Durham match thread 2022

[KingOttis]

All we need now is a century from Rocky on Sunday. Best way to deny him the chance is if we bat first!

I doubt I'll bother going... doesn't seem much point. We're clearly going to carry our shambolic T20 form into the 50 over and getting cross over our hopelessness isn't a lot of fun. Allotment sounds like a much more rewarding experience at this point in time

I don't blame you. I think I'll go down but whether I'll stay for the duration is another matter.
I don't think the coaching staff can do much with such a small squad, Killeen waffling away but there's nothing he could say. The one small chance is if the top 4 fire.

Yes, who would have thought that our tiny squad would ever be exposed? At least we're addressing a paper thin batting line up and a failing bowling line up by shuffling around the wicket keepers....

[captaincolly]

It's why in a way I'm not inclined to be over critical of North and Franklin- an unpopular opinion for sure. If they felt the promising signs from last year meant there was no need to strengthen the squad then they are both inept and should go. But I can't believe they decided everything was fine- especially with Lees and Carse on the England radar - both in Australia during The Ashes, Lees captaining the A side and a certainty for selection after the openers flopped in the series, Carse a near certainty had he not been injured, was a lot of talk that he may have even featured in The Ashes.
So I'm sure they saw the need to strengthen but for whatever reason couldn't. I'm no cheerleader for either of them but don't think the best coach in the world could do much when an already paper thin squad gets further depleted by injuries.
I think we'd have struggled with a fully fit squad.

[captaincolly]

Jack Campbell playing for Hampshire today. Presumably our ex-player?

[captaincolly]

If it is he has started with a 1st ball duck. Hopefully the main job will go better!

[westoelad]

It's why in a way I'm not inclined to be over critical of North and Franklin- an unpopular opinion for sure. If they felt the promising signs from last year meant there was no need to strengthen the squad then they are both inept and should go. But I can't believe they decided everything was fine- especially with Lees and Carse on the England radar - both in Australia during The Ashes, Lees captaining the A side and a certainty for selection after the openers flopped in the series, Carse a near certainty had he not been injured, was a lot of talk that he may have even featured in The Ashes.
So I'm sure they saw the need to strengthen but for whatever reason couldn't. I'm no cheerleader for either of them but don't think the best coach in the world could do much when an already paper thin squad gets further depleted by injuries.
I think we'd have struggled with a fully fit squad.

We are operating on a restricted budget- 60% of limit but why when we made a profit of £1m last year is another DCCC mystery.Obviously that's a handicap but that Durham top 4 batting should have seen off what was in effect Surrey 3rds. Franklin comes over totally lacking of charisma , a quality essential for an inspirational coach. Even allowing for the injuries and England call ups,the remaining are reasonably strong and have vastly underachied.
Franklin out and until he is I won't renew my season card.

[captaincolly]

He definitely doesn't come across well on interview, looks evasive and avoids eye contact with the interviewer - although that is usually Martin Emmerson and I think they literally don't see eye to eye.
The healthy profit but low budget is something that also baffles me. Can't see a chance of succeeding unless the squad is significantly strengthened.

[Durhamfootman]

ah well.... I've given up on the season already

There might be a miracle next year

[Durhamfootman]

The 12 team first division idea has been well documented, which I thought was a Rob Key idea, btw (although it might be a hangover from the Strauss days, I don't know), but he certainly supports it. The idea being to split the CC first division into Div 1a and Div 1b (with the top 2 teams playing a final to contest for the right to be county champions) and a 6 team feeder Div 2. Any change needs the consent of 12 counties (quelle surprise), but it never even occured to me that if it was to happen, Durham might end up being one of those feeder counties with no hope of winning anything, but which might produce players for 'proper' counties to pinch.

It is a seriously depressing thought, but Durham's relevence as a county, rather than as an England bowler production line, might be over for the long term if serious decisions over playing and coaching personnel aren't taken soon..... and by soon I mean this winter. The whole playing set up needs a radical overhaul, because this slide is looking more and more terminal

Back when all this started I can still remember hoping that 2 early wins might overturn the 32 point deduction and spark a push for promotion. Well I was clearly an idiot, because it really did what it was clearly designed to do and ruin this county for the long term

and as a real kicker..... the knackers about £1.3m per county for allowing the Nonsense to exist and for having to put up with having their players stripped out by the big 8, appears to have shown it's true colours, because the new TV deal that runs until 2028 makes absolutely no mention of non Silly counties getting a *modded* bean out of it.

Turkeys voting for Christmas

[westoelad]

Yeh,I've feared for a while that Durham were heading for oblivion if nothing changed. Both North and Bostock have ingratiated themselves with (FT)ECB. The 16.4 is here to stay and Durham,I suspect, are working to be one of the extra franchises in it. I could tolerate that as long as Franklin goes,the worry is that somehow he has retained his coaching role in the current 16.4

[captaincolly]

Off to a great start again! I almost wrote this off before it started- it's surely curtains now even less than hour into the game. Another top order collapse.

[captaincolly]

Excellent century from Jones to at least prevent a total fiasco- out now though and there are still 5 overs left. 248/7.
Still don't know if Jones is involved in the upcoming Scotland games- if he is they start this week!

[captaincolly]

Excellent maiden list A century from Jones to at least prevent a total fiasco- out now though and there are still 5 overs left. 248/7.
Still don't know if he is involved in the upcoming Scotland games- if he is they start this week!

[captaincolly]

Mackintosh out lbw - looked odd, the bowler looked as if he wasn't going to appeal and went up after the keeper started.
Umpire hesitated then gave it out!
Don't know who it is but one of the officials is Neil Pratt!

[captaincolly]

268 all out. 5 wickets for Yadav - provides the cutting edge that we lack.
At least there's something to bowl at but that's surely below par .

[captaincolly]

Ben Stokes bowling on the field during the break- pity he is not playing!