Highveld
Member
Apologies, currently on very strong painkillers for a back problem so a bit drowsy.
There is a four day second eleven game starting Monday, ideally Chris is allowed to keep wicket and bat wherever he wants in the order.
I'd be really pleased if he has a good performance in that game.
To add to "Gerry's" theory, by having Benjamin struggle, it allows others to fail regularly without been critisism.
Hopefully Chris can find some good form soon, and show his what he is capable of.
Chris Benjamin got, probably, the best ball of the innings, not many would have survived that first ball.
Yes he is struggling at the moment, but he has ability and will come right, given the opportunity.
It was a good performance in the field today, and an excellent partnership from Sam & Jacob.
Chris Benjamin, with 16 off 10 balls, did as well as could be expected at the end.
Is there an underlying health issue with Yates?
This is, about the fourth time in the last two seasons he's been unavailable due to "illness",
Yes, TP, & Johnty Rhodes, were both non bowlers who batted at 6, and had the specialised role of "finisher" to get their side to a good total or victory when batting second.
If a top order batsman regularly gets out early, meaning the number 3 and 4 are coming into bat in the first few overs, is that opener actually making a useful contribution to the side?
How many failures do you accept from a player capable of a match winning innings, is one good performance in 10 acceptable? 1 in 5?
Honestly, no specific players in mind, just in general terms.
I definatly don't want to be accused of singling out any individuals, just trying to promote a sensible discussion about what members here feel is an acceptable performance level.
Would a "theroretical" player who hits a 6 and gets out every time, giving a strike rate of 300 be considered more valuble than someone who keeps the score moving by getting singles every ball and allowing the big hitters to have most of the strike, so a strike rate of around 100?
How much allowance should be given to a number 3 or 4 batsman, who is having to help the side recover from a bad start most of the time?
Just out of interest, what is considered an acceptable average for a specialist batsman?
In first class games, 40 is considered to be the figure, but I'm unsure for domestic T20.
I remember that both Trevor Penney & Johnty Rhodes played most of their careers batting at 6, in all forms of the game, and I cant recall either of them been regular bowlers.
Even the best umpires make mistakes, they have to decide from a single viewpoint at real time speed, without the benefits of multiple angles of slow motion replays.
Looking closer to home for the reasons for the defeat might be more productive.
Yes, many players failed today, but over the last 3 seasons, Robinson has accepted consitantly poor performances from many players, in some cases rewarding the failing players with new improved contracts.
Questions need to be asked about the selection of the overseas players, are the club actually searching the entire market, or just getting what is offered by a small group of agents? Our neighbours down the M5 seem to be getting much higher quality, and better performing overseas players, that actually spend more time on the field and contribute more to the side.
There probably, also, needs to be a major rethink about the selection of the T20 side. Ed Barnard was a leading T20 player at Worcestershire for years, will Rhodes is a good all round player, who is a leader and knows how to win games, and, of course, there is the stupidity of not playing the clubs best wicketkeeper, who is also a leading batsman.
60 runs off five overs from our overseas players, plus zero runs from two balls faced. Combined with the top three failing to go on from a reasonable start, left a situation where Sam Hain and Jacob Bethell both needed to play a large innings to secure victory. while Jacob did his part, Sam was out early, leaving an impossible run chase, as there was no support for Jacob.
Also, good to see Sue Redfern umpiring the game today, she really is an excellent umpire.
Bedingham is playing a very high quality innings, which could be a match winning one.
It does seem illogical to deliberately make the side weaker, and reduce the chances of winning, by not using the best available player in a specialist position.
A dropped chance or missed stumping could cost the game, and have financial implications for the club.
however it does seem that under Robinson, mediocrity is preferred and rewarded.
On the positive side, good to see Sam and Jacob get good runs, contributing 55% of the total.
Perhaps it is now time to make changes to improve all aspects of the game, including playing our best wicketkeeper.
The competition has been runnung for a few days, but the highlight so far, and a significant result for the growth of the game was the victory for the USA over Pakistan tonight.
Let us hope we don't find out that the result was influenced by the criminal bookmakers who have influenced Pakistans results and performances before.
Would he even last one day of a championship game?
BristolBear wrote:
Wonder what pictures Benjamin has of Robinson.
It's quite possible several members of the squad have pictures :-)