by st_brendy » Fri Sep 23, 2016 6:19 pm
As I said last night, aside from Notts we have not bowled anyone out for under 280 this season. Home or away. 1st innings or 2nd innings. There was little reason to expect that to suddenly change today.
Had it somehow happened, it wouldn't have been a great escape like last year. At no point this season has our bowling improved (like it did last year, with Fidel clicking into gear, Crane coming in for the youth team to do well, McLaren coming in from abroad to do well). Our batting absolutely improved, no question. I've not checked the stats, but I wouldn't be surprised if we've been the top runscorers in the division since the start of August. But without wickets, runs don't win you matches. We've been drawing our way to safety, until this match. Surviving wouldn't have been a great escape, it would have been embarrassment on Warks or Lancs' part (Lancs, as it turned out).
I'm not going to be as critical as I was when we last went down. Losing Topley and Fidel for the whole season, Berg for the first half of the season, Wood and Carberry for the second half of the season. Wheater, Ervine, Adams, and Dawson have all also been injured at various points of the season too. International call-ups for Vince and Dawson, fine that happens. That's cricket. But our injury list this season (not that you can call Carberry's an injury) was off the scale. Basically only McLaren has been available to us all season. Oh, and Smith I think - sadly!
That said, we do finally need to have a good winter in terms of recruits. We have lost so many players over the past five years or so, and our inability to take 20 wickets is absolutely nothing new. The likes of Rod and White have to see this, and act. Alas though, relegation has tied one hand behind each of their backs. Why would any player on an upward trajectory in their careers willingly want to join a D2 side? We've got enough 30 somethings as it is. What we badly lack - aside from good bowlers - is players in their mid to late 20s. Basically players who are in their prime.
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Thanks for everything Pothas. You'll be missed. My nickname for you was apt and I will never forget it. For the last time, arise Sir Nic.