Durham match thread 2022

[captaincolly]

Yes, there certainly aren't any obvious replacements in the squad.
We've opted to bowl first today, seems risky to me - if the bowlers lose control again we'll be chasing a manmoth total.
Chances are a big score will be needee either batting first or chasing and I reckon there's less pressure going first.
Hopefully the bowlers will prove me wrong!

[captaincolly]

van Meekeren playing for Gloucestershire. I wonder what happened with him, thought he did more than enough last year to warrant a contract. Perhaps he declined an offer for some reason? Although it wouldn't surprise me if we didn't make an offer.

[captaincolly]

Martin Emmerson looking up Gloucestershire's highest score against us!

[captaincolly]

195/1 with 19 overs left- 400 a distinct possibility!

[westoelad]

van Meekeren playing for Gloucestershire. I wonder what happened with him, thought he did more than enough last year to warrant a contract. Perhaps he declined an offer for some reason? Although it wouldn't surprise me if we didn't make an offer.

Contract for all forms of cricket with Gloucestershire -doubt if we could or should have offered that.Issue is that we signed Maddinson instead of a quality bowler.
400+ coming up. Hawway Maddinson.

[captaincolly]

van Meekeren playing for Gloucestershire. I wonder what happened with him, thought he did more than enough last year to warrant a contract. Perhaps he declined an offer for some reason? Although it wouldn't surprise me if we didn't make an offer.

Contract for all forms of cricket with Gloucestershire -doubt if we could or should have offered that.Issue is that we signed Maddinson instead of a quality bowler.
400+ coming up. Hawway Maddinson.

Yes, I know it's tricky with this bowling unit but for me we were always likely to lose control bowling first - anything other than a massive total would/will be surprising. Far better option to bat and then hopefully put the opposition under scoreboard pressure.

[captaincolly]

Having said that the bowlers are doing OK now, might restrict them to around 350.
I see Coggers has taken a wicket but only bowled 3 overs so far.

[captaincolly]

Poor finish! I think 368 might take some chasing

[Durhamfootman]

unless we get Somerset to chase it for us

[Durhamfootman]

I'd forgotten we were playing today

[captaincolly]

unless we get Somerset to chase it for us

Highest one day total against us and also highest on the ground.
We have weaknesses in both departments ( or 3 if you include fielding!) so it's not easy making decisions with the toss but , even if by some miracle , we get these runs I think we need to bat first given the opportunity. The only way this attack looks capable of restricting the opposition is with runs on the board.
Coughlin either injured or ill according to Emmerson!

[captaincolly]

Also the highest Gloucestershire score having been put in.
If we had batted first and mustered around 300 it may well not have been enough but the chances of defending must have been higher than chasing this score.
Unfortunate to lose Coughlin (!) but for me if we bowl first it's highly likely to result in us needing to chase a score considerably above par.

[Durhamfootman]

Kent are not offering Darren Stevens a new contract for next year, but he wants to keep playing. Maybe we'll offer him the captaincy

[captaincolly]

Kent are not offering Darren Stevens a new contract for next year, but he wants to keep playing. Maybe we'll offer him the captaincy

Talk here today is that Ollie Robinson will be signing. He was captaining Kent early season.

[Durhamfootman]

it's going well, I see

we needed 7 an over at the start, but nobody so far is beating Maddinson's run a ball strike rate. That asking rate is around 9 now and we'll have had the PP presumably (although I have no idea of the rules on that any more)