Desperately need wickets now.

Think we are a frontline bowler light unfortunately.

Why are we bowling so short when it clearly isn’t working?

This is one of the most inexperienced and weak bowling attacks we have fielded.

Think it’s fair to say toss was important, the ability to tailor intent to your target has looked quite important with our attack never really able to keep the strangle just when it’s felt like it’s been coming.

Not having a batter go on is probably the difference here though, an extra 30 would have been a good game.

Not seen much of the Northants innings live but they did save quite a few runs with good fielding - posted as Smith lets one through his legs for four on the boundary.

As predicted when we saw the squad yesterday, we are desperately short of a seam bowler or 2 at the moment.

Picking Garton over Malik as a specialist bat is a weird one for me. We can't be picking out of sympathy for players who have had injuries, becuase that's how that feels. If you're going to weaken the batting like that, pick a bowler.

I can only assume Malik pulled up injured or something. I agree with your point though .

Wolfy wrote:

Are Gillcrist and Booth injured does anyone know?

Booth definitely injured, referenced several times on the commentary. Not sure about Gilchrist, but I’m assuming probably also not fit

Playing Garton as a batsman is absolute madness. If he can't bowl, he has little value to the team apart from his obvious fielding skills. If Barker is injured we should have been in the market for an overseas. Surrey, for example, have snapped up an excellent South Africa A prospect for the competition.
I had high hopes for the Metro Bank but relying on a rookie from Staffordshire to replace Barnard doesn't bode well.

Averages after game 1 https://countycrickethub.net/team-averages.html?teamid=16&comp=2&year=2026

Andy wrote:

As predicted when we saw the squad yesterday, we are desperately short of a seam bowler or 2 at the moment.

Yes, hence the late addition of Garlick to the 1st team squad. Booth is definitely still injured and it looks like Gilchrist is as well.

With a lack of any extra seamer (unless Gilchrist just has a 'niggle' - he played for the 2nds last week), the only way they can reinforce a decidedly depleted bowling lineup for Notts on Thursday, is to bring Lintott in - probably for Garton.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Andy wrote:

As predicted when we saw the squad yesterday, we are desperately short of a seam bowler or 2 at the moment.

Yes, hence the late addition of Garlick to the 1st team squad. Booth is definitely still injured and it looks like Gilchrist is as well.

With a lack of any extra seamer (unless Gilchrist just has a 'niggle' - he played for the 2nds last week), the only way they can reinforce a decidedly depleted bowling lineup for Notts on Thursday, is to bring Lintott in - probably for Garton.

No Booth and (probably, at the moment) no Gilchrist, is a huge loss. And we haven't had any updates on the injuries of Barker & Simmons, or how long they might be out (the club website, although improved, is seriously lacking with information on such things - though I suppose, if Management don't tell them anything, what can they do!).

even though the result wasn't the win we wanted, there were some significant positives from the game.

A very good debut from Theo Wylie, and Jake Garlic showed he was worth the chance.

A good innings from Sam Hain, and contributions from almost everyone else.

There is a lot to be positive about.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Andy wrote:

As predicted when we saw the squad yesterday, we are desperately short of a seam bowler or 2 at the moment.

Yes, hence the late addition of Garlick to the 1st team squad. Booth is definitely still injured and it looks like Gilchrist is as well.

With a lack of any extra seamer (unless Gilchrist just has a 'niggle' - he played for the 2nds last week), the only way they can reinforce a decidedly depleted bowling lineup for Notts on Thursday, is to bring Lintott in - probably for Garton.

Well yeah, even factoring him in, we're still way short, need a couple of the guys back fit sharpish.

Have we had any clarification on Malik yet? I assume he's injured too, crazy if Garton was a merit based pick over him!

Andy wrote:

Have we had any clarification on Malik yet? I assume he's injured too, crazy if Garton was a merit based pick over him!

Simon Kerrigan was saying at a 2nds game in June, that, with Garton getting back to fitness, the plan was for him to return to 1st team cricket, in the 50 over competition - but as a batsman. He explained that injuries, "might prevent him bowling, for much of this summer". So, yes, I reckon he was picked ahead of Malik. Whether his duck yesterday, might change that thinking, we'll see tomorrow!

That's interesting re Kerrigan's take. (What's his role? Is he one of our coaches?) I just had the spider sense Garton was having his contract run down ahead of release, this seems like they're actively trying to give him more involvement than you'd expect as standard. With Simmons, I really wanted him to come into the side as (like Garton) he's a point of difference bowler. Whether through injuries or whether he just hasn't kicked on, it's hard to see him having a future here if he sits the 2026 ODC out as well as 2025. I think seamers will be rotated and Gilchrist comes into the side - if he's fit - for latter games, just wonder if that applies to G&S.

I think this is an important take. Indeed, there were some good parts to yesterday and remember Northants have just won a white ball trophy - not a bad team. As someone said, a batsman going on for another 30 runs on the board (350!!) or even as little as three overs of strangle bowling it could have been different. Not bad seeing as that was a fresh introduction of a few players.

Highveld wrote:

even though the result wasn't the win we wanted, there were some significant positives from the game.

A very good debut from Theo Wylie, and Jake Garlic showed he was worth the chance.

A good innings from Sam Hain, and contributions from almost everyone else.

There is a lot to be positive about.