2014 county championship discussion thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

A place to discuss all the happening's of the 2014 county championship!

A bit of news Chris Jordan shall not play in Sussex's opener, been told to rest by the ECB

[GSC]

Barring rain, Notts should aim to complete a victory over Somerset today

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Stokes scored a couple of 30s and has taken 10 wickets so far in Durham's match against Sussex.

Yet another crushing defeat looming for Northants who are well and truly propping up Div 1.

Fine victory for Yorks against Warks. Notts on target to beat Somerset

[liverbnz]

No Rashid, Ballance, Plunkett, Bresnan and Root and Yorkshire still manage to trounce championship rivals Warkickshire. Good signs although we did similar things last year and it came to very little. Hopefully we have learned from that.

[GSC]

Somerset lose for the first time as Notts and Yorkshire set the pace atop Division 1.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

"@WorcsCCC: SECOND XI: End of Day 3. Worcestershire 713-6. Oliver 292*. Kohler-Cadmore 113, Barnard 84. Lead by 216 runs. #WOW"

Yikes! Oliver looks like quite a handy player eh Mat/packofwolves??!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

"@fwildecricket: Alex Hales has brought up his hundred for Nottinghamshire. His last eight first-class scores are: 101*, 41, 96, 94, 12, 8, 16, 167. #LVCC"

Certainly that loan move seems to have kicked him into gear back at notts!

[packofwolves]

"@WorcsCCC: SECOND XI: End of Day 3. Worcestershire 713-6. Oliver 292*. Kohler-Cadmore 113, Barnard 84. Lead by 216 runs. #WOW"

Yikes! Oliver looks like quite a handy player eh Mat/packofwolves??!

He's scored runs for fun so far in 2nd XI cricket and has been given a chance at the top of the order in the game against Glamorgan which started today. He only made 13 but in all fairness the bloke was probably still knackered from his 292 on thursday! It will be interesting to see how he goes in first class cricket, certainly looking a find at the moment.

[GSC]

Only the 176 so far today batting at 3 for Hales.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

"@WorcsCCC: SECOND XI: End of Day 3. Worcestershire 713-6. Oliver 292*. Kohler-Cadmore 113, Barnard 84. Lead by 216 runs. #WOW"

Yikes! Oliver looks like quite a handy player eh Mat/packofwolves??!

He's scored runs for fun so far in 2nd XI cricket and has been given a chance at the top of the order in the game against Glamorgan which started today. He only made 13 but in all fairness the bloke was probably still knackered from his 292 on thursday! It will be interesting to see how he goes in first class cricket, certainly looking a find at the moment.

Looks like young Tom Fell might be a good prospect, two hundreds in two games!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Could be a good finish in the Warks v Notts game. Warks fought their way back into the match, and had a realistic target for victory of a little under 300.  But Notts have made some inroad (69 - 3).

[Hoggy_Bear]

Could be a good finish in the Warks v Notts game. Warks fought their way back into the match, and had a realistic target for victory of a little under 300.  But Notts have made some inroad (69 - 3).

Good win for the Bears.
Woakes with 90 in Warks. first innings and a 5fer in Notts 2nd. Tim Ambrose (still only 31 if England need a stop gap) with a match winning 82*.

[Mat]

"@WorcsCCC: SECOND XI: End of Day 3. Worcestershire 713-6. Oliver 292*. Kohler-Cadmore 113, Barnard 84. Lead by 216 runs. #WOW"

Yikes! Oliver looks like quite a handy player eh Mat/packofwolves??!

He's scored runs for fun so far in 2nd XI cricket and has been given a chance at the top of the order in the game against Glamorgan which started today. He only made 13 but in all fairness the bloke was probably still knackered from his 292 on thursday! It will be interesting to see how he goes in first class cricket, certainly looking a find at the moment.

Looks like young Tom Fell might be a good prospect, two hundreds in two games!

I really rate Fell. Had some good knocks last year, including a 50 against the Aussies, without kicking on to a big score. Seems to be doing that this year, and is thriving higher up the order which is good news with the likely absence of Moeen and it also lets Kohler-Cadmore develop down the order.

[JDizzle]

60 odd Second Innings for Oliver in the CC. Was always a bit feast or famine in minor counties stuff, capable of flaying a 100 or going early but good for him. Bit unorthodox so his big test will come as sides see more of him and try to work him out.

Barnard is the one to watch. 84 in his first Second XI game this year now he's finished his exams (and winning the Silk Cup for Shrews School, alumni include Jimmy Taylor, vs Eton and Oundle) I'd be very surprised if he doesn't get a go, in certainly the one day stuff, at some point this summer.

[packofwolves]

More runs for Oliver today, he's 73 n.o. Against leics at lunch. Worcester 134/0, with Mitchell reaching 1000 championship runs with the last shot of the morning. Worcester looking to make the most of Saeed Ajmal's last game with the county this season.

[jimbohammers]

Hampshire trying their best to throw away a good season. Bottling it in both forms, Championship + T20   

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Northants well on the way to yet another defeat....

[packofwolves]

Runs this morning for Tom Kohler-Cadmore (56*) and Alexei Kervezee (68*) as Worcester build a 200+ run lead over Leicester at new road. Nathan Buck removed Oliver early on for 37. Looking at a 320 lead and declaration around tea if the next session goes as planned for Worcester.

[jimbohammers]

Good fightback from Hampshire today.   

[GSC]

Just the 1 wicket win for Notts.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Durham crushed by Warks. V close finish where Notts scraped home against Lancs who look in increasing danger of relegation. Nothants fought harder than usual against Somerset - but still lost again.

[jimbohammers]

96-1 to 171 all out   

[Corporalhumblebucket]

96-1 to 171 all out   

Essex in turn collapse, to spinners. Now 65 - 6 needing another 68.  A lot depends on Bopara....

[jimbohammers]

My emotions at the moment

      

[jimbohammers]

Nooooooooooooooooooooo   

Great effort from Briggs + Dawson though   
Batsmen hang your heads   

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Battle for second place in Div 2 tightening up. Hants not too far ahead of Surrey, and Essex certainly not out of contention.

[JDizzle]

The man of the moment, Richie Oliver, with 62 off 49 today and when he was dismissed Worcs were 71-1! Clearly KP's heir apparent.   

[Mat]

ANOTHER ton for Mitchell today. He's a good captain as well, heard England might be looking for an opening batsman and a captain soon...#mitchellforengland

[JDizzle]

I think we all need to get on the Lewis Gregory for England bandwagon. Followed up his brilliant form with the ball in this years CC with a blistering 105* off 71 to win Somerset a game in OD thing today. Although his bowling did get tonked today! Definitely one to keep an eye on.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

So many bandwagons for me to potentially hop on JDizzle

I'm picking two

Hales for ODI's 

And 

Jim Allenby for international recognition

[JDizzle]

Count me fully on board the Hales for ODI's bandwagon, it's a great place to be. Less so on the Jim Allenby train...

If you want a dobbly county all rounder to jump on, then it's the Will Gidman bandwagon.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Pfft Will Gidman is fit to lace Allenby's boots

I'm a huge fan of dibbly dibbly all rounders. Personally think we should go full on and make a team of them to do exhibition matches. Ravi Bop can captain


On bandwagon I can see starting soon is an Alex Lees for England one. Man he plays some lovely shots on the offside

[JDizzle]

One of my mates was at the Roses game yesterday. Said Lees looked very classy. He also said Karl Brown for England, but he is a Lancs fan.

Justice for Steven Mullaney indeed.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Ravi Bopara (C)
Will Gidman
Jim Allenby
Neil Dexter
Steven Mullaney
Sean Ervine
Paul Collingwood
Peter Trego
Zander De Bruyn
Stuart Binny (overseas)

And any wicket keeper of your choice.

A team that'd dominate the heck out of all cricket right there

[Mat]

Will Gidman is decent, probably not International class yet but I do like him, more of a bowler than a batsman though. Haven't seen Lees much, nor this Karl Brown.

Hales should definitely be opening in the ODI's, although if the mighty Richie Oliver keeps scoring runs like he is then that bandwagon might be up and running soon!

It is a shame Mitchell didn't get a call-up to the Lions squad, the least his form deserves this season in my eyes, but there does seem to be a few openers in and around the England scene I guess. Been talk of Lyth as a potential England opener as well as Lees I think.

[JDizzle]

The Richie Oliver bandwagon has stalled some what in recent weeks with a couple of first ballers! Needs some serious scores in the shorter forms to get it back on track!

Love that side, gives anyone a run for their money in April on a greentop at Chester-le-Street.

Not sure Brown is anywhere near England (and rightly!). I haven't seen much of Lees either, but he's loooked very classy when I have.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Someone who's quietly having a very good year...

Adil Rashid

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Richie Oliver first hundred today.

THE BANDWAGON LIVES

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Yet more runs for Rossington today for Northants....

[freemo]

Monty gets a 5-fer

[JDizzle]

Richie Oliver first hundred today.

THE BANDWAGON LIVES

Speaking to a couple of guys who played with him at the Shropshire game today, one of them said when he makes hundreds he makes big ones. Good trait to carry into the FC game!

[liverbnz]

Notts (with Hales heading towards a ton), Yorks (with more wickets for Rashid) and Warks (chopra with his first ton of the season) look set to win their respective matches. Somerset may well be out of the race now.

[packofwolves]

Richie Oliver first hundred today.

THE BANDWAGON LIVES

Speaking to a couple of guys who played with him at the Shropshire game today, one of them said when he makes hundreds he makes big ones. Good trait to carry into the FC game!

Its certainly been the case so far in Richie's Worcester career that his scores have been very much boom or bust. He's got a rather healthy looking average of 63 in FC cricket at the moment - lets hope that bandwagon keeps its momentum.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

What a game at Old Trafford!!!

[freemo]

Warks captain Jim Troughton has announced his retirement

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Sam Billings is a seriously clean hitter of a cricket ball

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Surely an outside bet for the SL ODI tour is Billings, averaging over 100 with a strike rate of over 150 this season in the One Day cup!!! That's mental

[hampo17]

Where do you put him though? He's the finisher for Kent and you could argue that Morgan does that already for England.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Where do you put him though? He's the finisher for Kent and you could argue that Morgan does that already for England.

I'm not saying play him, but might be worth a spot on the tour as a backup keeper for Buttler (instead of Bairstow basically)

[freemo]

yeah i agree olly...Bairstow is awful, Billings is a good option as back-up.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Well he should certainly be with the Lions at least

Hits the ball so clean its ridiculous, very Buttler-esque

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