Hampshire 2017 thread

[budgetmeansbudget]

When's our next CC game?

Have to be pretty happy with our start in terms of points ahead of the relegation zone.

Still in contention for the title! Not sure if we're the real deal yet, but hope mounting injuries and the flat Rosebowl pitch doesn't scupper any chances we may have had.

[st_brendy]

When's our next CC game?

Have to be pretty happy with our start in terms of points ahead of the relegation zone.

Still in contention for the title! Not sure if we're the real deal yet, but hope mounting injuries and the flat Rosebowl pitch doesn't scupper any chances we may have had.

Not until May 19th, when we have a block of six games consisting of Essex (a), Somerset (a), Warks (h), Lancs (a), Somerset (h), Surrey (a). That takes us right through until early July.

In the three weeks before then, we've got our eight one-day games. Hopefully Rilee recovers asap, because otherwise he'll miss all of them. And on paper, it's one-day cricket that he should excel in the most. Bailey will miss the first one (on Thursday), but will be available for the second one onwards. I imagine that gives Jimmy a reprieve (when Bailey and Rilee are available, I can't see how Jimmy gets into our white-ball team). Indeed, the only change I can see is Wood for Wheal (injury). Maybe Crane or Stevenson for Topley (fitness issues), Abbott (rest) or Berg (rest) too.

[st_brendy]

Very solid start to the season. Relatively strong Kent aside (just missing Billings I think), and we comfortably beat them despite no Rilee, Bailey, Abbott or Berg, and losing Wood mid-bowling.

Alsop is special in one-day cricket.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Excellent result today.

Pulled the Kent innings back well after they made a good start, then comfortably chased down the runs.

Just not used to Hants starting the season this well, hope they can keep it going.

[st_brendy]

Slightly strange make-up of tomorrow's 13 man squad. No bowling cover, but two extra batters? Anyway, Bailey, Abbott and Berg into the XI for Jimmy, Wood and Holland.

[SaintPowelly]

Harsh on Holland, would have given Abbott/Berg another game or 2 off

[budgetmeansbudget]

Blimey our reply has picked up pace in the last 15 overs, put on around 125 runs for the loss of one wicket.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Blimey our reply has picked up pace in the last 15 overs, put on around 125 runs for the loss of one wicket.

Kiss of death, two wickets gone for sod all.

[st_brendy]

Blimey our reply has picked up pace in the last 15 overs, put on around 125 runs for the loss of one wicket.

Kiss of death, two wickets gone for sod all.

Sounds like a very debatable run-out of Dawson. Just as Westley not being given run-out right at the start of his innings sounded very debatable too. Same umpire both times, I believe.

[st_brendy]

Solent have received a still photo of Dawson being in.

[budgetmeansbudget]

As an umpire without DRS you have to be erring on the batsman's side surely, especially with a run out.

Haven't had the rub of the decisions this season so far.

[st_brendy]

Somerset now have 3 wins out of 3, whilst Essex have 2 wins out of 2.

Even at this early stage, a top two finish could be beyond us if we lose tomorrow. And that would leave just 3rd spot to fight it out for along with a number of others.

On the flip side, if we were to win and then Essex maintain their 100% record on Thursday, the three of us would be starting to pull away from the rest.

[andy]

Us and Somerset really should do well this year...we finally have a batting line up that is firing bar today..and the addition of Harmer means we finally have somebody capable of filling the spin department! And we are always strong in the seam department, so it could finally be our year

[budgetmeansbudget]

That's that then, never gave much of a toss about this Royal London one day nonsense anyway!

[st_brendy]

Bad luck, bad fielding, and - almost amazingly - bad bowling from Abbott contributed heavily to that defeat. Rarely will Topley and Berg bowl so well, for so little reward (getting the ball past the bat over and over again). For whatever reason, the Pavilion end seemed like a delight to bowl from yesterday. Sadly for us, only Roland-Jones came away with figures to illustrate that.

If there is one negative to our season so far, it is our fielding. We've dropped too many catches already. And yesterday we dropped two more, missed two run-outs, and missed a stumping. None of which were particularly difficult. Take those chances, and get a little more luck when bowling, and we could have been chasing 210.

But sticking with the topic of fielding, I'm still yet to see evidence that McManus is a tidier keeper than Wheater. And sadly for the lad, that's on top of absolutely no evidence that he knows how to bat against a white ball. And in modern day 50 over cricket, that is a massive; two new balls opens the risk of more wickets being lost up front, but it also means that batters face a harder ball for longer - and when you throw in only ten overs of five men on the boundary, you can seriously cash in now towards the end of one-day innings. And inevitably that means needing to have batting strength at 6, 7 and 8.