Who's Sorry Now: Down by the Riverside

[captaincolly]

we might have to take him on, the way things are going

doubtless we'd be deducted points if we had to field a 10 man team, because everyone else had *modded* off to Notts. gawd only knows what will happen once Colin Graves gets back off his holidays to find that Notts have bought half our team... he'll probably feel obliged to buy the other half on principle

I suppose he could be a useful squad member, would surely improve the T20 side. All depends on what the other options are.

[westoelad]

Bunny whingeing on Look North for a 2 year contact plus a coaching job. Failed to mention that he's only played 6 games this season nor has he any coaching qualifications. He can certainly have a 2 year contract- The present 1 year one on offer spread over 2 years. I wonder if his advisor has advised him that he's save 20% on deductions doing that?

[captaincolly]

It's a tricky situation with Onions. He has looked very good recently but on the other hand his age and injuries count against him.
Personally I think I would offer him the deal he wants because I doubt we could bring in anyone of similar quality for the same sort of terms.
There are risks involved either way but I'd retain him. Can understand though why the club seem reticent.
As for the other two deportees, I thought Lewis made some excellent points in the papers today about it not making sense for players to feel they have to leave Durham in order to fulfil their ambitions.

Unless of course the 'ambition' is to earn more money!

[Durhamfootman]

nobody has ever had to leave Durham if they are good enough to play for England. Only Yorkshire have provided more England players in recent years (they've even developed some of them themselves). The only exception to that is the Stonemercenary, who got his gig scoring easy featherbed runs in high scoring encounters at the Oval, but given that England tried everybody else first, my guess is that he would have been picked even if he had stayed.

Anyone who says they are leaving to further their England prospects is lying

just plain old lying

lying basterds

[westoelad]

If he's genuine he'll agree a 1 year rolling contract a la Colly. Clearly if he performs he deserves and will be offered a contract the next year. I think Bunny is being manipulated by his agent.

[captaincolly]

nobody has ever had to leave Durham if they are good enough to play for England. Only Yorkshire have provided more England players in recent years (they've even developed some of them themselves). The only exception to that is the Stonemercenary, who got his gig scoring easy featherbed runs in high scoring encounters at the Oval, but given that England tried everybody else first, my guess is that he would have been picked even if he had stayed.

Anyone who says they are leaving to further their England prospects is lying

just plain old lying

lying basterds

I agree. Steve James ( think it was him ) mentioned that the England coaches were not convinced about Stoneman and that is why they ignored him for so long. He was clearly picked - as you say - only after trying everyone else and the move to Surrey was not a relevant factor.

If he's genuine he'll agree a 1 year rolling contract a la Colly. Clearly if he performs he deserves and will be offered a contract the next year. I think Bunny is being manipulated by his agent.

Yes, I think a rolling contract would be fair. He may not have been involved in the one day games when fit because the coaches didn't want to risk another injury.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Botham suggesting a conflict of interests in having the selectors based at counties after Coughlin signs for Notts.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... tion-panel

[Arthur Crabtree]

Article says Colly is expected to go to Australia for the Ashes as a coach.

[captaincolly]

Botham suggesting a conflict of interests in having the selectors based at counties after Coughlin signs for Notts.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... tion-panel

I think Botham is right to suggest it but Strauss is probably also right to say the problem is one of perception. It's a very tricky one.
I'd look at Coughlin and say he should have shown more loyalty given that Durham have stuck with him despite his injury records and performances that have shown lots of potential without ever actually translating into consistently good performances -eg his captaincy seemed to improve a bit during the T20 games and he batted well but his bowling was woeful.
However the other argument would be that if Durham had been better off he would have been cut adrift a while back. Same with Jennings - if Durham could have signed an overseas player last year it may well have been an opening batsman.

[captaincolly]

Article says Colly is expected to go to Australia for the Ashes as a coach.

Apparently they're grooming him as a possible replacement for Bayliss. Next year surely will be his final year as a player ( although he seems to just keep going so maybe not! ) and if he then goes straight to England I think that will be when the wheels well and truly come off at Durham. We won't be able to get anyone who plays as well and every time anyone else has tried to captain it has generally been a total disaster.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I suspect Strauss got that notion of 'perception' from his friends in the Government. That was a constant Osborne/Cameron response, not that there was anything amiss with their policies, so the fault must be in the presentation.

[captaincolly]

I suspect Strauss got that notion of 'perception' from his friends in the Government. That was a constant Osborne/Cameron response, not that there was anything amiss with their policies, so the fault must be in the presentation.

Yes! Think there was some talk of him standing as an MP at one point!
I must admit though that in his books he comes over as quite a self deprecating character - wryly mentions that his first game as ( stand in ) England captain was an ODI in India...he wrote that his first decision as skipper caused a riot in the ground as the game was abandoned when he agreed with the umpires that the ground was unfit for play after rain!

[captaincolly]

One other amusing Durham related story he tells is when he captained Middlesex at Durham in a one day match , it was shortly after he made the near perfect start to his test career...he drove up to Durham feeling good, was then out for a duck and Middlesex lost a game they seemed certain to win in the last over when his field placing allowed Steve Harmison to win the game with one of his sweep shots.
I have a vague recollection of being at that game, think it was one where both captains were out for 0 ( Lewis for Durham.)

[wearside willow]

Bunny whingeing on Look North for a 2 year contact plus a coaching job. Failed to mention that he's only played 6 games this season nor has he any coaching qualifications. He can certainly have a 2 year contract- The present 1 year one on offer spread over 2 years. I wonder if his advisor has advised him that he's save 20% on deductions doing that?

Didn't see the interview but if it has got to that level then it looks like he is off. I think the club are right in what they are doing in offering him a one year deal which Onions has deserved through his performances. I hope they stick to that offer and if Bunny decides to go else where then fair enough he has been a great player for the club.

[captaincolly]

Bunny whingeing on Look North for a 2 year contact plus a coaching job. Failed to mention that he's only played 6 games this season nor has he any coaching qualifications. He can certainly have a 2 year contract- The present 1 year one on offer spread over 2 years. I wonder if his advisor has advised him that he's save 20% on deductions doing that?

Didn't see the interview but if it has got to that level then it looks like he is off. I think the club are right in what they are doing in offering him a one year deal which Onions has deserved through his performances. I hope they stick to that offer and if Bunny decides to go else where then fair enough he has been a great player for the club.

I think a one year deal would be fair but on the other hand if he does go could we be confident of bringing someone else in who is likely to be up to his standard? It's a tough one, there's a risk in a two year deal for him but my instinct is there us likely to be more of a risk in not keeping him - there should be cash to spare with Coggers and Jennings abandoning ship but would any really good players be keen to join us?
I wonder if Woody is complicating things - England clearly rate him but will they renew his central contract ? He'll be lucky if they do and if they don't it will be another dilemma for Durham.