't mind. Hopefully see some of Tom Mackintosh in the 2nd XI T20 soon, heard good things.
wayne entwhistle no9 said:
You make some good points.
1. The ground. For me it points to the fact we are skint. The trapdoor should have been removed a few seasons ago.

2. Potts has shown you can take wickets on these flatter wickets as the Notts bowlers did. The thing they do is bend their backs and bowl with a bit of pace. 70 mph ain't going to do it.

3. Borthwick batting is a huge concern and probably the captaincy is effecting it. He won't go anywhere till the T20 starts but if it does not improve I can see him standing down before the end of the season. The problem is who replaces him? Raine made it clear that he didn't want the captaincy when Ned eventually took it last time as did Lees and Lee's definitely won't want it while he is involved with England.

4. Franklin. Overseas coach who looks like he has run his course. I would prefer us to have a coach who is here 12 months of the year and has links to the local area in a cricketing sense. Internally that would probably be Walker (who has been hammered in the past on here and by members) or Killer.

5. Petersen. Overseas pro with a test match pedigree who in the short term doesn't look like he will score heavily during his time here. Unfortunately sometimes overseas are duds especially locums.

6 Salisbury. Honest tryer who cracks on with his job. No problem with him playing and I like his attitude but he is not going to win you many games.

7. Eckersley. It looks like it's true what Leicestershire fans said about him " he blows hot and cold' he appears to have spells where he scores runs and looks like a genuine bat at this level and then even longer spells where he looks like a genuine number 9.

Anyway keep the faith and don't cancel your anual leave just yet!
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1 - Trapdoor stand is an absolute eye sore at the moment. I always remember years back thinking "that would look great as a grass bank", still think that now but by all account the hotel is going behind it.

2 - Potts I'd imagine will be on England's radar soon enough.

3 - Watch this space I guess with that one.

4 - Said my bit, he needs to up his game. I have a lot of time for Alan Walker, and would be happy if he was in charge which is what I said in August last year.

5 -

6 - Yup agree with that, again points to lack of recruitment.

7 - Most definitely hot and cold which is frustrating.

Most definitely keep the faith
 
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smoker said:
You were brought up in the last 25 years though.

It's the old rule of thumb definition of a "genuine all-rounder" formerly known as "all-rounder", when "batting all rounder" and "bowling all-rounder" were "occasional (insert bowling type)" and "handy with the bat" respectively.
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I’ll stick to the present day definition ;)
 
smoker said:
Things aren't so black and white.

The kids need experienced players they can learn from and will pick up the slack if the kids struggle to meet the standard at first. Otherwise they don't learn anything and just have their confidence destroyed. I bet if you looked at RLC averages for last season, Doneathy or Campbell wouldn't be in the top fifty, or even hundred bowlers, but they contributed and developed.

Rushworth and Salisbury's form could expose any young players in the RLC. I don't think Raine was picked up in the 100 draft but I could see him getting picked up at short notice with all the crocks and England players on the roster.
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That’s fine but I don’t want anymore foreign signings you like you said

Just my view
GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
1 - Rumour was we got the money late, heard that from several good sources. That said that doesn't have any bearing on the state of some of the ground though and the retail "offering" for example.

3 - Be interesting to see who is dropped for Stokes.

7 - Was never a fan of Poynter. Bancroft I didn't mind. Hopefully see some of Tom Mackintosh in the 2nd XI T20 soon, heard good things.


1 - Trapdoor stand is an absolute eye sore at the moment. I always remember years back thinking "that would look great as a grass bank", still think that now but by all account the hotel is going behind it.

2 - Potts I'd imagine will be on England's radar soon enough.

3 - Watch this space I guess with that one.

4 - Said my bit, he needs to up his game. I have a lot of time for Alan Walker, and would be happy if he was in charge which is what I said in August last year.

5 -

6 - Yup agree with that, again points to lack of recruitment.

7 - Most definitely hot and cold which is frustrating.

Most definitely keep the faith
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I think Potts will be in sort of England squad in the nit to distance future, lions or full
 
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Returning to this thread after Stokes’ comments about the next three games.

Having a world class allrounder available for those games is a huge boost, as bad (well, mediocre) as the start has been there is still every chance that two wins from the upcoming 3 games would see us right up in the mix for the top of the league at the halfway stage. In fairness, that would still be a possibility had Stokes not been made available - it’s still worth remembering how jam packed full of talent our squad is.

I’m still of the opinion that form is temporary with those who’ve not yet fired.
 
brandon said:
I’m still of the opinion that form is temporary with those who’ve not yet fired.
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The fact all our bowling attack, except Potts and Trev, seem out of form at the same time is concerning and points at a possible problem at coaching level tbf. Batting hasn't been bad, other than Ned and SB.
 
smoker said:
The fact all our bowling attack, except Potts and Trev, seem out of form at the same time is concerning and points at a possible problem at coaching level tbf. Batting hasn't been bad, other than Ned and SB.
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I don’t disagree, but you’d think someone like Rushy for example (and even Raine given his experience) would be so comfortable with his own game that he’d just do what comes naturally?

I would find it hard to believe a lad with hundreds and hundreds of first class wickets would suddenly change his style.

More likely just a perfect storm of flat pitches, a bad start and psychological factors off the back of perceived struggles.

I do feel like he’s barely getting any movement from what I’ve seen this season though, which makes me wonder if the balls are different this year to previous years? We know the directive has come down from the ECB to have flatter pitches, but if still expect movement through the air and off the pitch from such a talented operator like Rushy.
 
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brandon said:
I don’t disagree, but you’d think someone like Rushy for example (and even Raine given his experience) would be so comfortable with his own game that he’d just do what comes naturally?

I would find it hard to believe a lad with hundreds and hundreds of first class wickets would suddenly change his style.

More likely just a perfect storm of flat pitches, a bad start and psychological factors off the back of perceived struggles.

I do feel like he’s barely getting any movement from what I’ve seen this season though, which makes me wonder if the balls are different this year to previous years? We know the directive has come down from the ECB to have flatter pitches, but if still expect movement through the air and off the pitch from such a talented operator like Rushy.
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Coaching isn't just about 'how to bowl' though. It's also getting the players fit so they peak at the right time. Salisbury is a player who always looks much worse when he's tired, like at the end of a spell (starts losing line and length) and he has looked really rusty this season.

I agree pitches have been really flat, but we must have expected it and should have got the bowlers better prepared for it. Potts looks like he knows exactly how to bowl on these wickets. Why not the rest?
brandon said:
I do feel like he’s barely getting any movement from what I’ve seen this season though, which makes me wonder if the balls are different this year
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I think this is a factor as well. Wouldn't be surprised if it was deliberate from FTECB to encourage spinners.
 
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brandon said:
I don’t disagree, but you’d think someone like Rushy for example (and even Raine given his experience) would be so comfortable with his own game that he’d just do what comes naturally?

I would find it hard to believe a lad with hundreds and hundreds of first class wickets would suddenly change his style.

More likely just a perfect storm of flat pitches, a bad start and psychological factors off the back of perceived struggles.

I do feel like he’s barely getting any movement from what I’ve seen this season though, which makes me wonder if the balls are different this year to previous years? We know the directive has come down from the ECB to have flatter pitches, but if still expect movement through the air and off the pitch from such a talented operator like Rushy.
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Good point on the balls and I have no idea, not heard anything yet

they did have a particularly good ball a few years ago for the seamers, maybe theyve changed

I wouldnt mind this

Rushy is a worry but lets see where we are at towards the end of the summer.
 
smoker said:
Coaching isn't just about 'how to bowl' though. It's also getting the players fit so they peak at the right time. Salisbury is a player who always looks much worse when he's tired, like at the end of a spell (starts losing line and length) and he has looked really rusty this season.

I agree pitches have been really flat, but we must have expected it and should have got the bowlers better prepared for it. Potts looks like he knows exactly how to bowl on these wickets. Why not the rest?


I think this is a factor as well. Wouldn't be surprised if it was deliberate from FTECB to encourage spinners.
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Meh, don’t really have anything to argue with and it isn’t a topic that I’m speaking on with any inside information or prior knowledge - nor am I willing to die on any particular hill with it :lol: it was more just me putting a couple of theories out for what the bigger problem could be 🤷‍♂️

On the ‘getting the players fit’ part though, again, Rushy and the senior pros will know how to do that themselves anyway. Don’t forget Rushy is a lad who gave up alcohol and later turned vegetarian to become a better bowler. I don’t think he needs any help to get himself to the right place.
 
GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
Keegan Petersen has returned to South Africa due to personal reasons.

Thanks for your contribution in a Durham shirt KP.

➡️
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#ForTheNorth
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The personal reason being, after the Middlesex game " if you 'think I ' m hanging around here for 4 weeks to play one more game you can do one. I'm off".
all our overseas signings have been underwhelming and a further inditement of our current management team.
 
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