What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018:05:01:18:26:50 by BarmierKev.

Well done to our intrepid reporter. Brilliant headline!

We are looking forward to witnessing a large stand from our batsmen Eskinazi and Cartwright which will establish a strong position today.

From last years lacklustre batting performances and the inability to secure batting bonus points which was the reason were relegated it was blatantly obvious we needed an experienced batsman who could stay at the crease for 30/40 overs and average around the 45 mark.
In the world of cricket there must have been a recently retired international batsman who would fit the criteria and would wish to spend a summer playing at the home of cricket but true to form Middlesex try to do something on the cheap and the end result is Hilton Cartwright.
I also think the longer the season goes the more we will regret letting Ryan Higgins go.

We didn't let Hiigins go.

He was out of contract, and free to go elsewhere if he wanted.

I distinctly remember Gloucestershire offered him a guaranteed place in their top 5. In fact he is batting at 7 (as he probably would have for us). He looks like a demon seam bowler (despite cricinfo's description of him), but that will probably change when the sun comes out, and the pitches are harder.

Looking at the performances of White/Robson/Holden so far this season he probably thought he should have been guaranteed a top five batting slot!!!

Eskinazi batted well today at no.3 for his fighting 94 versus Glamorgan.

Murtagh has started well and he is setting a good example for Barber and Helm.

Quote:

chunkyinargyll
We didn't let Hiigins go.
He was out of contract, and free to go elsewhere if he wanted.

I distinctly remember Gloucestershire offered him a guaranteed place in their top 5. In fact he is batting at 7 (as he probably would have for us). He looks like a demon seam bowler (despite cricinfo's description of him), but that will probably change when the sun comes out, and the pitches are harder.

I don't think that is 100% accurate chunky. I was at the Forum in which that question ( Higgins) was raised with Gus Fraser.

His answer was. Yes we were in contract talks with Ryan Higgins. But no agreement could be reached as one of Higgins requirements was to bat in the top five presumably to advance his career.

Gus Fraser could not accede to this request, so Higgins took the other option.

Gloucs operate with a small budget, so, money was unlikely to be the driving factor but game time was.

In the MX lineup at the time, Compo was around at three, later Eski, and Franklin at 7.

Add James Harris as a potential seven.

Plus. Roger over and out and I went to Cheltenham for the first MX T20. There Higgo who came in at about 119 for 8, chasing I think 183 for victory. Hammered 60 odd runs to get the scores level.

Unfortunately, Sowter hammered the last ball straight at a Gloucs fielder who hung on.

Doubtless that knock caught Gloucs eye knowing Higgo was in the last year of his contract and on the MX fringes.

This suggests maybe that should have been looked at earlier.

Hopefully James Harris will cover the allrounder gap left by Higgo's departure.

Bring back the Crusaders has a valid point I think.

It is always unfortunate to lose a promising prospect but we must on. We do have several young cricketers who may go on and prove the nucleus of a successful team. We must enable this to happen but both parties will have to be patient.

S_M

That's pretty much what I meant- as in, we didn't release him (not good enough) but Glos got in first by making him a 'guarantee' (place in top 5) that, quite rightly, we wouldn't agree to. I note he is batting at 7 for them, so they have already broken the 'promise' that turned his head (Glos said 'Top 5' he goes back to Gus who rightly says 'We can't guarantee you that', so off he goes to Glos to bat at, erm, 7.)

Counties are always most vulnerable with a young player like Higgins. He still had a lot to prove before 2017 started, so, as we had 'doubts' if he would make the grade, we didn't offer him a new deal before 2017 season started. Then he made a quickfire T20 50 against Glos, and impressed them so much they offered him a better deal. Maybe they are treating him as a 'capped player' when they agreed his salary- whereas our attitude (rightly, I think) was 'You've still got a bit to prove yet'.