so a win aand going top is out of the question. Looks like even a draw won't be any good to Kent.
Without question we can only be champions by winning this game now. Our batting bonus points in this game have been in line with most of the rest of the season and cost us. It will have to improve next season.
so a win and going top is out of the question. Looks like even a draw won't be any good to Kent.
A draw would be very good.
It may not win us the league title but it'll keep our 4-day losses for the season down to a single match, the opening round defeat to Gloucs, and keep our unbeaten run ticking over to 13 matches.
By way of comparison Warwickshire has lost three matches this season and only won eight matches (so far) to our ten.
The Bears may have the trophy but we'd be the rightful champions!
so a win and going top is out of the question. Looks like even a draw won't be any good to Kent.
A draw would be very good.
It may not win us the league title but it'll keep our 4-day losses for the season down to a single match, the opening round defeat to Gloucs, and keep our unbeaten run ticking over to 13 matches.
By way of comparison Warwickshire has lost three matches this season and only won eight matches (so far) to our ten.
The Bears may have the trophy but we'd be the rightful champions!
so a win and going top is out of the question. Looks like even a draw won't be any good to Kent.
A draw would be very good.
It may not win us the league title but it'll keep our 4-day losses for the season down to a single match, the opening round defeat to Gloucs, and keep our unbeaten run ticking over to 13 matches.
By way of comparison Warwickshire has lost three matches this season and only won eight matches (so far) to our ten.
The Bears may have the trophy but we'd be the rightful champions!
We also lost to Leicestershire.
Did we? I must have slept through that one ... looking back it was over inside two days so I probably did! (I must also learn to read a league table and which columns are draws and losses ...)
OK, let's have another go at justifying our championship credentials ...
At present both Kent and Warks have lost two matches each. A draw in the current match (however unlikely that may be) would obviously keep that stat as it is and our unbeaten run (currently standing at five straight wins) would be extended to six.
Kent have won ten matches compared to the Bears' eight (including a cracking win over them earlier in the season) so whatever happens this week we'll have more wins than them and my final point will still stand:
We'd be the rightful champions as we've put more emphasis on actually winning matches instead of running up meaningless high first innings scores and getting more bonus points
Matt Coles, sub for player concussed during match, being taken apart by Jason Roy - current figures of 4-0-30-0
Shame that he and Northeast decided to move I can't help thinking that both will reflect on where they are now and whether leaving was the right decision. Hindsight, as they say, is wonderful but Coles' total of 22 wickets from 15 matches in all three comps and Northeast's CC average of less than 25 can only be construed as backward steps.
Matt Coles, sub for player concussed during match, being taken apart by Jason Roy - current figures of 4-0-30-0
Shame that he and Northeast decided to move I can't help thinking that both will reflect on where they are now and whether leaving was the right decision. Hindsight, as they say, is wonderful but Coles' total of 22 wickets from 15 matches in all three comps and Northeast's CC average of less than 25 can only be construed as backward steps.
I imagine the Coles move was also for personal reasons, as clearly he had some issues, and maybe he needed to move away from home?
SNE's move hasn't been a great success though he does have a Lord's final win (grrr)
The counties are voting tomorrow on 3 up and 1 down next season so there will be 12 counties in Div 1 in 2020.
One way to ensure that the likes of Lancs are in Div 1 - all they have to do then is say that there is no promotion from Div 2 from 2020 onwards!
What's happened to the three conferences proposal?
Conference 1: Some Test ground counties (Yorks, Lancs, Warks, Notts, Middlesex, Slurrey, Hants) plus Nasser's Essex and possibly Sussex.
Conference 2: The other Non-Test counties (Kent, Derby, Northants, Leics etc) plus not-so-welcome Test counties (Glamorgan, Durham)
Conference 3: Minor Counties (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge et al)
Probably something along those lines with the County Champion only allowed to come from Conference 1.
You old cynic!! You're probably right though.
Why don't we just go back to ONE County Championship? I know - 17 games is too many and gets in the way of the white ball stuff, but it was so much easier.
The counties are voting tomorrow on 3 up and 1 down next season so there will be 10 counties in Div 1 in 2020.
One way to ensure that the likes of Lancs are in Div 1 - all they have to do then is say that there is no promotion from Div 2 from 2020 onwards!
What's happened to the three conferences proposal?
Binned!
Ultimately they want this for Div 1:
Essex Surrey Notts Yorks Lancs Warwick Somerset Hants Middlesex Durham/Kent/Sussex/Worcs to rotate season by season
If any of the first nine named are near that one relegation place the ECB will release all their England players for vital matches - there are unlikely to be many for Durham/Kent/Sussex/Worcs but they will probably refuse to do so for those counties.
In all seriousness what will happen is that the better youngsters will migrate to the big counties - the likes of Surrey don't want to lose their players to England and not have adequate replacements as this will affect their chances of success. So they will just have a bigger and stronger squad to cope with that eventuality.
There is a flaw with county cricket, as we want to make it competitive but take the best players away from it.
Jennings might have flopped for England, but I'm sure that if he'd been with Lancashire all summer instead, his runs might have kept them up. If Burns instead had played all summer for England, Surrey would definitely have been poorer in the CC.
Comments
Well, by "good" I mean that they've been higher than the first innings.
OK, it's a low bar ...
175 needed to make Warwickshire bat again
It may not win us the league title but it'll keep our 4-day losses for the season down to a single match, the opening round defeat to Gloucs, and keep our unbeaten run ticking over to 13 matches.
By way of comparison Warwickshire has lost three matches this season and only won eight matches (so far) to our ten.
The Bears may have the trophy but we'd be the rightful champions!
OK, let's have another go at justifying our championship credentials ...
At present both Kent and Warks have lost two matches each. A draw in the current match (however unlikely that may be) would obviously keep that stat as it is and our unbeaten run (currently standing at five straight wins) would be extended to six.
Kent have won ten matches compared to the Bears' eight (including a cracking win over them earlier in the season) so whatever happens this week we'll have more wins than them and my final point will still stand:
We'd be the rightful champions as we've put more emphasis on actually winning matches instead of running up meaningless high first innings scores and getting more bonus points
Out for 6 to 9 months, so may be back for some part of next season
Denly out for 0 next ball.
Shame that he and Northeast decided to move I can't help thinking that both will reflect on where they are now and whether leaving was the right decision. Hindsight, as they say, is wonderful but Coles' total of 22 wickets from 15 matches in all three comps and Northeast's CC average of less than 25 can only be construed as backward steps.
Admire him for taking his opportunities with both hands.
SNE's move hasn't been a great success though he does have a Lord's final win (grrr)
One way to ensure that the likes of Lancs are in Div 1 - all they have to do then is say that there is no promotion from Div 2 from 2020 onwards!
The main task has been achieved. Credit to Crawley for grasping the opener role following an indifferent few matches at 5 or 6.
Conference 2: The other Non-Test counties (Kent, Derby, Northants, Leics etc) plus not-so-welcome Test counties (Glamorgan, Durham)
Conference 3: Minor Counties (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge et al)
Probably something along those lines with the County Champion only allowed to come from Conference 1.
Why don't we just go back to ONE County Championship? I know - 17 games is too many and gets in the way of the white ball stuff, but it was so much easier.
Good for Kent potentially, though it would be even better if they have 2 up and nobody relegated next season
Ultimately they want this for Div 1:
Essex
Surrey
Notts
Yorks
Lancs
Warwick
Somerset
Hants
Middlesex
Durham/Kent/Sussex/Worcs to rotate season by season
If any of the first nine named are near that one relegation place the ECB will release all their England players for vital matches - there are unlikely to be many for Durham/Kent/Sussex/Worcs but they will probably refuse to do so for those counties.
In all seriousness what will happen is that the better youngsters will migrate to the big counties - the likes of Surrey don't want to lose their players to England and not have adequate replacements as this will affect their chances of success. So they will just have a bigger and stronger squad to cope with that eventuality.
Jennings might have flopped for England, but I'm sure that if he'd been with Lancashire all summer instead, his runs might have kept them up. If Burns instead had played all summer for England, Surrey would definitely have been poorer in the CC.
Crawley out for 75
Still 80 behind.
EDIT: 133-6 at lunch