Hampshire 2017 thread

[budgetmeansbudget]

Bailey becomes the third centurion of the innings.

[st_brendy]

650 at Tea? Nice FO target of 500?

It's on

[budgetmeansbudget]

There isn't going to be a fourth centurion as Ervine's plays on, probably only way a wicket was going to fall.

[st_brendy]

Third new ball only nine overs away, so would be nice if we just put our foot down now. Especially with part-time spinners on.

[st_brendy]

Good first ever FC 50 for Holland. Flat pitch and poor attack yes, but hopefully the start of something good career-wise.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Tea and that 650 fast approaching.

[budgetmeansbudget]

650 at Tea? Nice FO target of 500?

It's on

2 short, hopelessly wrong!

[st_brendy]

650 at Tea? Nice FO target of 500?

It's on

2 short, hopelessly wrong!

I blame Bailey for wasting those last two balls. Bring Abbott out, knock a single off each, then do the tea declaration.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Yep, 500 is psychologically massively more than 498!

[st_brendy]

Slightly weird. First four overs fly away for 22. Four overs later, they're still on 22.

[st_brendy]

I believe that Carberry, Topley and Wood, amongst others, will be playing a t20 warm-up match tomorrow/Thursday. It'll be very interesting if we select Carberry on Friday.

Vince, Rilee, Bailey, Ervine, Afridi, McManus and Abbott are surely seven nailed on certainties. If they are fit, I would assume that Topley and Wood increase that to nine. It becomes ten if Dawson is left out by England on Thursday - otherwise Holland or Berg probably come in. That's five bowlers, plus Ervine if so required. The 11th man is then where Carberry potentially fits in. Or Alsop, or Adams, or Smith.

I still maintain that a completely fit and on form XI of Vince, Carberry, Rilee, Ervine, Bailey, Dawson, Afridi, McManus, Abbott, Wood, Topley is a contender for our best ever t20 XI (which is saying something, given our t20 record 2010 to 2015). But an XI of, say, Vince, (out of form) Rilee, Ervine, Bailey, Afridi, Holland, (out of form) McManus, Berg, Abbott, Crane, Topley would be some way off that.

[Durhamfootman]

do you have a bowler that can knock the heads off the mercenaries? Preferably at about 93mph

seems to me to be a particularly good time to play Sorry, with the run machine not playing

[budgetmeansbudget]

do you have a bowler that can knock the heads off the mercenaries? Preferably at about 93mph

seems to me to be a particularly good time to play Sorry, with the run machine not playing

Promising start to the morning, although the pitch is as flat as it gets according to our head coach.

I personally feel it's all down to Abbott and Crane, not sure Fidel has got the form and fitness to contribute much.

Hoping the pitch does start to deteriorate at some point under a hot sun!

[st_brendy]

Very good morning now. 20 minutes to make it an excellent one.

[st_brendy]

do you have a bowler that can knock the heads off the mercenaries? Preferably at about 93mph

seems to me to be a particularly good time to play Sorry, with the run machine not playing

Fidel when he's fully fit, absolutely.

But he's been beset with injuries this season, and in his comeback match here it sounds like he's not quite bowling at 100%. Whether that is injury/fitness related, or just a pragmatic approach given that we have two days of bowling to do, I don't know.