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End of Season Clear Out
Discussion started by Mr Date , 31 July, 2017 12:53
End of Season Clear Out
Mr Date 31 July, 2017 12:53
From CrickInfo.

Skipper Allenby plans winning goodbye

Jim Allenby was quick to praise a "world-class attitude" from "my team" as Somerset saw off Somerset in the rain at Taunton. But it will not be "my team" much longer as Allenby has been told he will be part of a clear-out at the end of the season.

Somerset's players have been informed that the club's focus is Championship cricket. This, in some ways, is admirable, in an increasingly white-ball world and considering the pickle they find themselves in in the Championship.

But it is also unquestionably curious, given the appetite for T20 in Taunton (Somerset have sold out their last 17 T20s) and their last shot at silverware this summer comes in the Blast.

On the morning of their game against Hampshire on Wednesday, the club informed four members of the squad for that game (the captain Jim Allenby, Max Waller, Michael Leask and Johan Myburgh) that they would not be offered deals for next season and, if they chose to, they could leave with immediate effect.

All four have stayed, but that day it was announced that Adam Hose, a fine talent who had come through Somerset's system and was enjoying a breakout season, would leave for Warwickshire. He began life there with 76 in a win over Lancashire on Sunday. Somerset's loss, you sense.

Nevertheless, in the Blast, Somerset find themselves second in the South Group with five games to play. They are a flexible side with a fluid batting order - Corey Anderson, when fit, seems ready to float, while Lewis Gregory's promotion to pinch-hitter looks inspired - and there seems no reason they can't make Finals Day. Which wouldn't be bad, for a format that isn't a priority.

****



Always look on the bright cider life

@sean_date on Twitter



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2017 10:23 by Grockle.

Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
AGod 31 July, 2017 12:57
Allenby, Mybs, Waller and Leask can all leave immediately,

This is starting to stink to me of the club having significantly over-reached itself due to the pursuit of grandiose dreams and inflation of egos leading to far too much money being spent on the pursuit of international cricket - why else would we be happy for them to ALL leave immediately?

I think this club is probably in a financial pickle of its own making.

Releases as per Cricinfo which says that players have been told that they are not required as 'The priority for the season is the championship.'

That might be a reason to send some out on loan or what have you but it suggests to me that the club can no longer afford, financially, to compete on all fronts and are rationalising their resources accordingly.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 31/07/2017 13:03 by AGod.

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
AGod 31 July, 2017 13:07
I mean that these releases imply that white ball is being de-prioritised going forward (not just for this season). Given that the club has always been at pains to suggest that it wants to compete on all fronts then something must have prompted the decision to resile from that position in terms of the future (yes the club's dire CC position could explain a move to concentrate on red ball only for this season but if doesn't explain the implied longer-term change ).

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
Roger ivanhoe 31 July, 2017 13:21
This information must have been leaked internally to the press, but nothing from the club.

I note the club are holding a Q & A after close of play on the 7th of August.
Perhaps we will get confirmation then.

Question marks must hang of the future if Peter Treo is we are to concentrate on Red Ball.

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
Mr Date 31 July, 2017 13:24
With sell out crowds for T20 and a well supported 50 over game I would of thought de-prioritizing such would be shooting your self in the foot commercially, I know the white ball game is not everyone's cup of tea but its popular and must bring in a great deal of money.

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
AGod 31 July, 2017 13:32
Roger - I agree.

Mr Date - perhaps having signed up for the ECB's bastardised franchise dystopia, this club feels that white ball cricket outside of the franchises is a dead duck? By 'signed up,' I mean that we voted for it.

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
AGod 31 July, 2017 13:34
The test for whether this is about finances or a genuine desire to focus overwhelmingly on red ball will be this: Whether or not the monies currently paid to these four and previously paid to A J Hose will be invested in red ball cricket next season. One would have thought that losing these five salaries ought to free up enough resources to afford a couple of decent red ball signings. But, clearly, if this is really about a budget cut then no such increased investment in red ball will occur.

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
Mr Date 31 July, 2017 13:40
AGod this may be the case but I would of at least milked it for the next few years. and we will still have to play these games so who will play them? it will have to be the same players as the CC but will we be asking to much from these players by doing so then harming our chance in doing well in the CC?

It doesn't paint a rosy future for the Club in my opinion.

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
AGod 31 July, 2017 13:43
Yes, Mr Date, your points are all valid.

Should these four follow Mr Hose in leaving immediately then our squad would begin to look really thin, numbers wise.

Perhaps, there will be better news in the coming days viz extensions for some of the guys that have recently debuted, such as Byrom and Rouse.

Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
Following on 31 July, 2017 13:58
It would seem poor man management, if the news is correct that the decision was communicated on the morning of the Hampshire match - in which if memory serves, they all played. Could this not have waited until we were eliminated from this years T20.

I would expect Max to definitely pick up a contract elsewhere, given that some counties prioritise T20.

Good luck to them all!

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
Grockle 31 July, 2017 14:09
Staying in the first Division of the Championship MUST be objective number 1. If we fail to do that we have NO voice, for all the club's management propaganda, in the future of cricket domestically after 2020.

If we find ourselves in CC2 in 2018 then we are superfluous to the plans for four day cricket and allow the powers that be to be more stringent in their changes because they do not face a successful provincial county in the top rank.

Even if we could return in 2019 we would have missed out on a lot of opportunities to flavour the debate.

Other than that this is a bit previous and seems to be a leak?

The T20 Blast does not end for 2 years so I'm surprised to see Max on the list.

With our batting issues I am again surprised to see Johann on the list and can only put this down to other things I have no information on.

Young Leask was looked at as a short form prospect and I suppose we don't need them to such an extent but if you send him and Max on their way who do you leave the slow bowling to? Maybe he just hasn't made enough of an impact

Jim? Well he is done after the T20 anyway so no surprise

The other more gloomy interpretations are nothing more than that and hardly surprising in themselves looking at the source of the in depth factually based analysis.

The truth of those things is to come I expect.

But I suppose the club have at least nailed their colours to the mast.



(Sm72)

Re: Several players 'can leave with immediate effect.'
AGod 31 July, 2017 14:34
Allenby was actually in the red ball team as recently as the most recent match. So not necessarily the case that he'd be 'done after the T20.'

Mybs has every right to feel hard done by in that Maynard seems to have given him scant red ball opportunities during his tenure, despite the fact that 1.5 out of the 2.5 seasons that MM has been here have featured poor batting by those that MM has selected.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
Grockle 31 July, 2017 14:44
With Tom, Dean back and Steve Davies hitting again he wouldn't be needed as a batting option and as a bowler he seems to be superfluous in all formats now so 'he is done after T20'.

He was the last 'fill in' in that last game and would be seen as the last option in most scenarios for CC1. We are beyond them now.

Though he doesn't have to leave they just aren't looking at him going forward and he isn't looking at us.

I can only agree about Johann. Most of the times we have turned to him he has delivered the performance and often more than required. Which is why I can only put it down to other things. Everything about his performances this year have said 'put him in' so unless the injury is more of an issue than it is or there are differences within the camp I can think of no other reason for this.



(Sm72)

Re: End of Season Clear Out
Mike TA1 31 July, 2017 14:45
I think this club is probably in a financial pickle of its own making

AG, how do you come to that conclusion?

I am going to predict the club will have a very good year financially on top of their normally good finances, having the International and the women's world cup should add to what we normally expect from the club.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
Grockle 31 July, 2017 14:49
It is all speculation Mike usually based on very little of any basis. As I posted, the truth will be somewhere between nothing and AG's predication and probably well away from the things suggested in the earlier post.

This hasn't yet even been released by the club so more explanation will come and eventually we'll have some information to discuss it around. Until then, as you know, we will deal with the "AG Hypotheticals".



(Sm72)

Re: End of Season Clear Out
chunkyinargyll 31 July, 2017 14:49
I surprised Leask is on that list, as he hasn't been on the staff very long, and I would have thought he was worth a little longer.

And I'm also surprised Josh Davey isn't on the list (although I suppose he could always be added to it in a few weeks time). Yes, I'm a Davey supporter, but that doesn't mean I can't look at someone's performances over a period of time, and realise he hasn't scored enough runs (he was once considered an all rounder) and any wickets taken have tended to be on the expensive side.

For many years Somerset have been content with Waller the T20 player, so not sure why the change of heart now. Whether you think he was good enough or not, he'd been around a long time..

End of Season Clear Out
Following on 31 July, 2017 14:52
For fans it is always a sad occasion when contract renewal time sees familiar faces leave. Unfortunately there is probably more we don't know than do know in terms of the factors at play.

Purely from a personal point of view, it is better than I was expecting with rumors circulating of the departure of Pete T and Roleof VdM not coming to fruition - or at least not yet. Then there is the hope that there will be some exciting new signings yet to come.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
chunkyinargyll 31 July, 2017 14:56
And the timing is very odd.

Why tell people you are still picking for the first XI they are on the way out? They were told they could all leave immediately (save the club some money I guess, or would they have paid them to the end anyway? Sometimes 'You can go now' might mean 'we don't want anyone demoralised hanging around)

But you are still well placed for a top four place in T20, and Myburgh, Allenby, and Waller may still be needed- so 'We don't want to keep you, but we may still pick you for the firsts'

Very odd way of managing people.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
AGod 31 July, 2017 15:00
I can respond to Mike's enquiry for myself, Grockle, thanking you kindly.

Mike - I say this because I cannot see why else the club would appear to have elected to de-prioritise white ball cricket, going forward (having always been so adamant about competing on all fronts) And I think the fact that Waller is on the list strongly implies that this is a decision about the future and not only the present.

To be clear: If we are able to invest resources previously given over to white ball stuff on improving our red ball side then I think that will be a good thing. But I suspect that this won't happen as this pruning probably reflects the massive investment in the ground (including that which is yet to come e.g. floodlights) having taken its toll, regardless of whatever profits we may have made from the SA match, women's match etc.. we will have commitments, I'm sure, in terms of loan repayments etc which must be met and I would have thought that we'd need an awful lot of internationals before we move into the black, as it were, in terms of total profits accruing from increased capacity and staging internationals vs cumulative costs including interest payments on the money expended on the ground.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
chunkyinargyll 31 July, 2017 15:00
Hasn't Pete Trego got another year on his contract?

He might have been on the way out otherwise, but a contract is a contract. Maybe a 'We won't stand in your way if you want to leave' type conversation might have taken place.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
Roger ivanhoe 31 July, 2017 15:01
Must agree with Mike TA1, I cannot believe that these changes, if confirmed are a cost cutting exercise, we have had good crowds in all formats, the Club has also let the two rental units that have been empty for over twelve months, highly unlikely Corey Anderson is receiving the same salary as Chris Gayle, plus the items Mike mentioned.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
AGod 31 July, 2017 15:02
Yes, Peter has a year left on his deal. But he is no longer first choice in the CC and was dropped from the T20 side yesterday.

Unless there is a change in terms of the man making the decisions re: team selection, then it seems that Peter's SCCC career is probably hanging by a thread, IMO.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
Monkey Butler 31 July, 2017 15:04
Mike, I think when the Hose story broke an article suggested it would be the first of many due to club being in a far more perilous financial position than had been communicated to the public. It also named Trego as a player that was also likely to depart.

The article may have had no basis whatsoever. However the release of a number of our best one day performers, the change in strategy for 4 day and T20 overseas players and the fact that Hose left us for an identical length contract at Warks would make it appear that we are cost cutting.

We wouldn't be the first county to be burnt by the pursuit of international cricket.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
AGod 31 July, 2017 15:04
There was talk, Roger (no idea if it was true) of Gayle having been here on a heavily discounted deal. It may also be, of course, that the club were able to attract sponsorship deals on the back of the Gayle signing that they may not have been able to attract on the basis of the Corey signing.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
chunkyinargyll 31 July, 2017 15:04
AGod- A contract is a contract. If he isn't out of contract, and chooses to stay put, there isn't a lot anyone can do about it.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
AGod 31 July, 2017 15:07
Except, of course, Chunky, try to come to an arrangement that both parties are happy with (for example, pay off some but not all of the contract and allow a player to move elsewhere).

Re: End of Season Clear Out
AGod 31 July, 2017 15:09
Yes, Monkey B.

We should also all remind ourselves that this club has not produced anything other than *qualified* accounts for the past several seasons. This may be relevant in terms of the allegation in that article that the club may be in a far more perilous position, financially than has been COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC (my emphasis)

Re: End of Season Clear Out
Railboy 31 July, 2017 15:11
I am struggling to understand and therefore believe this. Like it or not, the dramatic growth of our club since the late 70's has been based on success in short format cricket so to actively decide not to be competitive in that will be madness. The list, if to be believed, contains Max and Myburgh who are both having excellent impacts on games but does not include Trego or Davey? Again one would need to doubt the wisdom of someone who drew that list and one would assume such a decision would need to be signed off by 2 or 3 people.
I would suspect that either
A). this is totally false or at least an exaggeration of the Hose/ Allenby departures.
B. Finance, but There is no logic behind the financial meltdown theory, we know that up until the end of last season things were very healthy and all the indications suggest that this year should at least match that
C). The management (more than just MM) have such faith in the likes of Green, Bartlett, Barton, Byrom, Rouse etc they feel they can dispense of all experience.

My money is on A



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 31/07/2017 15:15 by Railboy.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
Mike TA1 31 July, 2017 15:16
It is bad that all this information has come from outside any club announcement, they will be forced to make an announcement now.

Re: End of Season Clear Out
chunkyinargyll 31 July, 2017 15:19
Well, I've always got the impression (mainly from this site) that Somerset was a well run, financially responsible club that had none of the financial worries that have beset some of the bigger clubs (Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham) who were considered to have over reached themselves, or tiddlers like Northants and Leicestershire.

So how has a bit of redevelopment suddenly meant a financial crisis?

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