Neil Snowball was on at lunchtime. Seems as though next season will be very similar to this season save for perhaps 1 or 2 more Championship matches in June and July as opposed to the measly 2 we had this season. Suggested the 50 over cup would still definitely be played during the Hundred so no change there - so no proper cricket in that 5 week period tail late July into late August. He will hardly have helped membership sales with what he suggested. Fixtures out early November he suggested. As if...

Vote today will be to approve this and 2 divisions in 2023 or throw it out and go straight to 2 divisions next season

I said it a couple of weeks ago, I'm not sure Davies walks into this 4day side. At the time of him signing he probably did. Things have changed a little since then though. He may well come in pre season and light it up and get in, fair enough. He'll have to earn his spot though.

We'll have Sibley, Yates, Rhodes, Hain, Lamb, Davies, Mousley and Benjamin fighting over 5 or 6 places next year. Bethell could challenge though he may not be ready for top 5 or 6 batting spot in red ball just yet. Hose you'd think is way down on the pecking order.

This is all good though, its good competition for places. You can make a good case for each of the batters.

Paul Farbrace during the coverage yesterday was very complimetary of H Shah who is only 15 and opening in the second team, one point he made was that there needs to be a route for him, and similar players, to the first team when he's about 18, if he's developed as expected.

It's not so long since we were quite rightly complaining about the lack of quality players coming through. Now it's great to see so many who have made or are making the transition to first team cricket successfully.
Manraj Johal is the latest who looks to have what it takes as a bowler - and from his brief innings at number 11, he looks like he is no pushover with the bat.

That Steven Croft dismissal was very odd but, frankly, tough titty.

I’m hoping, what we’ll start to see is those fringe players who would usually be considered to step up if there’s an injury, Sidebottom, Hose, or Pollock, will be replaced by local young talent in first team squads. It’s all ready starting with the likes of Bethell replacing Thomson and Johal replacing Furrer or Wainman.
Then they can be integrated properly into a winning supportive environment, and helped to develop, rather than just being dropped into it and thrashed every week, like you see at clubs like Sussex currently.

Congratulations to the team on winning their second trophy within a week!
I don't think many of us really expected that level of success at the start of the season.

Two trophies in 2 Fridays.

We must now only play on Friday. I was very down after the Hampshire game and the way England played so weakly v India but in the space of a few weeks the season had a strong finish. I hope all our players have a really good winter for lifting me/us up and that day last week was a fantastic occasion only tainted slightly by so few people in the ground.

paulbear wrote:

We must now only play on Friday. I was very down after the Hampshire game and the way England played so weakly v India but in the space of a few weeks the season had a strong finish. I hope all our players have a really good winter for lifting me/us up and that day last week was a fantastic occasion only tainted slightly by so few people in the ground.

Hi Paul. I sent you a direct message last week. Did you receive it?

Malc wrote:

paulbear wrote:

We must now only play on Friday. I was very down after the Hampshire game and the way England played so weakly v India but in the space of a few weeks the season had a strong finish. I hope all our players have a really good winter for lifting me/us up and that day last week was a fantastic occasion only tainted slightly by so few people in the ground.

Hi Paul. I sent you a direct message last week. Did you receive it?

Yes. Malc I did get your message and replied to it also and it was one of the first things I though of as I stood in the queue for a beer during the tea break last Friday (Somerset 7 down). What a difference a few weeks makes. You were optimistic whereas I just wanted the season to end. Your comment cheered me up and makes my pessimistic paragraph look pretty ridiculous now (Thank God). Bless you for doing that and I may see you next season during our defence of our title.