GerryShedd
Super Moderator
Latest BBC update:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c80g988y892o
Article about Chris Woakes that makes the point expressed by several of us on here - he deserved better than the dismissive send-off that Rob Key gave him:
https://open.substack.com/pub/thecricketdrop/p/bonus-the-cricket-drop-farewell-the?r=3becy7&utm_medium=ios
Interesting story about Jacob Bethell here:
https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/how-joe-root-discovered-jacob-bethell-barbados-10282843/
The younger bowlers shouldn’t be short of advice, with “Pop” plus OH-D, Chris Rushworth and Keith Barker on hand.
Neil Manthorp describes a sorry state of affairs in South Africa:
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/sport/cricket/2025-09-30-neil-manthorp-it-looks-like-sa-has-given-up-on-first-class-cricket/
He also makes some points relevant here:
"By not selecting the best available players and not doing anything to incentivise spectators, the message is clear: domestic first-class is an irritation, like unpleasant medicine. But until cricketers believe they can prepare adequately for Test cricket by practising in the nets, it is also critical medicine for the health of the greatest format of the game. Test cricket relies on its regular doses of first-class games. Administrators at the national and provincial levels must continue the effort to sweeten the medicine, however difficult that talk might be."
Another one who sadly didn't quite make it:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c62lk1myryvo
I interviewed him six years ago when he had just taken his first wicket against Somerset. He was sharing a flat with fellow university student Rob Yates at the time.
A great tribute to Chris Woakes from George Dobell in The Cricketer, which has the sub-heading: "Any team would be lucky to have him; he has been a credit to his family, his county and his country – and, really, what more can any of us achieve?"
paulbear wrote:
Yes, that sodding tree. Maybe that is why Kent, supposedly one of the original 'Big 6', never had a Test ground because who wants to see a Test where a scorching shot doesn't get to the boundary because of some huge lump of wood on the actual playing area.
An unkind description of Rob Key in his Kent playing days.
Back in 1911, there was a lot of criticism of Warwickshire's win. Supporters of Kent (who came second and did not have a fixture against Warwickshire that year) were adamant that, had the teams met, Kent would have won. This ignored the fact that Kent didn't play Warwickshire because they thought that Warwickshire were an inferior, provincial county.
There is a famous Punch cartoon that shows Shakespeare shaking the hand of Warwickshire captain Frank Foster who says (with a quote from Henry VI) "Tell Kent from me she hath lost," to which the bard replies with another quote: "Warwick, thou art worthy."
The editor of Wisden was keen to point out that under previous methods of scoring, Kent would have been top; and he said that "probably few cricketers would contend that Warwickshire had the best eleven of the year"; and "under all conditions Kent, no doubt, had the strongest side." He did acknowledge, rather condescendingly, that "it was a good thing that the Championship should have gone to one of the outside counties."
Sad to see that Alex Thomson has been released by Derbyshire.
Yes, that’s a fine piece of writing.
Congratulations to Ed - the PCA MVP for 2025:
https://www.thepca.co.uk/domestic-men-mvp-2025/
Note Ethan Brookes in third place.
Six down. Can Will Rhodes save Durham?
With their win yesterday, Sussex draw level with Warwickshire on points but go above because of winning one more game.
LeicesterExile wrote:
GerryShedd wrote:
Even better for them if it rained in Southampton.
I'm entitled to senior moments!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me too!
Even better for them if it rained in Southampton.
Looking at the bottom of the table, it’s getting interesting at Southampton.