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Strange Times The Willis Trophy Game 1 Glamorgan (H)
Discussion started by Grockles.com , 03 August, 2020 10:14
Strange Times The Willis Trophy Game 1 Glamorgan (H)
Grockles.com 03 August, 2020 10:14
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2020 15:06 by Grockle.

Re: Strange Times The Willis Trophy Game 1 Glamorgan (H)
Grockle 03 August, 2020 10:18
Thanks for this Farmer

I've linked in the rest of your story via your site and I'll leave this separate until the end of the game for mobile users who may find comments on the game difficult if the story is on the front page. I'll then link it to the forum for the match at the end.

It's almost like there is a season!!



(Sm72)

Willis Trophy Round 1
Grizzers 20 June, 2020 16:18
Vic seems optimistic that the 'Willis Trophy' may well actually take place this season and that it could have first class status:

[www.theguardian.com]

Which got me wondering, which XI could/would we field ? I'm unclear how things would work as regards our 'famous five' candidates for Test matches, but on the assumption that none of Lewis, Jove, Cove, Jack or Dom were available, our options would obviously be severely impacted.

How about the following XI:

1) Steve
2) Eddie
3) George
4) James
5) Tom A.
6) Tom B.
7) Ben Green
8) RvdM
9) Nathan Gilchrist
10) Josh
11) Jack B.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 31/07/2020 15:53 by Grockle.

Re: Willis Trophy
wsm fan 20 June, 2020 16:37
Tom B likely to be busy with England white ball stuff.

I'd imagine one of Leach or Bess may be released once the summer begins. Same for Lewis & Jamie possibly.

The 30 man squads are initial, the Windies squad is expected to be trimmed to 20ish prior to the first test.

Re: Willis Trophy
Scrumper 21 June, 2020 00:44
Put Roelof at 11 if it's red ball.

Re: Willis Trophy
Loyal of Lhasa 22 June, 2020 10:41
May be I'm wrong, but I had the impression that Willis was no great suppporter of the county game...

The Trescothick Trophy has a nice alliterative ring to it.



LoL

Seventy-five Seasons a Somerset Supporter



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 22/06/2020 12:53 by Loyal of Lhasa.

Re: Willis Trophy
nelliec 23 June, 2020 12:17
Would prefer 6 three day games (120 overs) plus a 50 over game at the same venue with 3 away and home including 2 local derbies. Sur ely enough squad players for both formats without the hundred.Could award a point system for both together.
On a second point where we would we stand with our deductions,and would the suspended one get put back another year after that.

Re: Willis Trophy
Grockle 23 June, 2020 12:20
One would assume that will move to next year in some format and nothing would be used in this strange 2020 season. There'd be no point in us being involved with any kind of points deduction for a shortened event.



(Sm72)

Re: Willis Trophy
mikeindex 23 June, 2020 12:21
Or Tom L for Ben Green?

Re: Willis Trophy
Farmer White 23 June, 2020 14:11
This article in The Cricketer:

[www.thecricketer.com]

contains this quote:

"The Cricketer understands Somerset and Gloucestershire both have plans to bring their squads off the government's Job Retention Scheme on July 1."

However, the news for recreational cricket is not good. The government has annoiunced significant relaxations in the coronavirus regulations, but they do not apply to recreational cricket because of the risk of the virus being transmitted via the ball. It cannot therefore restart nin July as hoped.

There is also concern, reported in a Mailonline article, about Pakistan's proposed tour here in August because three of the squad have tested positive for the virus.

Link here:

[www.dailymail.co.uk]

Edit update: A total of ten members of the Pakistan squad have now tested positive. Those whohave tested negative will depart for the UK on 28 June.

[www.bbc.co.uk]

Apologies. This post has grown like topsy as the news came in. Would now be better on another thread but thelinks don't copy so have left it here.
Farmer.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 23/06/2020 15:59 by Farmer White.

Re: Willis Trophy
nelliec 24 June, 2020 14:41
Surrey and Middlesex have a 2 day game scheduled for the 26 th of July with live streaming.Mr Gould’s off the mark early!!!

Re: Willis Trophy
Grizzers 27 June, 2020 23:52
Behind a pay wall, but basically says cricket ‘representatives’ are hoping to persuade the Government to allow spectators, in limited numbers, of perhaps up to 1,000 initially, to attend County Championship games.

So, how many posters would be happy to attend ? Count me in (if & when I can get across the pond !).

[www.telegraph.co.uk]

Grizzers

Re: Willis Trophy
Sloop John B 28 June, 2020 09:07
Yep. I'd be up for that.

Re: Willis Trophy
wsm fan 28 June, 2020 11:07
The Lancashire CEO in their members forum said clearly a few times Aug1 will be behind closed doors.
He sounded very firm on that.

He seemed to suggest that reduced crowds were being aimed for ready for late August & the T20 blast campaign.

He was adament Lancs wanted August red ball but mentioned more than once that it was still up for agreement in next 2 weeks the actual structure & 50 over instead of red was still very much on the table.

Cost wise with no fans personally i would expect there would be more counties in favour of the 50 option, despite what they may say publically.

The overall view though seems very much there will be county cricket from Aug1 onwards.

Re: Willis Trophy
Somerset LaLaLa 28 June, 2020 16:58
Any word on friendlies? Somerset v Glocs with a live stream would be nice. As long as it's not a 100 type competition, any format is fine

Re: Willis Trophy
Mike TA1 28 June, 2020 17:28
Have friendlies been given the go ahead?

My understanding is that the problem could be the players handling the ball, if one of the players did have the virus and then picked up the ball he could well pass the virus to anybody else that handle the same ball.

That is why players can't use saliva to shine the ball, (I read somewhere).

Re: Willis Trophy
nelliec 31 July, 2020 15:41
So what will we expect with the wicket tomorrow.A green top to help the seamers, plenty of bounce or a slow low Turner.Doubtful!!
Who will grab the extra batting spot left by Banton and an overseas batsman.Will Abell open?and will we play an extra bowler with Roelof and Craig at 7 and 8

Re: Willis Trophy
Grockle 31 July, 2020 15:52
What does our new groundsman do usually I wonder? Has he got the feel for the place given that he hasn't produced a strip in anger except for the Glocs game?

I'm not sure if you need time to get used to a wicket. Simon was of course here when Frosty was and took over.

Young Gilchrist impressed and they tried Lammonby as an opener - not sure what he did in the batting practice on the last afternoon at Bristol.

Looks like Eddie will partner and Tom at 3 with George at 5 - we had it the other way around and that worked well in Fantasyland

Ben Green looks like the other option - he seemed more of an allrounder when he was near first team placings last time

It'll be interesting however it pans out



(Sm72)

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
AGod 31 July, 2020 22:22
Well, there's no conceivable point in picking Jamie Overton tomorrow, now.

I was already leaning towards thinking that we'd do well to use these games where we ought to have a significant advantage over most of our opponents in our "group," to get some of the young players blooded before the really serious promotion and relegation stuff re-starts next year.

I'd suggest that it would be good to get young Mr Gilchrist some games and Jamie departing (the Mail story is that he will go to Surrey as soon as next week) does a nice job of creating an opening.

The thing with Jamie, as I've said for a while was always this:

If he ever put togther an entire season in which he was fit and fully firing then England would probably pick him anyway, since they're always desperate for pace..... so even if Surrey manage to get such a season out of him, I doubt they'll have him in their "colours, " for that many games in total. Of course, the fact that he will now have "Surrey," next to his name immediately increases the chances of him getting said England call, too. If I were Somerset, I'd have had that in mind when negotiating Jamie's new contract offer.... the fact that it's very unlikely that you'd get lots and lots of highly effective games out of him because either he'd be fully fit and firing and then picked by England, or he'd be injured or finding his way back to fitness, post-injury.

According to the Mail, negotiations with Cove remain ongoing. Because of his fitness record over time being better than Jamie's, I'd imagine that Somerset's offer to him may, perhaps, be higher than what we offered to Jamie. Of course, Jamie leaving also frees up more money in terms of the budget available for the squad going forward as well.

I strongly suspect that, due to huge Covid losses, a majority of the counties will vote for a new, lower, salary cap. Surrey won't be keen, of course. But, tough.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
Grockle 31 July, 2020 23:40
True, if Jamie is going on loan as early as August then he can't really be part of our Willis plan unless we have a real gap.

What is the point of a loan period? Unless we weren't planning to use him early which I would find very suprising. Seems daft that he isn't just signing. But that is part of his future plans I suppose. Good luck to him and on we go with our bowling resources.



(Sm72)

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
Scrumper 31 July, 2020 23:45
If Jamie has gone that opens the door for Gilchrist, he looks very promising. Hope Goldsworthy get a chance soon too.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
wsm fan 31 July, 2020 23:58
Quote:
Grockle
True, if Jamie is going on loan as early as August then he can't really be part of our Willis plan unless we have a real gap.
What is the point of a loan period? Unless we weren't planning to use him early which I would find very suprising. Seems daft that he isn't just signing. But that is part of his future plans I suppose. Good luck to him and on we go with our bowling resources.

What resources?
We now have 4 senior quick bowlers. 3 of which barely register 80mph. The other may not be too happy with todays news & is also out of contract in 2 months & unsigned.
We then have 3 4 5 totally raw untried youngsters.
They may well turn into superstars & yes they need to game time to prove such.
But professional fast biwling is not easy. It takes years to learn & develop. 1 or 2 injuries or call ups & the poor lads will be chucked in 2 or 3 at a time no way near ready.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
AGod 01 August, 2020 06:46
Who knows?

Maybe the club has something up its sleeve in terms of new signings?

I read that Covid - and the fact that it caused many contracts to lapse whilst we were on lockdown, has caused a far higher number of players than usual, to be out of contract.

I will make the observation that it's very difficult to win a CC with any number of bowlers in the England Test mix. Essex, for example, were untroubled last season, by what Sir ITB once dubbed "The gin-slinging dodderers," which must surely have helped them.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
cricketjerry-mouse 01 August, 2020 08:02
One of the selection arguments recently is that you have to fit four fast bowlers into the middle or lower order, so there is rarely, if ever, room to play two of England`s current three leading spinners.

Is one solution to Jamie Overton`s departure, to view Lewis Gregory as a top six all-rounder, rotate Craig Overton (currently negotiating terms to stay), Josh Davey and Jack Brooks, for two of the seamer places, resign Vernon Philander for next year, and include both Dom Bess and Jack leach whenever not required by England?

Two other thoughts.

I believe there is some suggestion that counties will be allowed two overseas players in future. So Somerset could recruit a quickie as well as going for Azhar Ali or Babar Azam.

Second, whoever is vice-captain next summer should have as one of his most important remits the job of persuading Tom Abell to turn over his arm more, in a stock bowler as well as a wicket-taking role.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2020 08:42 by cricketjerry-mouse.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
AGod 01 August, 2020 08:47
I don't think we should go near Philander, at this point - not based on what he looked like in the SA vs England Test series.. he looks like a busted flush - and an uninterested one at that.

If LG were to bat at six, there would still be room for 3 other pacemen, plus Jack and Dom.

Unforuntately, such is the lack of decent spin options anywhere else that, unless and until Mo resurrects himself as a serious Test option, we're unlikely to ever have both Jack and Dom available.

I fear that the reality is that SCCC's best chance of a CC1 win has been and gone. We had our collection of relatively young and good bowlers - and they produced a collective bowling average last year of 21 - easily the best figure in the land. But the batting group - as so often over the years- let the side down, and now the bowler group is being broken up, by a combination of a player move and various England calls.

I hope that we will bring in some form of bowling reinforcment from another county.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2020 08:49 by AGod.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
wsm fan 01 August, 2020 08:58
Who? Where from? It's fanciful.
Somerset DO NOT sign mid 20s England fringe bowlers in their prime.

Name the domestic bowlers we have signed in the last 25 years, Thomas Kirby Willoughby Hussain Johnson Gronners Meekeren Brooks.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
Roger ivanhoe 01 August, 2020 10:30
Sounds like we will have commentary on the live feed from County Ground today

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
AGod 01 August, 2020 10:41
WSM - I didn't say the new signing would be in his mid 20s.

And I don't really want another "England fringe," candidate as a new signing. That's not the way, IMO, that one wins County Championships (losing too many players to England or Covid reserve status etc).

As you, yourself, intimated, we probably do need more pace bowling resources to come into the club now, though. So I would like to think that the club may have certain irons in the fire. Maybe they don't. Who knows?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2020 10:45 by AGod.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
wsm fan 01 August, 2020 10:45
Surrey now have 12 quick bowlers in their senior squad, possibly more.

We have 4. If we include Gilchrist then 5, but he has yet to play a 1st class game let alone take a wicket, Aldridge the same.

Re: Willis Trophy Round 1
Grockle 01 August, 2020 10:46
Well fanciful or not wsm we have what we have and we've coped without the pace of Jamie Overton before... seems we will have to do so again. I'm not sure what moaning about the loss achieves but there you go.

In that same vein sides have to cope with injuries and as one door closes another opens and new talent is driven to put itself forward.

I'm surprised Jamie is playing today IF his loan to Surrey is expected quickly. Only in the sense that we need a side for the tournament but maybe he is playing for longer who knows.



(Sm72)

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