All Pretty Vacant, Down by the Riverside

[westoelad]

Confirmation that Wood has been awarded a white ball contract by FTECB.

Don't know exactly how they work but apparently it's advantageous for Durham. Presumably Durham won't be paying his salary for the remainder of this year whilst he's away with England.

[captaincolly]

Confirmation that Wood has been awarded a white ball contract by FTECB.

Don't know exactly how they work but apparently it's advantageous for Durham. Presumably Durham won't be paying his salary for the remainder of this year whilst he's away with England.

I don't know how they work either but according to cricinfo "those on white ball-contracts will receive a supplement on top of their county salary...Test specialists and those playing all forms of the game will have their salaries paid in full by the ECB"
That seems ambiguous because it could be interpreted as meaning counties don't get compensated for white-ball contracted players but that surely can't be the case.

[captaincolly]

Confirmation that Wood has been awarded a white ball contract by FTECB.

Don't know exactly how they work but apparently it's advantageous for Durham. Presumably Durham won't be paying his salary for the remainder of this year whilst he's away with England.

I don't know how they work either but according to cricinfo "those on white ball-contracts will receive a supplement on top of their county salary...Test specialists and those playing all forms of the game will have their salaries paid in full by the ECB"
That seems ambiguous because it could be interpreted as meaning counties don't get compensated for white-ball contracted players but that surely can't be the case.

Legsidelizzy confirming in her Times article that white ball contracts mean " counties get compensation for time spent with the national side."

[Durhamfootman]

this year our preferred 3/4/5 averaged 21

looking ahead to next year, we have already taken steps to improve our opening batting pair, and Ben Raine will come in as our genuine all rounder no.6. Poynter at 7 seems popular with JJB, so I reckon that for all the talk of needing to bring in a couple of middle order batsmen, we are actually done in that area. Bancroft Lees and Steel seem set to become our top order, meaning we have Smith, Clark, Harte and Richardson fighting for 4 and 5. We might not be too happy with that arrangement, but I suspect JJB will be

So I can't see any more signings, tbh, particularly since both Wood and Weighell (depending on who is fit and available) provide batting cover at 8, and Rimmer (if he plays CC) and Potts (if fit) are more than adequate bats at 9

We need to do something about the pitches, because with this uncontested toss bollix, we are giving ourselves absolutely no chance to either garner batting points, or get ourselves into match winning positions. I absolutely don't buy this 'can't do anything with the pitches' rubbish. We used to have the opposite problem when they first banned the use of the heavy roller. Somewhere in the middle (no pun intended) there is a happy medium which we have to find or we will spend a very long time in div 2.

[Durhamfootman]

and it looks like there will be 3 teams promoted next year, so we have to get it right.... 2019 represents the best chance we'll get for promotion

[captaincolly]

this year our preferred 3/4/5 averaged 21

looking ahead to next year, we have already taken steps to improve our opening batting pair, and Ben Raine will come in as our genuine all rounder no.6. Poynter at 7 seems popular with JJB, so I reckon that for all the talk of needing to bring in a couple of middle order batsmen, we are actually done in that area. Bancroft Lees and Steel seem set to become our top order, meaning we have Smith, Clark, Harte and Richardson fighting for 4 and 5. We might not be too happy with that arrangement, but I suspect JJB will be

So I can't see any more signings, tbh, particularly since both Wood and Weighell (depending on who is fit and available) provide batting cover at 8, and Rimmer (if he plays CC) and Potts (if fit) are more than adequate bats at 9

We need to do something about the pitches, because with this uncontested toss bollix, we are giving ourselves absolutely no chance to either garner batting points, or get ourselves into match winning positions. I absolutely don't buy this 'can't do anything with the pitches' rubbish. We used to have the opposite problem when they first banned the use of the heavy roller. Somewhere in the middle (no pun intended) there is a happy medium which we have to find or we will spend a very long time in div 2.

According to Colly the other night he thinks that the batch of Duke balls this year were abnormal and seamed around all over the place. He actually praised the groundsman and said bowling with the White kookaburra balls made the pitches seem good for batting but the same pitches with the red ball were almost unplayable.
Players might be inclined to look for excuses but the lowest average runs per wicket across the competition in around 45 years might back him up.
Then again if that is the case the bowlers must have been hopeless to register the fewest bowling points in the division and another argument against blaming the Dukes is even our hapless lineup managing to register some big scores in the third innings.
The pitch certainly seemed iffy for the last game - Colly out to a shooter in his last innings and Richardson in the first innings playing nicely to get to 50 and then trapped lbw trying to play a pull shot only for the ball to keep low and have him 'adjudged' lbw.

[captaincolly]

If no one else comes in maybe Lewis will be giving Poynter some summer reading - Mike Brearley's book on the art of captaincy!

[Durhamfootman]

eek!

[Durhamfootman]

better an evening with Abba, than a day with Abbas

[captaincolly]

better an evening with Abba, than a day with Abbas

[Arthur Crabtree]

Arf!

[captaincolly]

Lewis was right to dismiss the rumours we were signing Rikki Wessells- he's joining Worcestershire on a 3 year deal.

[westoelad]

Lewis was right to dismiss the rumours we were signing Rikki Wessells- he's joining Worcestershire on a 3 year deal.

Clearly Wessels was available so there may have been some substance in the rumour. A talented batsman still in his prime and of the standard we should be seeking. If DCCC are serious about progressing they need to sign at least one player of this calibre.

[captaincolly]

Lewis was right to dismiss the rumours we were signing Rikki Wessells- he's joining Worcestershire on a 3 year deal.

Clearly Wessels was available so there may have been some substance in the rumour. A talented batsman still in his prime and of the standard we should be seeking. If DCCC are serious about progressing they need to sign at least one player of this calibre.

And they have no excuses to do with finances now Colly is off the payroll.

[captaincolly]

Lewis was right to dismiss the rumours we were signing Rikki Wessells- he's joining Worcestershire on a 3 year deal.

Clearly Wessels was available so there may have been some substance in the rumour. A talented batsman still in his prime and of the standard we should be seeking. If DCCC are serious about progressing they need to sign at least one player of this calibre.

On second thoughts-if Lewis was giving the full picture when he said there had been no discussions at all between Wessels and Durham then the question is why not? As you say he is the type of player we should be going after.
Unless he genuinely didn't know Colly was about to retire and assumed there'd be no cash to spare.