2015 Hampshire Thread

[st_brendy]

When the BBC were canvassing opinions from the counties the other day about whether they would be interested in taking KP, Rod was one of the few to respond - and I think the only one to respond with a positive answer (although obviously many Hants fans would not consider KP coming back to be a positive answer!!).

But at the same time, Rod also said that we have our squad set for the season. I absolutely do not see us going out of our way to get him back. I think it would require KP to come knocking on our door first, before any sort of talks were had between him and us. And given that it was his choice to leave us, I would amazed if he suddenly requested a return.

[st_brendy]

As for Coles, I'm not going to cry. Yes I will miss his occasion fire blast cameo with the bat, but that is it. He never really replicated the four day bowling form that he showed for us during his loan spell in 2013 - and in the shorter formats, especially t20, he was expensive just as I predicted.

If Arafat is able to play as a non-overseas player (hence allowing us to play Arafat and one other in the one day competition - and potentially Arafat, Bird and one other in the t20), then for me he would be an upgrade on Coles.

[SaintPowelly]

Possibly slightly harsh on Coles, Brendy.

41 wickets @ 28.41 is a good return. no 5fers is disappointing, but Tommo only had 1 (which came in the final game.)

[budgetmeansbudget]

Think there is still a chance Carbs could end up going to the IPL too. In which case Smith opens and Gatting/Alsop slot in at 6 and Slug up to 5.

He wasn't up to it in Div Two, let alone Div One.

[budgetmeansbudget]

One month to go until we kick off our Div One LV campaign at home to Sussex.

[st_brendy]

Looks like KP's return to county cricket is on, and could be confirmed by the middle of next week.

I still maintain that he wont come here, because he'll no doubt want to remain in the London area if at all possible. But if he decided to remove the barrier, then I'm going to go right against the grain here and say that I would welcome him back. Our squad is paper thin, we struggled for quite a while in Div 1 when we were last here (albeit often more because of the bowling than the batting), and I'm not going to say no to someone coming in ahead of Gatting in the pecking order.

And crucially, unlike his last spell with us, he'll presumably be available to play a lot of cricket. And invariably when KP has been available to play in county championship, be it for us or for Surrey, he has scored big.

But yeah, I'm pretty certain that he'll join a London team.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Nah, Chelsea to Southampton is much too far to travel!

[st_brendy]

We lost our SF of the pre-season t20 competition in Barbados, this evening. 30-odd run defeat to Northants.

Nothing to really worry about though, given that we went in with no Adams, Carberry, Smith, Ervine, Wood or Briggs (whilst Northants' XI looked pretty strong). And Bird is yet to join up with us. Shah top scored for the second game running (30-odd in this game, 60-odd in the QF vs a local team).

Team was: Wheater, Terry, Gatting, Shah, Vince, Dawson, McManus, Berg, Arafat, Taylor, Barber.

[braveneutral]

Fidel Edwards signed for you guys I think.

[captaincolly]

Fidel Edwards signed for you guys I think.

Yes, signed as a Kolpak for the second half of the season.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/32117564

[braveneutral]

Interesting signing.

[captaincolly]

Interesting signing.

I didn't know he was still playing. If he's still capable of bowling quickly it could be an astute signing.

[st_brendy]

Had he been an overseas signing (Bird currently isn't scheduled to be here for the whole season), then I'd have been a little disappointed. But as a kolpak, I'm all for it. We're short on seam bowlers, particularly strike bowlers, so it could be very handy.

A one-day attack of Edwards, Arafat, Wood, Briggs and Dawson & Ervine (potentially Berg too) looks a whole lot stronger than what we could offer last season.

[braveneutral]

As a Kolpak it could be good. I suppose it depends if it works out as value for money.

[captaincolly]

Michael Bates has signed for Wiltshire. http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/spo ... e/?ref=rss
It'll be a shame if he can't find another FC county, though time is on his side.