Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Looks like Essex will get there.

2 for 0 for Sam Robson.

Some great finishes around the country.

Leicestershire flying high! I assumed that game was destined for a draw.

Good chase by Derbys too.

Lancashire will be there for the taking at the Riverside. I'm expecting 500 from our batsmen!

I wouldn't be reading too much into this opening round of fixtures (although it is still great to see Leics and Derby winning).

For example, Lancs will have Livingstone, Gleeson and Mahmood back next week, Surrey will have Roy and Curran (and Topley, if fit), and Hants will have Vince and Dawson.

I guess in that respect, Yorks are the stand-out, because they still managed to win even without Bairstow and Willey.

st_brendy wrote:I wouldn't be reading too much into this opening round of fixtures (although it is still great to see Leics and Derby winning).

For example, Lancs will have Livingstone, Gleeson and Mahmood back next week, Surrey will have Roy and Curran (and Topley, if fit), and Hants will have Vince and Dawson.

I guess in that respect, Yorks are the stand-out, because they still managed to win even without Bairstow and Willey.

I'd forgotten about the returning players. Might be just as well the Riverside will be closed to spectators for that Lancs game!

Although Yorks were playing a side that has spent the last 2 years barely scoring 100 runs in the first innings. Not many games will ever be lost from that position regardless of how many England players are away

we just bent over backwards to make life as easy as we could for them

Some interesting matches. Good effort by Derbyshire's lower middle order in particular. Obviously I am particularly pleased by Northamptonshire's efforts in the second innings although tempered slightly by Stone's absence.

st_brendy wrote:I wouldn't be reading too much into this opening round of fixtures

Speak for yourself, Brendy.

Job done, the season can end now as far as I am concerned

Of course, the competition is a load of utter nonsense. Only the ECB could conceive a competition where a team could win all games it plays and still get knocked out at the group stages, or one which could be won by a Division 2 side that doesnt get promoted as a result.

And why the 120 overs limiter? Or the reduction of 9 overs a day?

The ECB gave its approval to the competition but it was the brainchild of a small sub-committee of County CEOs,Bostock, Gould and Andrew I believe which all Counties agreed to and then rubber stamped by the ECB.
Given that it had to be a truncated competition a split on a regional basis seems to me to be the most logical. Admittedly some of the new rules appear to be quirky but I'm sure there was some logic to imposing them.
I'm just pleased that there's some 1st class cricket to follow with video coverage of all games.

The limits on the first innings overs and of overs per day is supposed to help protect the bowlers because of the lack of pre-season training and practice.

captaincolly wrote:The limits on the first innings overs and of overs per day is supposed to help protect the bowlers because of the lack of pre-season training and practice.

Yes, advice from the medics no doubt which it would be folly to ignore.
It would have been nice if our all Sunderland born attack could have won a trophy honouring a Sunderland born bowler but that looks unlikely now.

westoelad wrote:

captaincolly wrote:The limits on the first innings overs and of overs per day is supposed to help protect the bowlers because of the lack of pre-season training and practice.

Yes, advice from the medics no doubt which it would be folly to ignore.
It would have been nice if our all Sunderland born attack could have won a trophy honouring a Sunderland born bowler but that looks unlikely now.

Yes. Almost certainly can't afford not to win the next game to have any chance at all.