Here's a funny one but, perhaps, a symptom of how things work these days in 2s cricket. It's always been a case that a player might trial at one county and then if things don't work out they will then trial at another.
However, there is one player turning out for us today who so far this season has played:
2nd June - Essex 2s v Surrey 2s 3rd June - Kent 2s v Sussex 2s 8th June - Essex 2s v Middlesex 2s 10th June - Kent 2s v Essex 2s 13th June - Kent 2s v Surrey 2s 5th July - Durham 2s v Kent 2s
Poor bloke plays one day for Essex then the next for Kent. He also faces twice in the space of two weeks against Surrey for two different counties. Then, having played all his games either side of the bridge he's called up by Kent to play in the other end of the country!
Such are the "trials" and tribulations of a player trying to secure a pro contract.
Chopping and changing teams like that is setting him up nicely for a career in franchise white ball hit-and-giggle-whilst-taking-the-money cricket when he does finally make the breakthrough into senior cricket.
England seamer James Anderson took his 1,000th first-class wicket as Lancashire triggered a Kent collapse at Emirates Old Trafford. Anderson took a wicket in each of his first three overs, then added four more in his 7-19 as Kent slumped to 34-8.
Bowling, appropriately enough, from the James Anderson End, the 38-year-old fast bowler claimed his best figures at Old Trafford. He beat his previous Manchester best of 6-49 against Worcestershire in 2004. But, after taking the first five wickets to fall, Danny Lamb wrecked his chances of taking all 10, by getting the wicket of England batsman Joe Denly. Anderson's 1,000th victim was South African Heino Kuhn, caught behind by skipper Dane Vilas. England's all time top Test wicket taker was finally taken off after an opening 10-over spell with figures of 10-5-19-7.
There's something wrong with that first line from the BBC report.
It should read:
England seamer James Anderson took his 1,000th first-class wicket as Kent triggered a Kent collapse by starting their innings at Old Trafford.
We've got Lanky Lanky rattled: 31-0 after 6.2 ov ...
When does the T20 restart?
Therein is the problem. As I mentioned before with regard to Crawley's Test woes, constantly throwing your hands in T20 does not prepare him for what he will face at the highest level in red ball cricket which is all about shot selection and playing the ball as late as possible and under the eyes. The best shot of all is the "leave" but, with all due to respect to Sibley, you do have to have one or two shots.
The latest scores in the other matches of the current round of the Championship:
DAY 2 OF 4
Nottinghamshire 256-7 v Derbyshire 149 all out
Nottinghamshire lead Derbyshire by 107 runs with 3 wickets remaining
Warwickshire 237 all out v Durham 20-1
Durham trail Warwickshire by 217 runs with 9 wickets remaining
Hampshire 488 all out v Surrey 42-4
Surrey trail Hampshire by 446 runs with 6 wickets remaining
Somerset 461-9 dec v Leicestershire 95-3
Leicestershire trail Somerset by 366 runs with 7 wickets remaining
Northamptonshire 170-9 v Yorkshire 158 all out & 159-6
Yorkshire lead Northamptonshire by 147 runs with 4 wickets remaining
Sussex 226 all out v Glamorgan 205-9
Glamorgan trail Sussex by 21 runs with 1 wicket remaining
DAY 1 OF 4
Gloucestershire 248 all out v Middlesex
Hants (understandable, given they were playing the Slurry Brownshorts) and Somerset notwithstanding those are some pretty ordinary batting totals.
The question is: how many of these low totals can be attributed to pitch and atmospheric conditions? How many are due to players having just played a decent stint of 20-over cricket and haven't been able to adapt mentally to the longer (and purer) form of the game, resulting in them throwing their bat at everything and giving their wickets away?
The latest scores in the other matches of the current round of the Championship:
DAY 2 OF 4
Nottinghamshire 256-7 v Derbyshire 149 all out
Nottinghamshire lead Derbyshire by 107 runs with 3 wickets remaining
Warwickshire 237 all out v Durham 20-1
Durham trail Warwickshire by 217 runs with 9 wickets remaining
Hampshire 488 all out v Surrey 42-4
Surrey trail Hampshire by 446 runs with 6 wickets remaining
Somerset 461-9 dec v Leicestershire 95-3
Leicestershire trail Somerset by 366 runs with 7 wickets remaining
Northamptonshire 170-9 v Yorkshire 158 all out & 159-6
Yorkshire lead Northamptonshire by 147 runs with 4 wickets remaining
Sussex 226 all out v Glamorgan 205-9
Glamorgan trail Sussex by 21 runs with 1 wicket remaining
DAY 1 OF 4
Gloucestershire 248 all out v Middlesex
Hants (understandable, given they were playing the Slurry Brownshorts) and Somerset notwithstanding those are some pretty ordinary batting totals.
The question is: how many of these low totals can be attributed to pitch and atmospheric conditions? How many are due to players having just played a decent stint of 20-over cricket and haven't been able to adapt mentally to the longer (and purer) form of the game, resulting in them throwing their bat at everything and giving their wickets away?
Conditions play a massive part and when the CC is played is a reflection of the disdain the ECB now have for the longer form of the game. It is unusual to have April conditions in July but when you've already played half the games in the CC in the first two months you reap what you sow.
It's also the fact that they don't play and train with bowlers the calibre of which they would do decades ago. The art of knowing where your off stump is and which ball to play has gone out of the window simply because in white ball cricket the idea is to play each and every one.
Just watched that last wicket. It was so Stevens. Bowls a couple of out swingers, then throws another wide one that the batsman assumes is going the same way so he leaves it but the ball jags back two feet to take his off stump.
Sam Northeast has left Hants by mutual consent and joined Yorkshire on a short term contract. After that he will be a free agent. Wonder if his fall out with Kent will be buried with a possible return to us? This will almost certainly be Kuhn's last season as he is now considered to be an overseas player and Northeast wouldn't be the worst replacement.
Northeast made 3 on his debut for Yorkshire
Followed up with 1 in the 2nd innings, Can imagine those understanding Yorkshire folk cutting him some slack and I expect that they are looking forward to seeing him bat in their next match.
Comments
My fault again - Stevens out
Anderson took a wicket in each of his first three overs, then added four more in his 7-19 as Kent slumped to 34-8.
Bowling, appropriately enough, from the James Anderson End, the 38-year-old fast bowler claimed his best figures at Old Trafford.
He beat his previous Manchester best of 6-49 against Worcestershire in 2004.
But, after taking the first five wickets to fall, Danny Lamb wrecked his chances of taking all 10, by getting the wicket of England batsman Joe Denly.
Anderson's 1,000th victim was South African Heino Kuhn, caught behind by skipper Dane Vilas.
England's all time top Test wicket taker was finally taken off after an opening 10-over spell with figures of 10-5-19-7.
There's something wrong with that first line from the BBC report.
It should read:
England seamer James Anderson took his 1,000th first-class wicket as Kent triggered a Kent collapse by starting their innings at Old Trafford.
Unless ...
Fanny! Time to put on your dancing shoes and get boogieing!
When does the T20 restart?
England's top 3 today:
Sibley caught 2nd slip 0
Burns caught behind 1
Crawley caught 2nd slip 0
64-1
More wickets to follow shortly
Shocking performance by both.
rapid 250 from us and then scoreboard pressure gets us the win
Boom!
Insert the 'It's happening' gif
110 89-4
no stopping me now!
The latest scores in the other matches of the current round of the Championship:
Hants (understandable, given they were playing the Slurry Brownshorts) and Somerset notwithstanding those are some pretty ordinary batting totals.
The question is: how many of these low totals can be attributed to pitch and atmospheric conditions? How many are due to players having just played a decent stint of 20-over cricket and haven't been able to adapt mentally to the longer (and purer) form of the game, resulting in them throwing their bat at everything and giving their wickets away?
It's also the fact that they don't play and train with bowlers the calibre of which they would do decades ago. The art of knowing where your off stump is and which ball to play has gone out of the window simply because in white ball cricket the idea is to play each and every one.
Was out all afternoon so didn't see the call to arms until around 5pm.
But, thankfully, our plight was not quite as dire as it seemed at the time.
I'll be more on the ball tomorrow, promise.....
...in the Jimmy Anderson manner.
119-6
Followed up with 1 in the 2nd innings, Can imagine those understanding Yorkshire folk cutting him some slack and I expect that they are looking forward to seeing him bat in their next match.