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

Pre-season in Zimbabwe kicks off tomorrow

the focus is on red ball this year, with two 3 day matches against Zimbabwe A. At some point the women will play Zimbabwe too

Doesn't sound as though Ben Raine will feature in the first match having picked up some sort of niggle, but he is expected to turn out for the second game next week. A first chance to see what Will Rhodes offers us and presumably the same can be said for Sam Connors in the absence of BR. Dan Hogg won't feature either with another niggle

113-2 at lunch

Gay, Lees, Rhodes, Robbo, Clark, Killeen, Parky, Potts, Drissell, Connors, Minto

looks bowler heavy to me

Gay and Lees the men out

only 25 overs in the first session, so Zim A are going for the 'full English'

George Drissell take a bow

81 off 81 in a total of 368-8 dec

having declared with one over remaining, Pottsy struck 3rd ball to leave Zim A 0-1 at COP

I say one over remaining but that still only meant 80 overs in the day

31 for Graham Clark in what could be a career defining year

Durhamfootman wrote:31 for Graham Clark in what could be a career defining year

I think so.

Is Minto only 17?
6.4-1-21-5

yes, something like that. The club has high hopes for him. Lefties are useful things to have

we skittled Zim A for 69 in under 20 overs, spent 30 overs rollicking along to 118-1 dec and Zim A have already been reduced to 115-6 in the final innings by the end of day 2

Are we learning much from this? Perhaps it's just a bit of a morale boosting jolly in the sunshine ahead of the new season

didn't take long to finish that off. 3 for Potts this morning and one for Old George

Durhamfootman wrote:yes, something like that. The club has high hopes for him. Lefties are useful things to have

we skittled Zim A for 69 in under 20 overs, spent 30 overs rollicking along to 118-1 dec and Zim A have already been reduced to 115-6 in the final innings by the end of day 2

Are we learning much from this? Perhaps it's just a bit of a morale boosting jolly in the sunshine ahead of the new season

Probably!

a mixed first day in the second match against Zim A

having bowled them out for 151, we then proceeded to slump to 74-5

presumably it's a tricky pitch

no Ben Raine or Matty Potts. Coggers, Minto and McAlindon are spearheading the attack. Old George picked up 4 wickets yesterday, but he might need to produce with the bat again.

I wonder when Bedders links up with us?

Durhamfootman wrote:Old George picked up 4 wickets yesterday, but he might need to produce with the bat again.

blow me down, he only did it again. 82 this time

is old George a no.7 in the making?

final day

Zim A are 165-6 a lead of 131. We could do with knocking them over quickly, because runs are hard to come by (unless you're old George, of course)

comfortable win in the end

we managed to bowl Zim A out for 199, leaving us 166 to chase. We got off to a poor start, losing Lees in the first over, but McKinney and eventually Robbo got us home in the 32nd over

Is Bedingham coming back for the full year this time round? Guess he will miss the Test final to be with SA, but is he expected to be around for everything else?