2015 Hampshire Thread

[budgetmeansbudget]

One win down, four to go. These past ten days have probably been our best ten days of the season so far. Let's keep it going lads. There was even a spark of the old Jimmy today.

Agreed, the recent minor revival has been a bit of a surprise considering how bad some of the performances were just prior to this mini resurgence.

[st_brendy]

Good result that for us. On paper you would say that Kent are a bigger threat to us for a top four finish than Glamorgan. Thrown in the fact that Glamorgan didn't win their first game (due to a rain off), and started the comp with a -2 deduction, and to me it's a no brainer that a Glamorgan win is better for us than a Kent win.

And next up, we go to Kent. If we beat them, they'll be almost out already.

[st_brendy]

Oh, and whilst it may sound mean/hateful, it was quite nice to see Cooke do that to Kent at the end there after Blake did a similar thing to us. Taste of their own medicine. The danger of facing a big/clean hitter in the final 4 - 8 overs, be it one day or t20.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Decent opening partnership yesterday and then everything went downhill from then on.

[st_brendy]

Decent opening partnership yesterday and then everything went downhill from then on.

As it did against Somerset. As it will continue to do so on a regular basis whilst we have no middle order in limited overs cricket. Ervine being injured is really hurting us. Not playing Jimmy in t20 cricket or Smith in one-day cricket is slightly hurting us. Not having a Blake or a Whitely or Cachopa to come in at no.6 or no.7 and give the ball a right old whack on a regular basis is really hurting us.

Wood and Berg did a really useful job against Sussex to hang in there with Dawson. But we can't expect them to do that on a regular basis. And even then, we still had to rely on Vince, Dawson, Adams and Wheater to do the bulk of the scoring.

Gatting's run of limited overs scores this season are: 2, 9, 22, 11, 14, 11

His strike-rates meanwhile are: 50%, 150%, 100%, 85%, 61%, 50%

But oh, silly me. We're not allowed to criticise him. Clearly those are stats of a capable middle order batsman in limited overs cricket.

[mark the hawk]

To be fair Brendy , its not Joe Gattings fault is it ? , it's the idiot that keeps picking him.

won't be there today as I don't really trust the club to be able to organise getting out of the ground properly , the last thing I need my wife seeing on the bank statement is a Boyzone concert charge , perhaps though I could ask Hants to put the charge on as hard core pornography it'll be less embarrasing

[st_brendy]

Smith in for Berg. We've lost the toss and will bowl.

[st_brendy]

And Bird in for Arafat, a decision which so far is paying rich dividends! 5-3 after two overs.

New ball, Bird, 10.30am. Thank you for choosing to bat Middlesex. I do wonder if it's this early start that made us decide to bring Bird in (with us then having no choice but to drop Arafat, given that only one overseas can play).

[SaintPowelly]

I thought Arafat got injured

[st_brendy]

I thought Arafat got injured

I don't know. All I know is Arafat was in the original 13 man squad for this match.

[st_brendy]

Three play-and-misses and two risky aerial 4s so far, to go with these three wickets. Sounds like both of them are really, really getting the ball to talk.

Now, if they can please take this into our last five Championship matches.

[SaintPowelly]

I thought Arafat got injured

I don't know. All I know is Arafat was in the original 13 man squad for this match.

I'm basing it on the lack of overs in the last game.

[st_brendy]

And a third aerial hit from Malan this time does go to hand. Brilliant stuff.

[st_brendy]

FIVE!!!

[hopeforthebest]

Fidel is giving Middlesex the Bird.