Exiled Bear wrote:

The reaction of some of our "fans" (particularly on Facebook) when we lose is bizarre. They seem to expect us to win every game and think it's a failure otherwise. Sure, we probably should have won this game, and the batting at times was poor, but we've qualified for the first division and are going into the last two matches with a decent chance of winning the Championship, which is far above my expectations for the season!

The reaction on social media whenever we lose is always absolutely crazy.

2nd new ball is the game tomorrow.

Malc wrote:

Dear me Paul, cheer up a bit.

We could still win this game - I think we will. We qualified for the top group of the CC. Watching some of the young lads come through has been so exciting. Yes, the T20 QF was disappointing, but we did still re@ch the knockout stage. The injuries to key players has been devastating at times. The RLC was a brilliant tournament with some ‘development’ players.

Cheer up, pal. Come and sit in block 16/17 today and I’ll share a banana and a cuppa with you 👍.

PS There’s more to the departure of KB to Hampshire than you’ve suggested.

Yes plenty of positives.

Think Hose could also be struggling at some point. He's 29 in October and nowhere near the 4day side.

Focus very much on Hampshire here, they batted terribly but have bowled incredibly well, only Benjamin's dismissal looked avoidable.

Think we shaded that session...

Positive test within the Hampshire playing squad

Erm, why are we delayed?

I would say so

It's been a hard fought, attritional week. I think we can be satisfied with the teams efforts. Norwell bagging wickets, Briggs bowling long spells, Holder getting some overs in. Benjamin ton and positive intent, Hain spending good time at the crease, Lamb ticking over with time at the crease, Sibley getting back in the groove.

We move.

Looks like he's been forced out, shame as he's a lovely gloveman and still young.

Yeah nice little burst with the new ball.

I didn't see much of us bowling today, what was Holder like?

Yeah Lancs bowled much better this morning, made us play at everything, very few leave balls, nothing to really hit. I thought Burgess and Lamb grafted it out well.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

So pleased Benjamin made his ton. Can't believe we found this jewel - and no other County spotted his potential. Clearly a latish developer, but still years ahead of him - in red as well as white ball?!

How on earth he's made it to aged 22 and not been picked up until 6 weeks ago is truly amazing.

I'm at the ground, it definitely felt as though we rode our luck early on. And Benjamin chanced some ludicrously tight singles! Looking good now though...

Yeah I'd say so

I think at the moment it probably is.

The ever changing Covid protocols continue to dog the global game, quarantine periods and the like etc, hastily arranged tours, scheduling and rescheduling. Remember the CPL was rescheduled to accommodate the postponed/delayed IPL (Carlos would have been available but for that).

We were so, so, so lucky with Jeets. He didn't play in any franchise leagues, rarely played for NZ. NZ for about a decade had a quite a light international schedule anyway.

We've just gotta rotate overseas players and cross our fingers like the rest of the counties now. Notts lost Dan Christian unexpectedly to an Aus call up, Lancs lost Finn Allen to a hastily arranged NZ v Ban tour, he got covid anyway. Yorks had no overseas at all. Somerset sort of stumbled across de Lange when Glamorgan didn't know whether to stick or twist on him.

For the record I think there's a case for not having an overseas at all unless they are available for 90% of the games that you wanted them available for.

The Vihari/Malan situation was messy (nobodies fault), both were on a hiding to nothing. Parachuting Kyle Mayers in looked odd at the time and looks utterly bizarre now. Crossing our fingers over Chemar Holder, probably a gamble worth taking with him being a seamer, but he hasn't played a competitive game for months.

Playing in the CPL, he'll come back for Finals Day if we get there. This was all agreed apparently.

Just thinking, could Benjamin keep here? Burgess hasn't had a great tournament with the bat...