County Championship 2026

[Durhamfootman]

quite the scorecard.... 4 batters only, with the lowest score 101

highlights how badly Durham batted last week, losing 5-47 in 40 minutes against that bowling attack

[Durhamfootman]

Opener watch

another failure for Zak.... a slow failure this time

2 failures for Ben D

[Arthur Crabtree]

My hunch is ZC is already gone, and Duckett will join him unless he makes some eye-catching scores.

[Durhamfootman]

I initially thought that Durham signed both Gay and Rhodes at the end of 2024 with Ben McKinney in mind, because frankly we've never needed (been able to afford) 4 players capable of opening. I think I assumed we had some insider trading into England's thoughts. I believed he'd get the call last year, but he didn't and it caused a fair bit of disruption to the side trying to fit the new boys in. Will Rhodes ended up batting in almost every position from 1 to 7 (not 5)

This year McK may get the call, especially if he can put in another couple of big scores ahead of the test series. He has an attacking mindset, which England seem to like and in turn this might help Durham get a more established top order

[sussexpob]

My hunch is ZC is already gone, and Duckett will join him unless he makes some eye-catching scores.

Duckett is in poor form, but a modern opener averaging over 40 is surely a shoe in irrespective? I'd be amazed if they drop Duckett...

[Durhamfootman]

Yorks, some way behind in the game against Hants, have now replaced 2 of their bowlers under the new injury replacement system, secure in the knowledge that they don't have a game for them to miss next week

Does it make sense not to risk the two players, or are they gaming the system? I don't know

[Arthur Crabtree]

Why not just make the rule the player misses the next game?

Essex should lose today.

[Durhamfootman]

I assume that the first bowler replaced was Jhye Richardson, given that he hasn't bowled in Hants second innings

Jhye Richardson.... I'm not sure in what world anyone could possibly have predicted him getting injured straightaway

his replacement has taken all the wickets to fall in this innings, so lets see if Ben Cliff follows suit now that he's replaced Jack White

[Arthur Crabtree]

Still Coad to get injured.

[Durhamfootman]

Why not just make the rule the player misses the next game?

I suppose if the next match is a T20, then 8 days makes more sense, because that could be 3 T20 matches and so more of a deterrent

maybe it should be 8 days or the next match if there isn't a match in the next 8 days

There could be a lot more of this in the round before the Centiball starts, because it doesn't apply to players playing in that

[Durhamfootman]

Still Coad to get injured.

only a heartbeat away, surely

[Durhamfootman]

ha.... this bowling attack doesn't work and changing the ball 5 times hasn't helped, we don't have a game next week, lets change all the bowlers

[Durhamfootman]

Maybe there's a lesson to be found in American football.

Each side has 3 teams, one comprised of 11 batsmen, one of 10 bowlers and a keeper, and a third team who only come on for free hits

what's not to like?

[Durhamfootman]

Play stopped in the Yorks game

maybe Ben Coad's feeling a bit tired and needs a rest?

[sussexpob]

What is it about frigging Rob Yates and Sussex....