Down by the Riverside 2023

[Durhamfootman]

test century for Bedders today. I imagine it's his first

[captaincolly]

test century for Bedders today. I imagine it's his first

Think so. Was out in the 80's in the previous game.

[captaincolly]

Article in The Sunday Times about YJB's 100th test possibly being his last and possible options for the summer....one involved Ollie Robinson getting selected as wicketkeeper!
If that happens we might be snookered!

[Durhamfootman]

Foakes has the gloves atm. I think the only way he loses them in an English summer is if they decide Young Jonny Blameless is competent enough in English conditions with not too much close up work. If YJB drops out of the reckoning I imagine Foakes stays in the side (he is by some measure the best keeper in England) and Robbo would only be in with a shout if Foakes gets injured...... and even then they have the option of giving the gloves to Pope at a pinch

I'm fairly confident that Robbo will spend this summer with us.

[Durhamfootman]

the first home CC match starts 4 weeks on Friday

[captaincolly]

Foakes has the gloves atm. I think the only way he loses them in an English summer is if they decide Young Jonny Blameless is competent enough in English conditions with not too much close up work. If YJB drops out of the reckoning I imagine Foakes stays in the side (he is by some measure the best keeper in England) and Robbo would only be in with a shout if Foakes gets injured...... and even then they have the option of giving the gloves to Pope at a pinch

I'm fairly confident that Robbo will spend this summer with us.

I agree think he's unlikely to get in this summer.

[captaincolly]

the first home CC match starts 4 weeks on Friday

Time flies!

[Durhamfootman]

I've thoroughly enjoyed following the latest T20 game. It feels like such a long time since I was last able to do it

[Durhamfootman]

this is causing a bit of a stir

https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/pre ... 8503173925

Bostock pulling no punches

"Members don't realise that what they are trying to say will kill the game," said Durham chief executive Tim Bostock. "We're running a multi-million-pound professional sport and yet the long-term, big decisions are made by a handful of… I don't want to call them activists because they will get on their high horse but they are effectively activists. Of all the millions of people who watch cricket in an English summer, the whole structure is being dictated to by what might only be about 10,000 people. You've got chairmen threatened with removal if they don't do what a small handful of Luddites say – and they are Luddites. They are passionate Luddites, but they are Luddites. I just don't know how they think it will survive without radical change. We've ended up with the lowest common denominator ruling the day."

In case anyone is wondering what a Luddite looks like, take a wander to the big sign screwed to the back of the pavilion and have a look at the list of Durham members who donated their annual subscriptions to the club at a time when no cricket could be watched and very little could be played, to keep their club alive..... that's what a 'Luddite' is, apparently

and why is Bostock upset? Well, because the Luddites are resisting the move to slash county championship matches to 10 per season in order to free up space for more 100 matches and more 100 teams so that it makes it worth their while for the Saudi's and the American's and the Indian's to enter the market, splash the cash on overseas T20 players and.... very importantly.... reward those hard working board members of the franchises, like... oh, I don't know..... the Northern Superchargers and Tim Bostock

funny that

[captaincolly]

this is causing a bit of a stir

https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/pre ... 8503173925

Bostock pulling no punches

"Members don't realise that what they are trying to say will kill the game," said Durham chief executive Tim Bostock. "We're running a multi-million-pound professional sport and yet the long-term, big decisions are made by a handful of… I don't want to call them activists because they will get on their high horse but they are effectively activists. Of all the millions of people who watch cricket in an English summer, the whole structure is being dictated to by what might only be about 10,000 people. You've got chairmen threatened with removal if they don't do what a small handful of Luddites say – and they are Luddites. They are passionate Luddites, but they are Luddites. I just don't know how they think it will survive without radical change. We've ended up with the lowest common denominator ruling the day."

In case anyone is wondering what a Luddite looks like, take a wander to the big sign screwed to the back of the pavilion and have a look at the list of Durham members who donated their annual subscriptions to the club at a time when no cricket could be watched and very little could be played, to keep their club alive..... that's what a 'Luddite' is, apparently

and why is Bostock upset? Well, because the Luddites are resisting the move to slash county championship matches to 10 per season in order to free up space for more 100 matches and more 100 teams so that it makes it worth their while for the Saudi's and the American's and the Indian's to enter the market, splash the cash on overseas T20 players and.... very importantly.... reward those hard working board members of the franchises, like... oh, I don't know..... the Northern Superchargers and Tim Bostock

funny that

Yes. Very tactless comments to say the least. He'd probably be advised to keep a low profile for a while.

[captaincolly]

https://www.sacricketmag.com/csa-snubs- ... e-batsman/

Really odd decision given how he committed to test cricket and made a very impressive start to his international career. SA cricket seems to be in crisis.

[Durhamfootman]

Has it anything to do with him already having a contract in place with us for this period?

He's been playing in the CSA T20 for Western Province. That comp continues until the end of April, but I've heard nothing that says he may not be available to us in the early part of the season.

Ryan Campbell will be on tomorrow's live feed comms, so perhaps he'll be asked about player availability

[Durhamfootman]

and he played in the first 6 T20's for WP, but he didn't play in the match today

Incidentally, Boland is expected to arrive at the end of this week

[captaincolly]

Has it anything to do with him already having a contract in place with us for this period?

He's been playing in the CSA T20 for Western Province. That comp continues until the end of April, but I've heard nothing that says he may not be available to us in the early part of the season.

Ryan Campbell will be on tomorrow's live feed comms, so perhaps he'll be asked about player availability

I didn't realise their domestic season was still in progress!
I wonder if SA see him as a test specialist and they don't play many tests. I'd think though he would make a success of white ball international cricket.

[captaincolly]

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/dean ... er-1426664

SA test series in July. It does sound as if there's real turmoil over there.Elgar seems to have been effectively forced into retirement.