by Making_Splinters » Thu Mar 30, 2017 11:17 am
With the Uni games going on, T20 in the UAE done and dusted and the MCC game dealt with, the new season is finally here.
2016 was an interesting season for the Red Rose, riding high early on but ultimately, and with the changes to the LVCC, vitally just staying up. We miserably failed to defend out Blast Trophy, not even making finals day, and we finished bottom of the North Group in the 50 over stuff. But, we stayed in the First Division.
We’ve lost Giles back to the Bears replacing him with Chapple and Chilton, neither of whom I’m particularly enthused by. We sadly lost Smith to injury and AP to a fixing ban. Both huge losses to the side. We cleared the books getting rid of players we never should have signed in Griffiths, Buck and Edwards, and finally called time on Reece’s promise. We’re going to likely lose Hameed for the Tests and Buttler for most of the season somewhere or other.
The upcoming season looks somewhat promising. For once we’ve made some big-name signings bringing in Vilas and Chanderpaul on Kolpak deals, an Aussie U-19 wicket keeper to provide back up to Davies, and pinched McLaren from Hampshire, not forgetting Junaid Khan in the T20. We’d hoped to have the Faulk back but CA have blocked that. Still, it looks one of the more promising Red Rose line ups in a while with two of the most promising young English batsmen potentially in the side.
Should hopefully be a good year. Priority is staying in Division 1, we’re not going to be challenging for the title, plus winning one of the limited overs competitions would be a bonus.
"It was my opinion it is up to me if I want to justify it or not" - Bhaveshgor