All Pretty Vacant, Down by the Riverside

[captaincolly]

okay, so North it is

time will tell

didn't he make some comments earlier in the year, which seemed a bit odd? something to do with using South North more, or something? damn this useless goldfish memory I just seem to remember thinking 'what's it got to do with you'... well now we know.... this might have been on the cards for most of this season. I wonder if GC knew?

I think they'll use South North for a 4 day game earlyish next season when the Riverside is being prepared for the World Cup games. Martin Emmerson tweeted something about an out-ground so it's almost certain to be SN.
Apparently he's also friends with the new Chief Executive.

[captaincolly]

Woody in ODI squad for Sri Lanka which means he's still on England radar and suggests another white ball cricket contract is in the offing.

Excellent news.

He's not in the test squad though. Although they've found a like-for-like replacement in Olly Stone. Made his FC debut in 2012 but only played 31 matches! First test call and they're already talking about his injury problems and needing to manage his workload.

[westoelad]

Woody in ODI squad for Sri Lanka which means he's still on England radar and suggests another white ball cricket contract is in the offing.

Excellent news.

He's not in the test squad though. Although they've found a like-for-like replacement in Olly Stone. Made his FC debut in 2012 but only played 31 matches! First test call and they're already talking about his injury problems and needing to manage his workload.

I think it's now accepted that Woody can't manage the workload in Tests. From a Durham perspective they'll be happy as long as he's awarded a central white ball contract. Can we assume that North was party to the award of a 3 year contract for Carse and will be be as patient with our other injury prone seamers as has been the case in the past?
Wonder if he asks questions about Wor Nigel's management of above.
Will Rimmington and Pringle be retained despite having a year remaining on their contracts?.
Could be an interesting close season!

[Durhamfootman]

Woody in ODI squad for Sri Lanka which means he's still on England radar and suggests another white ball cricket contract is in the offing.

Excellent news.

He's not in the test squad though. Although they've found a like-for-like replacement in Olly Stone. Made his FC debut in 2012 but only played 31 matches! First test call and they're already talking about his injury problems and needing to manage his workload.

Olly Stone appears to be a fabulous bowler, judging by the vast quantities of fantasy league points that he scores when he does play.... he just doesn't play often enough to be a worthwhile FL pick

never mind..... Kevin Shine will soon sort him out

[westoelad]

Woody in ODI squad for Sri Lanka which means he's still on England radar and suggests another white ball cricket contract is in the offing.

Excellent news.

He's not in the test squad though. Although they've found a like-for-like replacement in Olly Stone. Made his FC debut in 2012 but only played 31 matches! First test call and they're already talking about his injury problems and needing to manage his workload.

Olly Stone appears to be a fabulous bowler, judging by the vast quantities of fantasy league points that he scores when he does play.... he just doesn't play often enough to be a worthwhile FL pick

never mind..... Kevin Shine will soon sort him out

Yes, Shine seeing off the new ball - no one does it better.

[captaincolly]

Woody in ODI squad for Sri Lanka which means he's still on England radar and suggests another white ball cricket contract is in the offing.

Excellent news.

He's not in the test squad though. Although they've found a like-for-like replacement in Olly Stone. Made his FC debut in 2012 but only played 31 matches! First test call and they're already talking about his injury problems and needing to manage his workload.

I think it's now accepted that Woody can't manage the workload in Tests. From a Durham perspective they'll be happy as long as he's awarded a central white ball contract. Can we assume that North was party to the award of a 3 year contract for Carse and will be be as patient with our other injury prone seamers as has been the case in the past?
Wonder if he asks questions about Wor Nigel's management of above.
Will Rimmington and Pringle be retained despite having a year remaining on their contracts?.
Could be an interesting close season!

Pringle seems to be right out of favour so I wouldn't be shocked if he goes. Rimmington has been hopeless as a red ball replacement for Onions but a lot better in the one day games, might be worth keeping him too for when the inevitable injuries hit us. Supoose though if he feels he's not going to be a regular starter he might be open to an early release.

[Durhamfootman]

4th top T20 wicket taker in the Blast... the only ones with more wickets played extra matches on finals day

our joint top wicket taker in the one day cup

scored 255 very useful runs in the CC (usually when we were on the ropes)

I imagine he'll think he did enough to justify our bringing him over..... and we might too

okay... he was a very poor substitute for Onions, but Onions didn't want to stay without the kind of conditions that we felt unable to give, probably would have cost us far, far more than Rimmer.... and tbh, who would have predicted that he would stay fit all season and take so many wickets for Lancs? Not me, that's for sure.

Besides, Rimmer might also bring with him contacts for grade cricket opportunities for some of our emerging players, although we might have some of those, after Mussey's time with us.

Probably worth bringing him back next year. Although I wasn't particularly a fan, I suspect that has more to do with Bunny's success than with Rimmers shortcomings.

[westoelad]

How long have you been Rimmer's agent D/F?
I'm just about convinced he's worth a place in the T20 side but there's no way he's worth a place in the CC.Agreed his batting was OK but you can say that about most of our bowlers apart from Rushy and it's preferable that Rushy doesn't bat so to avoid a risk of injury.

[Durhamfootman]

when his contract was announced I knew that he'd had at least one good season for WA in the BBL (I think AP had picked him in a BBL fantasy league team and he'd done well), but I couldn't find much about him in the Shield, so the jury was out, even before he came over. Maybe he just struggles with the red dukes ball?

maybe in the T20 it's as simple as the white kookaburra being used (if indeed it still is), something he'd be more familiar with than the dukes

[captaincolly]

The only reason I felt Onions might stay fit at Lancs ( apart from being away from Nigel) was because of Sod's law!
Chris ' knowing my luck he'll go and get a hundred now ' Scott's infamous dropped catch against Brian Lara comes to mind!

[westoelad]

when his contract was announced I knew that he'd had at least one good season for WA in the BBL (I think AP had picked him in a BBL fantasy league team and he'd done well), but I couldn't find much about him in the Shield, so the jury was out, even before he came over. Maybe he just struggles with the red dukes ball?

maybe in the T20 it's as simple as the white kookaburra being used (if indeed it still is), something he'd be more familiar with than the dukes

Yes, noticeably his loss of a red ball contract coincides with the Aussies introducing the Duke's ball into Sheffield Shield. We, of course, weren't observant enough to pick up on that.

[Durhamfootman]

I didn't know they'd started to use the dukes in the shield tbh.

makes me wonder why we can spot these things, but the decision makers can't

[westoelad]

The only reason I felt Onions might stay fit at Lancs ( apart from being away from Nigel) was because of Sod's law!
Chris ' knowing my luck he'll go and get a hundred now ' Scott's infamous dropped catch against Brian Lara comes to mind!

Scott insisted on having his meal alone in his room that evening. The team insisted that he was served with plastic cutlery. true!

[westoelad]

I didn't know they'd started to use the dukes in the shield tbh.

makes me wonder why we can spot these things, but the decision makers can't

It was because games were too high scoring resulting in too many draws. Unsurprisingly, there was a marked decrease in scores.

[captaincolly]

The only reason I felt Onions might stay fit at Lancs ( apart from being away from Nigel) was because of Sod's law!
Chris ' knowing my luck he'll go and get a hundred now ' Scott's infamous dropped catch against Brian Lara comes to mind!

Scott insisted on having his meal alone in his room that evening. The team insisted that he was served with plastic cutlery. true!

Oh dear!