Time for a new thread.
Without wishing to start it off on a negative note, assuming that SNE does go, we find ourselves with a squad of 18 of which only 11 have played more than 20 First Class Matches. Of that 11, five will be 32, 33, 35, 37 and 42 respectively by the time the season is properly underway. Plus a Captain who will potentially be missing for some of the season.
The need for reinforcements is obvious. And soon.
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Hats off for thinking of cricket on a day like this
What is going so wrong at youth level - surely we have as many schools playing as other counties, so why are we not seeing youngsters ready to step up into the pro ranks ?
Wicketkeepers too, no idea what Ryan Davies is doing at the moment since he left Somerset as we don't really need him back
The senior squad has been shrinking year on year, and it's a shame that so many talented players have left to play elsewhere. Is it just about money? The need for a bottom up re-build is paramount.
DBD
Dickson
Crawley
Blake
Stevens
Gidman
Rouse
Haggett
Tredwell
Thomas
Hunn
However, there is one other factor and that is that a lot of kids, even the talented ones, aren't engaged in sport as much as they once were and would rather stay at home and play on their Games Console for example.
Only last week a Dad said to me before a training session last week of his son who is in the Kent set up "xxxxx didn't want to come today because it was his birthday last week and all he wants to do is play on his Play Station." The first thing that this boy said to Seb was "I am so tired. I've just spent seven hours playing Assassin's Creed and just want to go to sleep".
Seb's nickname at school is FIFA 10 so called because that is the version of the game that he has. He is an outsider in this world which is down to the fact that he would rather play sport or his guitar to relax. But he is, it seems, an exception and whilst there is nothing wrong with playing on a Games Console, when it becomes yet another reason to get better at sport that is a concern.
Our inability to produce seamers is the most worrying. I can only think of Matt Coles in the last 15 years who came through the Kent system and actually made it as a regular. David Masters was probably the last one and he only stayed with us for a few seasons.
Kent batsman Joe Denly will lead a 16-man squad on the FGS Plant Tour which flies out to the West Indies this weekend.
The 2017 player of the year will skipper the side in the absence of 2018 captain Sam Billings, who is on England duty in Australia and New Zealand during the tour.
Will Gidman will serve as vice-captain for the tour after a couple of victorious captaincy cameos for Kent last season.
New assistant coach Allan Donald has joined the coaching staff for the tour after gaining his UK work permit.
The Spitfires will represent county cricket in Antigua for a second successive winter, playing in the West Indies Super50 one-day competition.
Kent take on Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands and USA in the group stage which starts on Wednesday 31 January with the semi-finals on February 21-22 and the final on February 24.
Kent Cricket would like to thank tour sponsors FGS Plant and travel partners Smile Group Travel.
FGS Plant Tour squad: Daniel Bell-Drummond, Alex Blake, Mitch Claydon, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Sean Dickson, Will Gidman, Calum Haggett, Matt Hunn, Imran Qayyum, Adam Riley, Ollie Robinson, Adam Rouse, Grant Stewart, Ivan Thomas, James Tredwell.
He generally does.
Club is wasting a lot of money on taking out a squad of 16 who aren't good enough / won't get picked for the start of the season. No new signings and the head coach isnt travelling with the squad for it . Complete circus if you ask me