The irony is that had Crawley, DBD, Joe Denly, Muyeye and Billings all been available as in years gone by, we might not have seen these three or four youngsters for another year or two. All of a sudden, they are potentially offering competition for next year that we might not have had otherwise. Which is why we must give them every chance to gain more experience during the course of the rest of this season in this comp and also the CC.
Is Dawkins a full time wicket keeper, or is he a batsman who can also take the gloves?
That is a debatable point. He is a full time keeper but one that has been given limited opportunity to perform be that at county 2s or England U19 level. Personally, I think he needs to concentrate on opening the batting because I do think that being so tall is going to be a bit of a barrier to him taking the gloves on a regular basis. If we are talking about doing the job on the odd occasion in white ball then that is a different question all together especially in T20.
Just a thought - imagine if we'd carried on picking Compton instead of Dawkins to open. At what point would Dawkins have been given the opportunity to showcase his talent but, more to the point, to gain that much needed experience of time in the middle, a commodity that Compton really does not need.
Another youngster, Olly Curtiss, has been added making it five teenagers in the 14 for our game against Somerset. Evison isn't included but still might play - he has a sore back though I am struggling to get my head around why he isn't named anyway?
Compton playing wouldn't necessarily mean Dawkins missing out. He could have replaced Leaning in a game where spinners weren't going to be used as much.
Compton and Dawkins opening, with Jaydn at 3 for example.
The season isn't totally over for Kent of course but even the most optimistic fan would struggle to envisage us getting to the T20 finals day (The Cricketer magazine implies we might as well not bother turning up at Old Trafford!). However, we have to hope that the lads come produce a bit of magic. It some ways our disastrous Championship campaign could be a blessing in disguise. It would be typical of the county's recent fortunes to see us finish in 2nd place in Div 2 only to discover that the long overdue review will see only one team promoted! It's an absolute disgrace that the counties still don't know what they're playing for. Deadlines have come and gone. I guess by next April we will know! It's ridiculous and indicative of just how poorly the game is run.
The season isn't totally over for Kent of course but even the most optimistic fan would struggle to envisage us getting to the T20 finals day (The Cricketer magazine implies we might as well not bother turning up at Old Trafford!). However, we have to hope that the lads come produce a bit of magic. It some ways our disastrous Championship campaign could be a blessing in disguise. It would be typical of the county's recent fortunes to see us finish in 2nd place in Div 2 only to discover that the long overdue review will see only one team promoted! It's an absolute disgrace that the counties still don't know what they're playing for. Deadlines have come and gone. I guess by next April we will know! It's ridiculous and indicative of just how poorly the game is run.
Let’s hope they don’t bring in relegation to the minor counties for the bottom of DIv2
Given the team contained five teenagers, it wasn't t total surprise that we ended up losing to Yorkshire today. Stand out performers were Ekansh with 71 (72) plus 8-0-42-3 with the ball and Jaydn with 79 (81).
Ben Dawkins, as evidenced with his scores of 8, 85, 48, 111*, 5 & 1 is very much the one that is going to offer that "feast" option at the top of the order but, because of the way he plays, is going to have some days of "famine". That is offset by Ekansh and Jaydn who both have a decent range of shots but are accumulators. If those three do kick on, as hoped for, then a top 6 in a couple of years time of Muyeye, Dawkins, DBD, Jaydn, Ekansh and Evison could be quite an exciting one. Even more so if Jaydn and Ekansh (plus Evison of course) can turn into viable options with the ball because, with a keeper plus four bowlers, we would have some really good bowling options too.
As you say the silver lining of our poor Metro campaign is that it made it easier to blood the youngsters. Can add the returning Milnes to those players next season. His performances in this comp at least show he’ll add something.
In a post match interview, Hollioake said that Crawley has been made available for the Blast QF by England. DBD was doing some work at the break, Joe was obviously playing and it is hopeful that Stewart will be fit too. At the start of the Blast we had Crawley at 3 with DBD & Muyeye opening and I would be inclined to do that once again. The side should look something like this assuming everyone is fit. I also hope that Gilchrist is selected. This would mean nine changes to the team we put out today:
DBD Muyeye Crawley Joe Denly Billings Evison Leaning Stewart Klaassen Parkinson Gilchrist
There will also be decisions to be made on the future of a number of our players in the course of the next few months:
Joe Denly - struggle to see, with his fitness issues, justification in offering him a full contract but possibly a one year white ball contract would strike the right balance Klaassen - has suffered badly with injuries in last couple of years and looks a bit of a pale imitation of his former self so would expect to be released O'Riordan - has had a wretched time with injuries and isn't even getting games in the 2s so will, undoubtedly, be released Rizvi - not sure that he has done enough to earn himself a contract. Being another leggie doesn't help imo as we do need someone, other than Leaning, to turn it the other way Garrett - has been used sparingly but might be offered a year extension as a back up Stewart - I can't seem to find any reference to his contract extension beyond 2024. If he is out of contract then we really do need to re-sign him and "grant" him his County Cap Quinn - another one who hasn't been fit and not sure that he has done enough to warrant a new contract Cohen - I was really hoping that he would knock a few back with his extra pace but, unfortunately, in addition to being out for almost two years, his radar has been all over the place Gilchrist - is leaving for Warwickshire
That leaves us with 17 players and dreadfully short of seamers with those ones mentioned above potentially departing. I'm sure we'll be scouring for a second overseas quick over the course of the winter:
DBD Billings - white ball only Leaning Muyeye Crawley - presumably will be centrally contracted Compton Evison Finch Benjamin Jaydn Denly Jas Singh Parkinson Dudgeon Milnes Ekash Singh - rookie contract Dawkins - rookie contract Flintoff - rookie contract
I would also like to see Ekansh and Dawkins being offered a full contract to replace their existing rookie ones especially in the case of Ekansh who, I believe, only has a year of his to run.
AA is there any rumours going around about potential incomings? Looks like a couple of senior seamers light which I would guess will be domestic signings and then it feels like there's a nice gap to slide in an overseas all formats opener/top order bat too.
Always find cricket transfers weird because having no transfer window per se means you get stuff for next season announced in June/July. County sides inability to communicate contract lengths is one of my biggest bugbears too! Spend half the time guessing who's actually out of contract.
AA is there any rumours going around about potential incomings? Looks like a couple of senior seamers light which I would guess will be domestic signings and then it feels like there's a nice gap to slide in an overseas all formats opener/top order bat too.
Always find cricket transfers weird because having no transfer window per se means you get stuff for next season announced in June/July. County sides inability to communicate contract lengths is one of my biggest bugbears too! Spend half the time guessing who's actually out of contract.
I've not heard any rumours bar that one about Sam Northeast but I'm not sure whether we will get an extra batsman because we have eight senior batters already under red ball contracts and that doesn't include Jaydn, Ekansh or Dawkins and we have to cut our cloth accordingly. We are short of seamers, one of which will, no doubt, be a second overseas. I would hope that Stewart re-signs but we would still need at least another three to re-sign or join plus a spinner too. That would take us to 23 in total.
There will also be decisions to be made on the future of a number of our players in the course of the next few months:
Joe Denly - struggle to see, with his fitness issues, justification in offering him a full contract but possibly a one year white ball contract would strike the right balance Klaassen - has suffered badly with injuries in last couple of years and looks a bit of a pale imitation of his former self so would expect to be released O'Riordan - has had a wretched time with injuries and isn't even getting games in the 2s so will, undoubtedly, be released Rizvi - not sure that he has done enough to earn himself a contract. Being another leggie doesn't help imo as we do need someone, other than Leaning, to turn it the other way Garrett - has been used sparingly but might be offered a year extension as a back up Stewart - I can't seem to find any reference to his contract extension beyond 2024. If he is out of contract then we really do need to re-sign him and "grant" him his County Cap Quinn - another one who hasn't been fit and not sure that he has done enough to warrant a new contract Cohen - I was really hoping that he would knock a few back with his extra pace but, unfortunately, in addition to being out for almost two years, his radar has been all over the place Gilchrist - is leaving for Warwickshire
That leaves us with 17 players and dreadfully short of seamers with those ones mentioned above potentially departing. I'm sure we'll be scouring for a second overseas quick over the course of the winter:
DBD Billings - white ball only Leaning Muyeye Crawley - presumably will be centrally contracted Compton Evison Finch Benjamin Jaydn Denly Jas Singh Parkinson Dudgeon Milnes Ekash Singh - rookie contract Dawkins - rookie contract Flintoff - rookie contract
I would also like to see Ekansh and Dawkins being offered a full contract to replace their existing rookie ones especially in the case of Ekansh who, I believe, only has a year of his to run.
Garrett deffo wont be offered a new contract, hasnt played once in this one day campaign,
Comments
215-2 (39.4)
228-3 (41.4)
Dawkins 111* (105)
Finch 17* (15)
Another youngster, Olly Curtiss, has been added making it five teenagers in the 14 for our game against Somerset. Evison isn't included but still might play - he has a sore back though I am struggling to get my head around why he isn't named anyway?
Compton and Dawkins opening, with Jaydn at 3 for example.
Joe Denly and Cohen in for Parky and Evison, with Benjamin also missing out.
It some ways our disastrous Championship campaign could be a blessing in disguise. It would be typical of the county's recent fortunes to see us finish in 2nd place in Div 2 only to discover that the long overdue review will see only one team promoted!
It's an absolute disgrace that the counties still don't know what they're playing for. Deadlines have come and gone. I guess by next April we will know!
It's ridiculous and indicative of just how poorly the game is run.
Ben Dawkins, as evidenced with his scores of 8, 85, 48, 111*, 5 & 1 is very much the one that is going to offer that "feast" option at the top of the order but, because of the way he plays, is going to have some days of "famine". That is offset by Ekansh and Jaydn who both have a decent range of shots but are accumulators. If those three do kick on, as hoped for, then a top 6 in a couple of years time of Muyeye, Dawkins, DBD, Jaydn, Ekansh and Evison could be quite an exciting one. Even more so if Jaydn and Ekansh (plus Evison of course) can turn into viable options with the ball because, with a keeper plus four bowlers, we would have some really good bowling options too.
DBD
Muyeye
Crawley
Joe Denly
Billings
Evison
Leaning
Stewart
Klaassen
Parkinson
Gilchrist
Joe Denly - struggle to see, with his fitness issues, justification in offering him a full contract but possibly a one year white ball contract would strike the right balance
Klaassen - has suffered badly with injuries in last couple of years and looks a bit of a pale imitation of his former self so would expect to be released
O'Riordan - has had a wretched time with injuries and isn't even getting games in the 2s so will, undoubtedly, be released
Rizvi - not sure that he has done enough to earn himself a contract. Being another leggie doesn't help imo as we do need someone, other than Leaning, to turn it the other way
Garrett - has been used sparingly but might be offered a year extension as a back up
Stewart - I can't seem to find any reference to his contract extension beyond 2024. If he is out of contract then we really do need to re-sign him and "grant" him his County Cap
Quinn - another one who hasn't been fit and not sure that he has done enough to warrant a new contract
Cohen - I was really hoping that he would knock a few back with his extra pace but, unfortunately, in addition to being out for almost two years, his radar has been all over the place
Gilchrist - is leaving for Warwickshire
That leaves us with 17 players and dreadfully short of seamers with those ones mentioned above potentially departing. I'm sure we'll be scouring for a second overseas quick over the course of the winter:
DBD
Billings - white ball only
Leaning
Muyeye
Crawley - presumably will be centrally contracted
Compton
Evison
Finch
Benjamin
Jaydn Denly
Jas Singh
Parkinson
Dudgeon
Milnes
Ekash Singh - rookie contract
Dawkins - rookie contract
Flintoff - rookie contract
I would also like to see Ekansh and Dawkins being offered a full contract to replace their existing rookie ones especially in the case of Ekansh who, I believe, only has a year of his to run.
Always find cricket transfers weird because having no transfer window per se means you get stuff for next season announced in June/July. County sides inability to communicate contract lengths is one of my biggest bugbears too! Spend half the time guessing who's actually out of contract.
Edit: clearly not a plane, my mind has gone mad