Hampshire 2017 thread

[captaincolly]

And a second batting point!

I wonder if Borthwick is injured? Doesn't seem to have bowled.

[budgetmeansbudget]

And a second batting point!

I wonder if Borthwick is injured? Doesn't seem to have bowled.

Hope he can't bat either!

90 run lead, now for Edwards and Abbott to rout Surrey.

[captaincolly]

And a second batting point!

I wonder if Borthwick is injured? Doesn't seem to have bowled.

He hasn't done much batting so far this year!

[st_brendy]

And a second batting point!

I wonder if Borthwick is injured? Doesn't seem to have bowled.

As well as Dawson has bowled, it's conditions for the seamers. And in any event, it looks like Ryan Patel has come into Surrey's team as the spin support for Batty.

Just an all-round nightmare move for Borthwick (on the field).

[captaincolly]

And a second batting point!

I wonder if Borthwick is injured? Doesn't seem to have bowled.

As well as Dawson has bowled, it's conditions for the seamers. And in any event, it looks like Ryan Patel has come into Surrey's team as the spin support for Batty.

Just an all-round nightmare move for Borthwick (on the field).

Yeah. Could hardly have gone any worse for him.

[st_brendy]

Still waiting for that one final win that'll wrap up survival. But ticking over the draws in the meantime is helpful.

(And with Warks still to play, that has to be the obvious one to get the win from)

[captaincolly]

Still waiting for that one final win that'll wrap up survival. But ticking over the draws in the meantime is helpful.

(And with Warks still to play, that has to be the obvious one to get the win from)

I'm sure you will be safe ( hope that doesn't jinx it!) but who do you think is favourite to go down with Warwickshire. Somerset winning makes things interesting.

[Durhamfootman]

somerset will go down, I reckon

at least I hope so

[Durhamfootman]

Barker is already looking forward to scoring 300 runs and taking 30 wickets against Durham next year. Imagine how peeved he'll be if they only have to play us once?

[captaincolly]

Barker is already looking forward to scoring 300 runs and taking 30 wickets against Durham next year. Imagine how peeved he'll be if they only have to play us once?

That would be unfortunate for him!

[budgetmeansbudget]

The Somerset win does drag a stack of counties back into the relegation mix including us.

[st_brendy]

If we survive, then it would be very good for us I think if Somerset continued their revival. I can only see them struggling again next season, whereas Yorkshire or Middlesex or Surrey could turn it around.

We survive, Somerset survive, Worcs get promoted. Yes please.

[budgetmeansbudget]

One day we might consider ourselves as title contenders instead of the perpetual relegation candidates!

[st_brendy]

One day we might consider ourselves as title contenders instead of the perpetual relegation candidates!

Indeed. We're probably still three players short at the moment (and even that's on the basis that England broadly leave Crane, Dawson and Vince alone): an opener to deal with the aging Adams and Carberry, a front-line seamer to deal with the aging Fidel and Berg (and injury prone Topley and Wood), and a middle order batsman to deal with the aging Ervine (together with the fact that we do lack that heavy run scorer).

I'm confident that Rilee will have a better red ball season next year, and Holland has shown himself to be a useful little asset so far.

Carberry, Smith and possibly Fidel off of the wage bill next season should give us room to work with. Although if Alsop (or Weatherley) can churn out the runs in the last three matches, that might reduce our need down to two players.

[st_brendy]

I'd initially hoped that Dawson would be available for this week, despite the one-off England t20 match taking place on Saturday, because logically you'd have thought the ECB would want the fringe test players playing as much FC cricket as possible ahead of the Ashes squad announcement. But alas no, we're without him.

A straight swap between him and Crane will therefore take place you assume, with Holland, Berg and Abbott all moving up a place in the order. But I'm not sure where that leaves us in terms of covering Bailey's absence. We either play Will Smith for the first time this season, or find someone from the youth team. Would appear somewhat illogical to play Wheal - that would mean two bowlers replacing two members of our top six, and a six man frontline bowling attack (including five seamers) - so it surely does have to be a batter.