I agree with this almost entirely. The original quote does seem to say interest (from everywhere) is cooling in Cox so maybe it's not likely anymore, however I think the club has already put some of the pieces in place. The debate about Davies is as much an opening bat problem as a keeper problem, indeed it's more of an opening bat problem as we know there aren't significant issues with his keeping.

That is, and had been, mitigated by the signings of opening batsmen as O/S players with the Aussie Weatherald coming in next season, might well be very smart, and I think Mousley has just about done enough for a second season as number three. Latham or Young would be fine in this regard too.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Highveld wrote:

Do we want/need someone to come is as the number one keeper, or an experienced player who can help to develop and mentor Kai, and be ready to take over the gloves if needed. Which I feel would be the best option, unless we were able to sign an absolute top level keeper who would fill the role for the next 6-8 years. The wisket keeping ability must be given top priority over any batting ability.

The costs involved, and the character of the person would be different for both roles.

If the club goes for the first option, it should be prepared to have to find a second keeper as well, as there would no point a player staying with teh club if his path to the first team was effectively blocked.

How any new signing will fit into the team atmosphere should be considered too, the players spend long periods of tiem together, would it be sensible to sign some who would be a negative influence on the team culture, and who's presence would harm the performance and development of the team, and players overall.

While I do believe Kai could have what it takes to be a good Keeper, he's not there yet (though he is as a Batsman). I think he needs a year or two specialist coaching (we might need to go outside, as we have no Keeping, or indeed, Fielding, Coach on the staff) to get there.

In my opinion, that's where Ben Cox could come in. He'll be 35 next season (and has had a few injury breaks while at Grace Road), so would probably do a good job for a couple of years, pending Kai's emergence (or otherwise) in that role. I reckon he'd be a good addition to the squad, has a good batting record and coukd well help Kai develop as a 'gloveman'. He also would be (sort of) coming home, as he is a West Midlands lad.

Finished off now though and as you were after three brilliant performances from both our rivals as well as us.

To Paul's point, it does seem Notts rely on Stone and Pennington and they've had to bowl so much more in the last two games than our bowlers. No-one did more than 15 overs in our game while Stone/Penn have got through 40 each. In terms of outcome, it's been about the same. But you wonder if fatigue will get to them sooner or later, wonder if it already has, they have had some difficulties finishing off innings both in this game and last weekend's round.

Just noticed this, Notts need three wickets in 19 more overs to get their full haul of bowling BPs. But indeed, Soms look like they will flog Leicesters.

paulbear wrote:

Somerset are all over Leicestershire and look very likely to win but Hampshire haven't lost a wicket for over 33 overs and are being a real pain to Notts. Let's hope they at least can put up a fight and maybe stop Notts if they get close to the first innings total.

It's a good old ding dong between us and the other sides and I guess this sort of thing is usual at the top. I read a piece in the Guardian some time ago that titles only rarely come down to bonus points. I think this one will be an exception. We've got the same WDL record as Notts and equal on match points with Soms. So yeah, agree with that Andy, how realistic is it we get 450 within 110 overs? Another point, we're further along in our game than either of our competitors are, it's a possibility we win and they draw which would change things a lot.

Right. Can't get much better than rolling a side over for 69 but, indeed, the competition are well placed for BPs as well. Guess this what a title race looks like, play well, other play well, constant battle to get ahead.

Mikkyk wrote:

Us, Notts and Somerset all lost the toss and have all so far had the the better of the play

My take on this is England made his bowling better but his batting worse. He got an extra yard of pace when breaking into the England side, which made him into a top international bowler and I think that was a significant reason his batting dropped off. Can't have it all though, I think he would accept that trade-off.

paulbear wrote:

Woakes perhaps lacked a lot of consistent cricket and probably being in the England set-up made his batting worse. He batted 8-9 and I doubt he was quite sure what his job was, bat with the tail or give it a bash. When he was with us before his Test career took off, he batted as high as and benefitted from cricket day-in-day-out. As soon as he played for England, he had less cricket and on tour often hardly played unless someone was injured. If he was fit enough for a whole season, I think we would see him back to batting like he used to. Notts, 3 down, good.

If Woakes goes down he probably isn't going to be able to play for the next eight days so still works. It's very pragmatic having Thompson in the squad as he is like-for-like, but, just whisper it, not quite as good. Though this rule must acknowledge somewhere that replacing some players with like-for-like is impossible if one of them is the Brummie Botham.

I think two seasons dominated by injury and illness. He played a great game v Essex three years ago, was injured not long after then ill for a chunk of the season that followed and seems he's struggled to get back. I fear this is another of those cases where another county revitalises one of our exes but I think you're right that Simmons deserves a bit of luck.

GerryShedd wrote:

Andy wrote:

Che Simmons is signing for Gloucestershire.

I hope this is a good move for him.
When I first saw him several years ago in a pre-season game at Taunton, I thought he looked like a fantastic prospect - a lovely lithe action. I don't know why he hasn't made it at Edgbaston - but good luck to him. Gloucestershire could certainly do with some fresh talent.

Looking at those averages you can see a story of one star performer with bat and one with ball with an awful lot of work shared around. Look at the amount of batsmen averaging in the 30s and the amount of bowlers with 12-18 wickets.

Yeah every time I've seen Scriven he's looked like a proper bat. Surprised he doesn't bat higher more consistently. I watched about half an hour and now seems impossible for them to find a path to a win. They end up one point above us which makes it a shootout for second. Five points to rein in Somerset seems a lot though is just the difference between a win and a draw. Notts seem like a better and more mature team than Soms now but it's all pretty close between the three of us.

Again not our game, but looks interesting at Notts. After they so clinically declared on 450 and then put Leics in, they've had some remarkable resistance today from the nighwatchman, Hull, and former Bear Hamza. Looks like Notts not guaranteed to get the full set of bowling points now which could be very interesting if they draw and we win.

Cricinfo has start at 1100 and seems weather gets better as the day goes on. Happy days if so...

Didn't get that 4th BP then, seems from looking at the scoreboard it's another of those cases where it's hard to accelerate. Even so, seems like a good knock by Kai to accelerate towards it. Interesting to see how it goes from here, do they declare? Going over 400 should prevent us from losing this game. Declare as soon as that is done?

This was interesting. It was published nine months ago so things might have changed, but amazed he was/is in sheltered accommodation and living off six quid a day, he really has fallen and not, at the time of writing, fully risen. I've listened to him on feed comms over the season and as per others been impressed with his insight: he clearly could do more in the game. He has been given a decent leg up by cricket post-retirement, I don't think he's been abandoned from the sounds of this article, just looks like he can't fully get back to the peak of whatever it is he will do. Or even got half way up it and stayed there for a while.

Seems like a decent recovery from Mouse and Yates, long may it continue. Working so saw none of it but seems like had to battle a bit early on. In West London rained a bit about an hour ago but it dried up no end since then, it maybe that's it for rain for today (I know, I know - sshhh!)

To a previous topic, I had never heard of the Kuggelijn story before, it's actually well splashed on the Guardo as well. There was an interesting subtext there that the he was part of the Indian team that now owns Hampshire so there is a clear inference about how they got into that situation.

So Booth and Davies to sit out and Kai and Suthar to come in? Also no Simmons in this game but don't think he will start for the 1s, but probs in the squad.

Andy wrote:

There's a couple of clues here into how we may line up in Southampton

Definitely could still win it. The feeling I got from the Notts game just passed is that they did it when it mattered. Notts eaked out the most points on that round of matches in Div 1, which, combined with a number of quarter finals over the last few years, sticks in the mind a bit. There are other teams out there with a far better mindset for winning titles. Could win but don't believe it. Just yet.

Having said all that, I'm still rather bullish about it all. We're better than last season and better than the season before that with Robinson. Unlike Surrey, we're heading the right direction. If we can get a few of our own players into the first team and get the ones we have produced, producing plus we've found a better set of os players, there are reasons to be cheerful.

I don't think we'll lose but Notts certainly seem to have turned up un a mote positive frame of mind today.

LeicesterExile wrote:

Back to the present - looks like we will be doing our best to avoid an innings defeat as looks quite likely we will be following on. Where is the rain when you need it?

Not watched any of today but seems like Notts have taught us a bit of a lesson in eking out points. I've said a few times this season I don't expect us to win it, Notts mindset today shows where we need to get to. Respect them for that.

Only need three balls to get a bowling BP. 250 runs for a batting BP takes a bit longer. I'd say Notts approach was rational and they did want to prevent us getting a point which is same outcome as them getting 350. If Soms do draw it's still very tight, Essex might well force a win and they move up. Surrey could well be in trouble at the otnwr end if that happens...