All Pretty Vacant, Down by the Riverside

[Durhamfootman]

Woody should be okay for us, I'd have thought, because I imagine he will almost certainly have some sort of white ball central contract to offset his wage demands.

[captaincolly]

where do we stand contracts wise.... who is out of contract this year; who is down to their last year?

McCarthy is the only one to worry about. Colly obviously, possibly Clark. Richardson and Pringle have another year, I believe.Wood certainly.

It might not mean anything but when Carse signed his new deal McCarthy tweeted congratulations and referred to Durham as a great club so that might imply he is staying.

[Durhamfootman]

we need to find a spinner from somewhere

[westoelad]

we need to find a spinner from somewhere

Only for the end of season red ball cricket. Patel is leaving after the Sussex game so we give both Trevaskis and Whitehead a game each. We're certainly not going to find an England qualified spinner from outside.

[Alviro Patterson]

we need to find a spinner from somewhere

Azeem Rafiq is your man since Yorkshire are releasing him at the end of this season

[westoelad]

we need to find a spinner from somewhere

Azeem Rafiq is your man since Yorkshire are releasing him at the end of this season

Yes but I've looked at his stats. Don't think they're any better than Pringle whom most here think should be released.

[captaincolly]

Usman Arshad playing for Leicestershire. Is it our former player ?

[captaincolly]

It must be him. 8 runs and 4 overs for 35. Ben Raine isn't playing. Has the injury jinx struck already!

[westoelad]

It's our ex-player and straight into their 1st team without any 2nd team games. Wonder if he went there highly recommended by Ben Raine.
He's been playing for Seaton Carew ,scoring quite profically but not doing much bowling. Also played for Northumberland sporadically.

I was in corporate hospitality courtesy of Fosters. Significantly when play finally got underway only myself and my colleague wandered out to watch the cricket, the remainder had their backs to it watching the testmatch.

[captaincolly]

It's our ex-player and straight into their 1st team without any 2nd team games. Wonder if he went there highly recommended by Ben Raine.
He's been playing for Seaton Carew ,scoring quite profically but not doing much bowling. Also played for Northumberland sporadically.

Thanks. It'd be a coincidence if he's just turned up after we signed Raine so he probably did put in a good word.
Hopefully he will establish himself - probably his first heroics will be against us!

[captaincolly]

Forum just finished. Will post some more when I get home- no major revelations but Lewis seemed to say McCarthy is going because he wants to play for Ireland ( so presumably Poynter is staying because he doesn't?)so will not play any more county cricket.
He also responded to a rumour that Rikki Wessells was about to sign for us with a flat out denial.I think he said we won't be making any additional signings at all!

[Durhamfootman]

( so presumably Poynter is staying because he doesn't?)

or thinks he won't.

not as daft as he looks, seemingly

[captaincolly]

( so presumably Poynter is staying because he doesn't?)

or thinks he won't.

not as daft as he looks, seemingly

I thought the Irish became overseas players at the end of next year. I may well be wrong or perhaps it's McCarthy is out of contract at the end of the season and the Irish Gilly has another year left.
Testimonial for Rushy next year.

Colly still in talks over his future , no decision yet but if that's the case Lewis seeming to rule out any further signings seems premature.

I thought JJ spoke pretty well. Someone was moaning about the big boundaries for the T20 and asked why, when other teams bring them in , we have them out. Lewis said he insisted in it because big boundaries give us a better chance of winning. I agree with that.

The new CE thinks that the addition of Raine means only Sorry have a better group of bowlers! The annual expression of confidence that the injured bowlers will be ok next year.

They seem hopeful the uncontested toss rule will go ( that's something else they said last year.) Alan Fordham at FTECB has been looking at the stats for teams who get put in.

Apparently the issue with bad light yesterday is because the green foliage and seats ( in the trap door stand ) can make the ball difficult to pick up!

RL 50 will be even earlier next year because of the World Cup so there should be more 4 day games mid-season but when the dreaded 100 ball competition starts they think FTECB are going to have 4/5 CC games at either end of the season.

Finances have been tight this year but they're looking good next year. FTECB have said that there are 10 clubs they are concerned about and we aren't one of them. The CE said he got the impression that FTECB realise they got it wrong with our sanctions and , in hindsight , would have acted differently. He also said Glamorgan , Hampshire were in that top 10 list of counties they were keeping a close eye on.

The Nursery ground is finished and ready for use!

[Durhamfootman]

Thanks for that, capt

the 50 over comp should be the season opener whether there is a WC or not......as it is in pretty much every other domestic league around the world. Blooming obvious

Once the 100 arrives all FTECB's resources will be geared towards it and not the T20 blast, so there is absolutely no reason why the blast can't go back to being a Friday night banker for the counties (which is what they would prefer) and the overseas pro argument no longer stands up. That means there is no reason why the CC can't be played in May/June/August/Sept leaving Fridays free for the money maker

only Surrey, eh..... such acuity........ we're lucky to have these people... perhaps we should be paying them more

this year we did well in the blast, but last year the problem was the big boundaries, and it was a problem because we couldn't reach them and every other team had batsmen who could. The person who asked that question was a year too late

[captaincolly]

I suppose Tahir ( who , with my usual great insight I thought was a poor signing ) in tandem with Colly in those middle overs made a big difference this year.

Forgot to mention that Killer and Windows were also there and said the decision to take the Academy out of the NEPL was one they thought long and hard about but came to the conclusion that most of the youngsters were with clubs anyway and it was better for them to be out their on their own learning the game rather than all playing together.

Killeen said he thinks a couple of the second team players are ready to step up into the first team.