Seb played today for Kent against Surrey at the County Ground Beckenham on a lovely day in what was be his last game for Kent - for a while at least as he won't be trialing in September for the U15s. He has been at Kent for four years now but, unfortunately, following his six weeks out with a fractured thumb, he has not developed this season in the way he would have liked. He was left out of the ECB side until today due to the success of the team. The coaches also have very fixed ideas about what roles they see for the players and flexibility in this regard. Today typified things.
Seb is an opening batsman who also happens to be a pretty decent keeper too (though he was a batsman/leg spinner in his first year at Kent). He kept for the full 50 overs, didn't drop any or miss any stumpings and managed to take one of each. The "pay off" for keeping, though, was to bat at 9. He came in with the somewhat hopeless situation of us needing 93 off 8 overs and scored 23 before being caught at mid wicket. His innings included a 6 (remarkably his first ever 6 in any form of cricket was at the Oval as an U12, so he has now hit maximums at two first class County grounds).
I informed the Head last week of our decision and explained that Seb would be better served to open in adult club cricket on Saturdays and in the Development side on Sundays as a batsman rather than just filling a spot at Kent, when selected, for what he considers to be his second discipline i.e. keeping. He says he is very disappointed at our decision (and that he is putting things in place to change some coaches' attitude) but says that he will continue to monitor Seb and hopes that he will trial next year - so the door isn't closed but whether he does will really depend on how he develops as a batsman at his club.
Even if, however, today was Seb's finale he has had some tremendous experiences and played with a fantastic group of players, many of whom will be friends for life. And that is something that can never be taken away.
So Middlesex win tonight, Kent drop to bottom but with 6 teams just 1 point above them. Of those 4 have played a game more than Kent and the other 2 are Kent's final opponents. So this means that 2 wins and Kent guaranteed to go through; in fact in 3rd position! Essex at Chelmsford and then Surrey at Canterbury on Friday.
Yes was looking at this earlier and two wins guarantees us through. Milne was awesome against Somerset on Saturday, and really transforms our bowling line-up which is fairly mediocre without him. Would say DBD/Denly/Northeast/Billings is a pretty strong top 4
Yes was looking at this earlier and two wins guarantees us through. Milne was awesome against Somerset on Saturday, and really transforms our bowling line-up which is fairly mediocre without him. Would say DBD/Denly/Northeast/Billings is a pretty strong top 4
Milne has been a massive loss, as our seam bowling depth has been a bit weak for years.
Possibly our top order batting is a bit orthodox, rather than T20 style specialists, so we tend to be a bit behind the rate when the middle order come in?
Yes was looking at this earlier and two wins guarantees us through. Milne was awesome against Somerset on Saturday, and really transforms our bowling line-up which is fairly mediocre without him. Would say DBD/Denly/Northeast/Billings is a pretty strong top 4
Milne has been a massive loss, as our seam bowling depth has been a bit weak for years.
Possibly our top order batting is a bit orthodox, rather than T20 style specialists, so we tend to be a bit behind the rate when the middle order come in?
I tend to agree. It's almost worth opening with say Coles, Stevens or Blake as a pinch hitter in the power play - being 60-2 off 5 is better than 40-0 especially if you do have DBD, Denly, Northeast, Billings and Neesham in your top 8 too.
That was an exceptional year for the Academy and probably the best of all time - as well as Coles, Billings, DBD, Ball and Cowdrey, James Goodman was offered a contract but chose to pursue an alternative career.
Comments
(answer - because I was in Plymouth today :-( )
Seb is an opening batsman who also happens to be a pretty decent keeper too (though he was a batsman/leg spinner in his first year at Kent). He kept for the full 50 overs, didn't drop any or miss any stumpings and managed to take one of each. The "pay off" for keeping, though, was to bat at 9. He came in with the somewhat hopeless situation of us needing 93 off 8 overs and scored 23 before being caught at mid wicket. His innings included a 6 (remarkably his first ever 6 in any form of cricket was at the Oval as an U12, so he has now hit maximums at two first class County grounds).
I informed the Head last week of our decision and explained that Seb would be better served to open in adult club cricket on Saturdays and in the Development side on Sundays as a batsman rather than just filling a spot at Kent, when selected, for what he considers to be his second discipline i.e. keeping. He says he is very disappointed at our decision (and that he is putting things in place to change some coaches' attitude) but says that he will continue to monitor Seb and hopes that he will trial next year - so the door isn't closed but whether he does will really depend on how he develops as a batsman at his club.
Even if, however, today was Seb's finale he has had some tremendous experiences and played with a fantastic group of players, many of whom will be friends for life. And that is something that can never be taken away.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40925434
Indeed if Kent could have swapped 2 defeats for washouts, we'd be 3rd!
Also a bit weird that Glamorgan top our table, but have a negative net run rate
Possibly our top order batting is a bit orthodox, rather than T20 style specialists, so we tend to be a bit behind the rate when the middle order come in?
The OneLung derby tonight Essex v Kent....
C'mon Spitfires!