Seb received a message at the weekend from a mate at his club in Australia telling him that he had been included as one of the players in the South Australia Cricket Fantasy Cricket League. He got very excited especially when he heard that he had been valued at Australian $9m (equivalent to £5.4m) and even more so when he realised that he was priced the same as the likes of internationals Travis Head and Alex Carey. It was a bit of a let down though when he found out that all 250 players are, actually, currently valued the same.
That was nothing compared to his anger when I told him that he hadn't made the team I had selected for the League. After all, there's no room for sentiment in sport. Be that in reality or fantasy.
I bet he has a screen shot of his listing saved somewhere !!!
Hants 73-4, so Warks with a small chance of enforcing the follow on. Yorkshire 11-1
How nice to be able to watch the squeaky bum action from afar!
I got talking to a Yorkshireman at Worcester who played for the MCC and his son was trialling too. He said that Yorkshire is, so far as cricket is concerned, a place to grow up playing the recreational game but as soon as you are old and good enough you have to go somewhere else and that he had refused to allow his sons to go through their age group system because of it. They continue to be in a complete and utter mess at the moment as evidenced by their refusal to go through due process when sacking the 16 members of staff over the racist claims. That is going to cost them and/or the insurers millions and relegation won't help the situation.
a) no penalty points for slow over rates, so Qadri, Leaning and Denly will have to be ready to bowl, and no faffing around for ages trying to decide whether you want a boundary fielder at extra cover or cover. b) no penalty points for dissent, or over aggressive appealing
"I say umpire, I think that is out... You think it's not out, well I'm sure you're right with your superb eyesight and judgement, silly me"
I can't see that he signed one subsequent to the three year contract in September 2019 so that appears to be the case. Linde is causing us a bit of an embarrassment as we probably don't want him to come back but, by the same token, won't want to pay him off.
The decision to go was Robinson's. The events that culminated in him making that decision was partly caused by Kent and partly by England.
The only other thing I will add is this. One senior Kent coach said to me a few years ago that "we never thought Robinson would make it. We always knew Crawley would". Sometimes, against that backdrop, it is much harder to shift people's opinions and you have to do twice as well as the person that is rated in order to overcome that. The other aspect is that when you feel that you aren't rated, it can affect your confidence and put even more pressure on your performances to the extent that you have to get a score each and every time you walk out. Crawley has never had to combat that for Kent or England and yet he has a worst First Class average than Robinson.
Where that perspective can change is when you leave. I'm sure many of us have witnessed someone at our place at work who isn't rated by the management and doesn't ever get promoted so elects to leave. Only for that person's replacement to be a total downgrade on his predecessor. Time will tell whether that is the case should Billings get injured again.
Comments
463-9 soon to be all out with Quinn coming to the crease
492 all out and a lead of 290
3-1
How nice to be able to watch the squeaky bum action from afar!
23-3
The only other thing I will add is this. One senior Kent coach said to me a few years ago that "we never thought Robinson would make it. We always knew Crawley would". Sometimes, against that backdrop, it is much harder to shift people's opinions and you have to do twice as well as the person that is rated in order to overcome that. The other aspect is that when you feel that you aren't rated, it can affect your confidence and put even more pressure on your performances to the extent that you have to get a score each and every time you walk out. Crawley has never had to combat that for Kent or England and yet he has a worst First Class average than Robinson.
Where that perspective can change is when you leave. I'm sure many of us have witnessed someone at our place at work who isn't rated by the management and doesn't ever get promoted so elects to leave. Only for that person's replacement to be a total downgrade on his predecessor. Time will tell whether that is the case should Billings get injured again.
25-4
Another great catch - this time by DBD at third slip off Evison
65-6