Bob Willis Trophy thread

[Arthur Crabtree]

Gone from bottom to mid table too.

[Durhamfootman]

Despite twice letting Glamorgan recover from poor positions Northamptonshire win with Charlie Thurston continuing a=his good form and Emilio Gay posting his maiden first class half century. It was quite disconcerting watching the live stream as the wind kept blowing the camera around.

see... I told you Northants were not as bad as Durham

[Alviro Patterson]

Bob Willis Trophy here to stay.
Good idea imo. I'd also be in favour of a regional 50 overs tournament including minor counties.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/spor ... -n9jm55gwt

Overall I am in favour of the Conference system, mainly to keep the 18 first class counties intact. From a Derbyshire/Leicestershire/Glamorgan perspective, playing 14 CC matches a year does in Division Two, with no prospect of promotion let alone winning the title does nothing for them in terms of growth. There are more incentives making the Twenty20 Blast as the number one format.

Here is my idea for a Conference County Championship.

2 groups of 9 = 8 matches.
After 8 matches - top 3 in each group play in the Super Sixes. Results from teams who have already played each other in the 2 groups of 9 carry over (2 + 3 games)
After the Super Six Round (11 matches), the top two play in the 5 day Final at Lord's.

Teams who finish 4th-6th play in another group, as do 7th-9th. Same format as Super Six, except no final. Final positions determine seeding for the following year.

[westoelad]

Basically AP, you're in line with what Athers has outlined in today's Times and, now that the dictator has left, ECB appear to be listening to its members' recommendations and prepared to implement them.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/spor ... -ncmdxgg0w

[sussexpob]

Laurie Evans heading back to moneybags Surrey

Call me biased, but why are Surrey able to consistently get away with this sort of behaviour? The guy is a terrible 4 day player, average in the 20s and aside from one disaster spell in the Sussex 4 day squad a couple of years ago when we had injuries, he joined in 2017 and has been a limited overs specialist whos played about 3 FC games in 3 years. Surrey get blasted twice in the 4 day game and are out of the competition, then suddenly want him on loan for the 4 day game?

It just so happens when he arrives, he plays one 4 day game then refuses to end his loan, leaving us no choice but to give him away despite him being absolutely key to our chances in the competition. Does it take a genius to work Surrey have completely diddled us here? Falsely say you need him for the 4 day team, hijack the player then refuse to give him back when the T20 starts? Apparently he called Sussex like straight away after arriving to say he wouldnt be back. And Gillespies take seems to be that Sussex had no option but to allow him, because its clear he wasnt going to budge.

Very disappointed that Sussex caved in,Id rather see them refuse to engage with these thieving b*stards and if the player doesnt want to play, withdraw his wages and let him rot on the sidelines. Alec Stewart has a lot of audacity to suggest its unreasonable to ask him to go back, because naturally a player who would leave at the end of the year will want to be with his new team mates. Yep Alec, thats exactly how contracts work. Might be in contract, but lets ignore it when it suits.

I guess if we just started stealing Surrey players, there would be hell on.

[Durhamfootman]

they have so many players that it might take them a year or two to realise it, if you were to

[Durhamfootman]

Laurie Evans heading back to moneybags Surrey

Call me biased, but why are Surrey able to consistently get away with this sort of behaviour? The guy is a terrible 4 day player, average in the 20s and aside from one disaster spell in the Sussex 4 day squad a couple of years ago when we had injuries, he joined in 2017 and has been a limited overs specialist whos played about 3 FC games in 3 years. Surrey get blasted twice in the 4 day game and are out of the competition, then suddenly want him on loan for the 4 day game?

It just so happens when he arrives, he plays one 4 day game then refuses to end his loan, leaving us no choice but to give him away despite him being absolutely key to our chances in the competition. Does it take a genius to work Surrey have completely diddled us here? Falsely say you need him for the 4 day team, hijack the player then refuse to give him back when the T20 starts? Apparently he called Sussex like straight away after arriving to say he wouldnt be back. And Gillespies take seems to be that Sussex had no option but to allow him, because its clear he wasnt going to budge.

Very disappointed that Sussex caved in,Id rather see them refuse to engage with these thieving b*stards and if the player doesnt want to play, withdraw his wages and let him rot on the sidelines. Alec Stewart has a lot of audacity to suggest its unreasonable to ask him to go back, because naturally a player who would leave at the end of the year will want to be with his new team mates. Yep Alec, thats exactly how contracts work. Might be in contract, but lets ignore it when it suits.

I guess if we just started stealing Surrey players, there would be hell on.

Jamie Overton too

I wonder if we can persuade them to take Stuart Poynter. If we tell them he's an ex international player they might bite our hand off

[captaincolly]

Laurie Evans heading back to moneybags Surrey

Call me biased, but why are Surrey able to consistently get away with this sort of behaviour? The guy is a terrible 4 day player, average in the 20s and aside from one disaster spell in the Sussex 4 day squad a couple of years ago when we had injuries, he joined in 2017 and has been a limited overs specialist whos played about 3 FC games in 3 years. Surrey get blasted twice in the 4 day game and are out of the competition, then suddenly want him on loan for the 4 day game?

It just so happens when he arrives, he plays one 4 day game then refuses to end his loan, leaving us no choice but to give him away despite him being absolutely key to our chances in the competition. Does it take a genius to work Surrey have completely diddled us here? Falsely say you need him for the 4 day team, hijack the player then refuse to give him back when the T20 starts? Apparently he called Sussex like straight away after arriving to say he wouldnt be back. And Gillespies take seems to be that Sussex had no option but to allow him, because its clear he wasnt going to budge.

Very disappointed that Sussex caved in,Id rather see them refuse to engage with these thieving b*stards and if the player doesnt want to play, withdraw his wages and let him rot on the sidelines. Alec Stewart has a lot of audacity to suggest its unreasonable to ask him to go back, because naturally a player who would leave at the end of the year will want to be with his new team mates. Yep Alec, thats exactly how contracts work. Might be in contract, but lets ignore it when it suits.

I guess if we just started stealing Surrey players, there would be hell on.

Jamie Overton too

I wonder if we can persuade them to take Stuart Poynter. If we tell them he's an ex international player they might bite our hand off

[Arthur Crabtree]

Bell scoring runs today. Retiring at the end of the season. I think this will be his last game though.

[Durhamfootman]

scores a 50 too, in what will be his last hurrah

[Arthur Crabtree]

Benco's back, with 5-18.

[Durhamfootman]

what's up with his back?

[Durhamfootman]

scores a 50 too, in what will be his last hurrah

50 and out

he'll have been pleased to raise his bat one last time

fair play to him

[Durhamfootman]

match abandoned at Bristol after an absent Northants squad player tests positive after being around the team 48 hours earlier

I suppose it's a testament to the bio security efforts made in cricket that this hasn't happened more.

[Durhamfootman]

yet another 5fer for old man Stevens

5-37 off 27 overs, so he can still put a shift in