Down by the Riverside 2023

[Durhamfootman]

Finally Robbo gets his call up by England

It's a blooming long way to travel if they then don't play him and if he does play, lets hope he quickly rediscovers his early season form after losing it for the second half of the county season

[captaincolly]

Finally Robbo gets his call up by England

It's a blooming long way to travel if they then don't play him and if he does play, lets hope he quickly rediscovers his early season form after losing it for the second half of the county season

Hopefully he will. Suspect he'll be playing in the second test.

[captaincolly]

Or maybe he won't after Pope getting some runs today!

[Durhamfootman]

Borthwick has stepped down as Durham captain and signed a 2 year extension as a player/coach.... which I reckon means coach unless we get a shed load of injuries or call ups

I don't know who the new captain will be, but I hope it isn't Alex Lees

[Durhamfootman]

Lees, Gay, Rhodes, Bedingham, Robinson and Ackermann scored nearly 6,000 runs between them last year

that's a handy top 6, I reckon

[Durhamfootman]

and given that Rhodes and Ackermann are more than useful bowlers, they might keep Graham Clark in a job at 7 to add a bit more batting to the side

[westoelad]

Lees, Gay, Rhodes, Bedingham, Robinson and Ackermann scored nearly 6,000 runs between them last year

that's a handy top 6, I reckon

North at the fixtures meeting said McKinney would be opening and hinted that Lees would be captain.Lees was imo a pretty poor T29 captain but 4 day captaincy is an entirely different task.

[Durhamfootman]

I thought he was a poor T20 captain too. Making him 4 day capt doesn't fill me with confidence

[Durhamfootman]

Are we expecting Boland back for next season, or has that horse bolted hobbled off?

[captaincolly]

Are we expecting Boland back for next season, or has that horse bolted hobbled off?

Wouldn't surprise me if he's in the frame. Sounds as if he's going to get a test recall. Problem could be that a bowler in his mid 30s with injury issues could struggle with the demands of a county season.
Think they have made the right move with Borthwick, moving him aside from full time playing but keeping him on board.

[KingOttis]

Are we expecting Boland back for next season, or has that horse bolted hobbled off?

Wouldn't surprise me if he's in the frame. Sounds as if he's going to get a test recall. Problem could be that a bowler in his mid 30s with injury issues could struggle with the demands of a county season.
Think they have made the right move with Borthwick, moving him aside from full time playing but keeping him on board.

Absolutely. He's still a useful batsman, but realistically, not going to get into our top six (at least at the start). This way, we keep some strength in depth through the season, whilst avoiding tension if the Captain isn't selected in the starting team. Sensible move - although seeing some of these players retiring/moving into coaching does make me feel ancient!

[Durhamfootman]

agreed

doesn't seem very long ago that Borthwick used to gambol around the field like a labrador puppy

[captaincolly]

Yes. These players seem to go from promising youngsters to veterans in the blink of an eye!

[Durhamfootman]

Robbo left out of the team for tomorrow. At least he'll be able to train in the sunshine instead of in the freezing cold in CLS

[captaincolly]

Robbo left out of the team for tomorrow. At least he'll be able to train in the sunshine instead of in the freezing cold in CLS

Yes!