The cricket thread

Heartfeltdawn

Best story of the day: Simon Kerrigan getting wickets again. Guy's been through absolute hell after his Test debut so it's heartening to see him back and getting wickets. 

Stuckfast

Yes, I've been watching the live stream, he's bowled superbly. 

Stuckfast

Flipping heck. Borthwick has 100 out of 140-4.

Heartfeltdawn

No Stokes against NZ. That's a huge loss. First Test is June 2nd and the IPL isn't finished until Sunday May 30th so Sam Curran wouldn't be a straight slot in for Stokes. Group stages end on May 23rd so with flights back and quarantine, it's going to be quite the most interesting selection for ages given Stokes is definitely out, Archer must be a risk to come back after the elbow problems, the IPL list of Woakes, Buttler, Bairstow, and Sam Curran may be required until the end of the tournament, Rory Burns might be out of favour, Sibley hasn't played yet this season and Crawley isn't dripping with form...

Abbas with 5 for 3 in less than 3 overs this morning including a hat trick. Middlesex looking favourites for the low score of the season already. 

Stuckfast

Ah yes, the Rod Bransgrove Invitational XI powers on. I suppose at least they've got Mason Crane who is actually English.

Saqib Mahmood is bowling really well, I'd have thought he will be in contention for England.

Heartfeltdawn

Saqib is looking very tidy indeed. He and Ollie Robinson are the fringe seamers at the minute, Stone and Wood as the two fit outright quicks, Anderosn and Broad and Woakes are your experienced chaps. 

Sibley absent injured for Warwickshire this afternoon. Think I'll hold off on the First Test choices for a week or so!

Stuckfast

The delivery Matt Parkinson bowled to dismiss Adam Rossington was a proper Shane Warne to Mike Gatting affair. Shame the rest of our batsmen gave their wickets away.

earwighoney

Heartfeltdawn said:

Saqib is looking very tidy indeed. He and Ollie Robinson are the fringe seamers at the minute, Stone and Wood as the two fit outright quicks, Anderosn and Broad and Woakes are your experienced chaps. 

Sibley absent injured for Warwickshire this afternoon. Think I'll hold off on the First Test choices for a week or so!

I saw Saqib bowl a bit in the PSL (or another T20 franchise, they all seem to blur into a haze in my memory almost immediately after watching) before it was canned and I was impressed. 

Heartfeltdawn

Sibley has a fractured finger according to the Beeb. Must put his First Test place in doubt. 

sixstringsupplies

Stuckfast said:

The delivery Matt Parkinson bowled to dismiss Adam Rossington was a proper Shane Warne to Mike Gatting affair. Shame the rest of our batsmen gave their wickets away.

That was a ripper! There’s a Parkinson v warne video “who did it better” doing the rounds on social media. 

Tough call. 

Stuckfast

Good comeback from Essex this morning. Somerset are going to lose though, didn't see that coming.

Heartfeltdawn

Very pleased with the Essex comeback as I put a few quid on them to come back and was rewarded handsomely. Made up for me putting money on West Ham to win on Saturday...

Gloucestershire look very useful indeed. Decent bowling attack and a decent batting line up. James Bracey has just played two knocks that will do everything to push the door open with England particularly with Sibley crocked, Burns in uncertain nick, and Crawley in no real form either. Pope's nailed on his Test spot with big runs so he's a certain starter. I should have paid attention to a friend of mine who said Gloucs were good outsiders for the CC title. 

Somerset have a lot of questions to answer now. The bowlers have long gotten the batsmen out of the mire over recent seasons and did so in the first round against Middlesex. The younger ones have to step up. Tom Banton's been overexposed and needs to figure out if he wants to wander around T20 franchises or actually play first-class cricket, Tom Lammonby is on one of those horror runs you sometimes get after a stellar first proper season (happened to Tresco and Thorpe) so the England rumours will go away and he can get his game back, and George Bartlett should move up the order and take responsibility.

Top marks to Lancashire and so nice to see a turning wicket so early in the season. Warwickshire look like pulling off an absolute heist against Nottinghamshire, Surrey can't beat Leicestershire, and Ollie Robinson is still the best seamer in county cricket who can't get a game for England. 

Spare a thought for two guys. One is Dominic Bess whose figures for the season after tow games read 66.4 overs, 15 maidens, 195 runs, 0 wickets. Bowling spin at Headingley is tough even when you're chock full of confidence. The other is James Weighell. Released by Durham twice in his career, Glamorgan gave him a two-year contract at the start of the month based on pre-season form. A pair of ducks with the bat and 0/96 at 6 an over and 0/27 (disappearing for 6 an over in both innings) is one of the toughest county debuts for quite some time. 

Went off for some league cricket viewing today and spoke to a couple of bowlers between innings. They and I can't recall the last time pre-league wickets were so dry. The comparative lack of rain and the wind/breeze has done a lot to dry the top surface out around here. Not much pace at times but you do get some turn out there. 

Stuckfast

Amazing how Notts can't break their losing streak even in a game they should have won comfortably.

Nice to see David Willey get a five-for.

Northants as frustrating as ever. If our top order hadn't chucked their wickets away we'd have had a draw today.

Heartfeltdawn

Goodbye, Ed!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/56822502

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/england-cricket-ed-smith-s-tenure-ends-as-national-selector-as-role-is-made-redundant-1260049

Heartfeltdawn

Keep going like that please, Surrey. Mauled by Middlesex. Amla bagged a four ball pair. 

crunchman

Good to see Dom Bess getting 6 for 53.  Hopefully no long term damage from the winter.

Stuckfast

Interesting round of games. Great win for Warwickshire against Essex. I fear Northants' victory flattered us but I'll take it. Gloucs showing some proper reslience to hold out for a draw.

Lancs still look the side to beat, for me.

Heartfeltdawn

Cricinfo taking the piss today:

https://i.imgur.com/Pc3bmKB.png

Stuckfast

Well I wasn't convinced about the structure of this year's County Championship / Bob Willis Trophy but I have to say it's delivered some really intriguing situations. I didn't anticipate Gloucester or Notts doing well, nor Essex falling to bits. Hampshire made a great start but now the wheels have well and truly come off. Absolute humdinger of a match between Yorks and Northants last week, gutted that we came away with only four points. Sussex are embarrassing.

Still Lancs or Somerset for the title, for me. Wonder if Craig Overton has done enough to get back into the Test reckoning.

crunchman

Stuckfast said:

Well I wasn't convinced about the structure of this year's County Championship / Bob Willis Trophy but I have to say it's delivered some really intriguing situations. I didn't anticipate Gloucester or Notts doing well, nor Essex falling to bits. Hampshire made a great start but now the wheels have well and truly come off. Absolute humdinger of a match between Yorks and Northants last week, gutted that we came away with only four points. Sussex are embarrassing.

Still Lancs or Somerset for the title, for me. Wonder if Craig Overton has done enough to get back into the Test reckoning.

Probably not at the moment.

Anderson and Broad will play, and they will want someone with a bit more pace like Archer, Wood, or Stone.

Not sure what they will do with Stokes out though.  They will want an allrounder from somewhere, but I don't think Overton's batting is quite good enough.