It seems that nowadays Oversees players are difficult to get for a whole season across all formats and be a success. The nature of the schedule across the world has changed so much in the past 10 years or so. We were so lucky to have Jeets for the period we did.

It can be done and I look at Derbyshire and the change in their fortunes with their signing of Masood from Pakistan. However his excellent form resulted in a call up to the Test Squad.

I’d rather we signed a proven and established county player than a risky oversees which may not be around for the whole season.

Interesting article on Saqib Mahmood
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/61719270?at_custom3=BBC+Test+Match+Special&at_medium=custom7&at_campaign=64&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom4=B39F6090-03A6-11ED-9F5D-189F96E8478F&at_custom2=facebook_page&fbclid=IwAR1C2GnZWafG1KT-qJBihcPhSRw3tw3D9l9pcTHB6LMXmxR_MrHtk13v_00

Interesting news creeping out of Sussex. The club is shopping Ollie Robinson around. He has 1 more year left on his deal after this season, but they are willing to loan him out to a club willing to pay his wages, in a similar way to Rossington to Essex this year.

Robinson is apparently the most expensive player at Sussex, and an amicable split seems likely and preferable for both. Robinson wants to be at a big county in Div 1 to win his England place back. And for Sussex his lack of availability due to either England or fitness, plus him potentially missing out on a central contract due to his injury hit year means it makes a great deal of financial sense to let him leave.

I wonder if the bears might have a try for him, considering his relationship with Farbrace, he’s got friends in the squad in Briggs and Burgess. And has played England Lions with Hain.
If he can stay fit he’d be a superb signing as long as it wasn’t another Woakes situation where he was never seen.

He's a fine, Test quality bowler with significant fitness / injury problems. Another Olly Stone in other words. If he's fit, he's vying for England selection; if he's not he's of little use. That said, when a good bowler becomes available we have to be interested but buyer beware.

The difference is Stone works hard to get fit, but is prone to injury.
Robinson is not fit, and has never reached the fitness levels needed for test cricket.
There is also the issues of the attitude shown by his historic social media tweets.
Not a play I'd be actively chasing.

Farby has his favourites already so adding in his step son to the mix will go down a treat...

That would appear to be a very significant conflict of interest.

Signing a 30 year old pace bowler with a history of injury problems, and a reputation of not working to reach and maintain the required fitness level does look like a very risky decision.

The club has had several bowlers who were injured more than they were available to play over the years, with Rankin and Stone been just two examples.
Do we really need to sogn another? Especially one with a history of unacceptable social media posts, and the potential to unsettle the rest of the squad?

We’ve kept Davies. In fact we signed him knowing he was being investigated and likely banned for similar tweets.

On Robinson, I feel like he’s been made a scape goat. He was perfectly fit for years for Sussex and took at lot of wickets in all formats. England get hold of him, and he’s got injury issues suddenly. Same with Archer, same with Mahmood, Rolland-Jones, Woakes, the list goes on and it’s a pretty damning pattern.
Perhaps he didn’t understand the difference in fitness required for test cricket, but the ECB need to take responsibility for that too. I suspect it’s more a case of an easy story off the back of one interview, rather than a pattern of behaviour.

Personally I’d have no issue with the club signing Robinson, and I think with him plus Barnard, and I suspect a bowling overseas, you’d be able to rotate Norwell more and give OHD some more rest, whilst still allowing Brookes, Miles and Garret to fight for a place.

I think the fact he’s Farbrace’s step-son would probably be a bigger issue. And you’d think that’s just an issue they’d both prefer to steer clear of.

I picked up a rumour yesterday that Tom Banton may be leaving Somerset and coming (back) to Warwickshire, though not to keep wicket. Well, you know me - not one to spread rumours but.....

If it were to happen I suspect it would be a direct replacement for Hose. However, I know Banton has been trying to play red ball for Somerset. And I wonder if he’d come on a white ball only contract, because if he was on a full contract, you wonder why they wouldn’t just offer that to Hose?

Tom Banton would strengthen the squad, and should be worth a place in the side in all forms of the game.
Adam Hose has had chances in red ball cricket and failed to deliver. He is not considered to be a viable option for championship cricket, therefore there is no point offering him a full contract.

Adding Tom Banton would make the side stronger and would be a good signing.

I think he's one of the most overrated players on the circuit. Hasn't made a FC century yet, averages about the same as Hose and he's had a good few goes in red ball himself (I'd guess he's played about 25 games?), moderate one day record. He gives it a bash in T20 though so he'd naturally be one of 'Farby's Favourites' and be given a 3 year contract. And be undroppable of course.

Got to massively disagree on Banton being of value to the red ball side.
Averages less than 24, no FC century, is regularly dropped by Somerset, but keeps wanting to play red ball.
I think all our batsmen other than Hose average more than that in FC cricket. And he’s nowhere near as good a keeper as Burgess or Davies.
He repeatedly couldn’t get it done at international level.
But he definitely performs in domestic T20 around the world. He’d be a replacement for Hose in terms of T20 batting. But in theory you could say that’s what Moeen would be there for. Banton also averages less in T20 than Hose.
So if he’s coming for white ball only then fair enough, but if he’s coming on a full contract then I think my point still stands. Why not offer than to Hose? He’d be cheaper and just had a great year in T20.

I agree that, to date, Banton has under-delivered in red ball cricket and not quite lived up to his early reputation.
My "spy", who goes under the code name Philby, tells me that Surrey are also a possible destination.

Confirmation that Saqib Mahmood is definitely not headed back home to Brum:
https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk/news/2022-news/saqib-mahmood-signs-new-contract-with-lancashire-cricket/

I have a feeling he was just using Warwickshire as a way of improving his price.
I have also heard that Davies was towards the bottom of the table in terms of popularity within that Lancashire dressing room, part of the reason the club had no problem with letting him go, so I’m not sure we can expect too many Lancs players wanting to share a dressing room with him again any time soon.

I too have heard that about Davies.

Sibley gone, Stone gone. Anyone have any updates on anyone else?

Andy

Message
18 Jul 2022, 15:19
"I too have heard that about Davies."

Would you be able to share more?

Not really. Maybe one day. You wouldn't have to look to far to find out what.