Agreed. I've been pleasantly surprised by how strong the sides which many counties have put out in this comp. It's way, way higher standard than 2nd XI cricket. To even suggest it perhaps shouldn't have List A status is completely over the top. The crowds at Taunton and Cloud FM County ground have been fantastic, sell outs almost.
Article reads like Dobell has made his mind up on the RLC after seeing just one game. Disappointing.
I agree that George has gone a bit over the top on this one.
I suppose that there is a case for saying that Warwickshire have been so hit by injuries that they are closer to fielding a second team than most other counties. It's worth speculating how many of the following would have been in the team if fit and available for the Leicestershire game:
Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Henry Brookes, Sam Hain, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Jake Lintott, Craig Miles, Liam Norwell, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Adam Hose - plus maybe Pieter Malan as an overseas star.
We're really lucky that all the RLC games in our Group were rain affected and finished as No Result. So, everyone playing today got 1 point. We stay fourth, a lot of rivals have missed out on a win and have one less game in hand (some, played 4, the same as us). It makes a change for us to get benefit from the weather.
"You can take the boy out of Atherstone, but you can never take Atherstone out of the boy !"
"The Bears and the (footballing) Foxes for ever !"
GerryShedd wrote:
I agree that George has gone a bit over the top on this one.
I suppose that there is a case for saying that Warwickshire have been so hit by injuries that they are closer to fielding a second team than most other counties. It's worth speculating how many of the following would have been in the team if fit and available for the Leicestershire game:
Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Henry Brookes, Sam Hain, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Jake Lintott, Craig Miles, Liam Norwell, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Adam Hose - plus maybe Pieter Malan as an overseas star.
Sidey injured, Mousley injured, Woakes injured. We're doing incredibly well under the circumstances.
Highlighting Bulpitt and Carver like that felt a bit cruel. Cricketers have been signed on short term deals before. Hell, Surrey had Kyle Jamieson on a 3 week deal earlier this season, no one questioned that.
He's made a remark about Arron Lilley batting at 6...he was good enough to bat at 3 and make 99* against Yorkshire in the Blast a few weeks ago. Would suggest he isn't a bad batsman...
Compare George's article to Nick Friends write up in the The Cricketer on the Essex v Worcester game yesterday.
I really, really, really like and value George Dobell's work, he properly stands up for and champions county cricket, its much appreciated, which makes the most recent piece even more baffling.
I had somehow missed Woakes, Mousley and Sidebottom from my list of absent players.
So if you add them to the 12 I mentioned, my question would be - if all of them were available, how many of the team that played against Leicestershire would be selected?
I think we can assume Rhodes as captain and Burgess as wicket keeper plus Yates on his performances this season. Lamb would also be able to stake a claim and (just possibly) Pollock but maybe no-one else.
That doesn't quite make the team that played on Thursday the equivalent of a second team but, as we knew it would be with The Hundred happening, it's a long way from full strength. All the more credit, therefore, for the players who achieved the win. And taking a longer term view, players such as Bethell and Brookes are getting some fantastic experience which should help to advance their careers.