Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

sussexpob wrote:

Alviro Patterson wrote:Something advocated by South African pundits 12 months ago, makes sense when South Africa has two first class systems.

What is the intended benefit? I would usually say diluting quality and resources is never a good idea, but SA is a pretty special case. I wonder if this is an attempt to get around racial quotas by making sure FC worthy players arent blocked under quota systems lower down, leading to FC worthy players bleeding out the system. At least this way those players spread to other teams... but then again if quotas exist still, you have to think at the lower end of these 15 teams the quality might get tragic

A prime example I guess would be someone like KP. Couldnt get a team in SA on racial quota selections with 6 teams, but in a 15 team setup he'd hit a 7th/8th team line up on merit and get his opportunity.

South Africa's population being similar to England justifies having a 15 team First Class system. The previous six team franchise system just leaks out talent and some have already headed out to New Zealand. A combination of fast tracking elite sportsmen to residency and the three year ICC qualification criteria provides an alternative pathway.

Cricket Ireland is another with the kolpak system and 2018 U19 World Cup player Curtis Campher has already made the migration.

A 15 team system, 8 of them franchises who can generate growth through Twenty20 provides more cricket opportunities all round.

Good lad

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/56878844

Chris Rushworth took his thousandth wicket in all formats for Durham today, seemingly. I think it includes second XI... not sure if it includes warm up matches

Durhamfootman wrote:Chris Rushworth took his thousandth wicket in all formats for Durham today, seemingly. I think it includes second XI... not sure if it includes warm up matches

Only competitive games at 1st, 2nd and senior academy level.

Alex Wakeley has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, with immediate effect.

He isn't that old either, is he? Early 30's or something

Has he fallen out of love with the game or has he had a better career offer?

Durhamfootman wrote:He isn't that old either, is he? Early 30's or something

Has he fallen out of love with the game or has he had a better career offer?

Only 32. I'm only speculating here but he has withdrawn from some games over the past couple of seasons without much explanation so I'm wondering if he is having some mental health issues.

a lot of it about, DD

Sean Abbott's time with Surrey is over already..... hamstring injury

on his way home

Sussex have had 5 matches abandoned out of 9

5!

what a nonsense. This happened to them in 2018 too iirc and they went all the way to the final, I think, so maybe it's karma

I see Lancashire have had to cancel around 2000 tickets for today's T20 match- unexpected stewarding shortage meant the council insisted on reducing the capacity! Third-party company that provides additional stewards couldn't honour their commitment according to cricinfo.

In other news Mitch Claydon is retiring at the end of the season.

17 year career for Mitch

He made the most of what he had.... can't say fairer than that

Durhamfootman wrote:17 year career for Mitch

He made the most of what he had.... can't say fairer than that

Yes, he's had a fine career.

hot on the heels of the bananaman, big Marnus Lambshanks has also gone home 'for personal reasons'

my guess is that their better halves have told them to get home because they can see from the other side of the world that the sh1t is about to hit the fan

Doubts over the viabilty of running the one day cup because of all the players being stripped out of the counties for England and for the Extremely Silly, with the whole Kent team having to be changed for covid related reasons

Risbah Pant has tested positive as has a member of the India support team, so there have to be doubts about whether that test series will go ahead

still..... it's freedom day on Monday, and the virus is going to go utterly berserk across the country for the next several weeks.........so what could possibly go wrong for the ECB's priorities? I confess that I'd laugh my socks off if the Nonsense ended up having to be cancelled again if it wasn't likely to be a catastrophe for county cricket finances........ A massive blowout of the reserves, a self inflicted wound. The unstoppable pursuit of greed hitting the immovable object of a global pandemic head on

Guardians of the game? My @rse

14 players making their debut in the RLODC Lancs v Sussex.