by Durhamfootman » Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:02 pm
no he shouldn't, I agree. When Durham won the CC the year before an ashes summer, we signed Ian Blackwell and he utterly completed the team, tbh. He was hungry for it too, after leaving Somerset (no pun intended there, btw), and sniffing after an England recall, so he worked really hard that year. We had Harmison hoping desperately for one last ashes hurrah, and so he was working really hard, and Graham Onions was on the cusp of test cricket and he was working really hard too. Shiv was on the books to give us some second half of the season solidity when pitches started to turn, and so we ended up with a much better team than the one which won our maiden CC title the year before.
Now that hardly ever happens these days, and we were very lucky (or savvy) to have England quality internationals suddenly fired up and in the team on a regular basis. If KP had stayed fit and in some strange move, England decided to drop Bell in order to get Root into the England side, then that is kind of what we had. Imagine having Bell batting regualrly for you this year trying hard to get an ashes place back, and the effect that that would have on your 2013 season?
As you say, teams prepare different pitches hoping to gain an advantage this time around. Then they will try to grind out a draw against you because you are the county champions, whereas the year before they might have had a go at trying to force a win and open the door for you. It is very hard to replicate the season. Having a change of coach certainly won't have helped because DB won't have had much time to prepare for defending the title. Meanwhile Ashley 'Durham are coming so rake up a worn old pitch mr groundsman, please' Giles walks away looking like a hero into a plum England role instead of making sure that Warks have everything in place for another successful year of domestic cricket.
DB will be planning for next year, already (I hope). Working out where he needs to strengthen (every successful side needs to strengthen, every year). You'll be fine. Just keep your bowlers fit.
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