mad
Member
So this is what the buffoons in charge of the Category A county grounds think. You can bet they've colluded to come to some sort of nonsense statement - Warks, Hants, Lancs, Notts etc... who think players need a fortnights rest between T20 matches
We have to hope the Category B and C counties tell these twits in no uncertain terms that less CC or less Blast cricket is off the table. 14 CC games is already too few
And before they edit it;
Club Statement: High-Performance Review and future domestic schedule
In light of the High-Performance Review being undertaken by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the on-going debate concerning the structure of the domestic schedule for 2023 onwards, Lancashire Cricket would like to update its Members and supporters on the Club’s position.
Lancashire Cricket fully understands and respects the strong feeling from within the Membership and from wider cricket supporters throughout the country regarding the amount of County Championship cricket that is played throughout the English domestic season.
At the time of writing, the Club has not held any formal meetings with the ECB that relate to the High-Performance Review, which is currently being carried out, nor have we had any formal discussions regarding the 2023 domestic schedule.
Tomorrow (Wednesday 3 August), representatives from all 18 First-Class counties will meet with the ECB for a first update session on the High-Performance Review and future domestic schedule.
The decision that will be made later in the year, and ultimately voted for by the First-Class counties, will not be a commercial decision. Rather, it will be one based on the development and welfare of our players, which must always be at the forefront of our minds throughout this process.
We all know the cricket schedule has become increasingly gruelling, both at a domestic and especially at an international level. Covid-19 also impacted the schedule around the world and has had a significant impact on player welfare. Additionally, there is an increasing number of T20 leagues which are being hosted around the world competing for priority slots within the calendar.
The recent retirement of England’s Test captain Ben Stokes from One-Day International cricket provided strong evidence of these pressures with Ben quoting in his statement: 'We're not cars - you can't fill us up with petrol’.
The Club believes that by ensuring our players are at their best, both physically and mentally, they will be able to perform at their highest ability throughout the season, leading to higher quality cricket being played across the board. In this regard, we are supportive of the process being led by Sir Andrew Strauss.
However, it is also vital that cricket listens to the voice of its fans. At Lancashire Cricket, we are committed to ensuring that the voice of our Members and Supporters is heard at the highest levels whilst this review is carried out.
Daniel Gidney, Chief Executive of Lancashire Cricket said: “We are listening to the views of our Membership and, alongside player welfare, these will be at the forefront of the discussions during our upcoming meetings.
“Following the conclusion of the ECB’s High-Performance Review and the meetings, which will take place between all 18 First-Class Counties, we will endeavour to support the creation of a domestic cricket schedule which is suitable for all counties, players, Members and supporters alike.
“As conversations between all stakeholders continue, we will keep Members updated on progress.”
Chair of the Members’ Representative Group, Colin Gore, added: “This is an issue of huge significance for Members and as a result, we have been speaking to the Senior Management Team at the Club regarding the on-going speculation around next year’s domestic schedule.
“In our most recent meeting last week, they confirmed that no decision has been made on this and that there is an all-county and ECB meeting this week, to give an update on the review.
“Lancashire Cricket and the MRG are well aware of strong feelings amongst Members and cricket supporters generally and the Club have said that these concerns will be put forward to the ECB. We do acknowledge however that a key priority for all stakeholders is the players themselves and ensuring their welfare is at the forefront of any decision.”
So this is what the buffoons in charge of the Category A county grounds think. You can bet they've colluded to come to some sort of nonsense statement - Warks, Hants, Lancs, Notts etc... who think players need a fortnights rest between T20 matches
We have to hope the Category B and C counties tell these twits in no uncertain terms that less CC or less Blast cricket is off the table. 14 CC games is already too few
Should definitely bring back the Knockout cup
I know ECB and PCA are then concerned about lack of 50 overs experience if certain counties get knocked out but that can be remedied earlier in the season. One way would be to have a league again and maybe have it a mix of 50 (or maybe 40 overs) matches and T20 matches. Kinda like the Blast now but as a league and with two trophies at the end of it. T20 blast finals day with the best 4 teams in the T20 format and an overall limited overs league Champion the team with the best record overall from the various formats combined. They do this in Grade Cricket in Australia where games can count towards more than one trophy.
There'd be 4 trophies counties would compete for each season then but without adding to the volume of cricket.
County Championship 16 matches
Limited overs League 16 matches (4 40 overs games + 10 T20 games + 2 50 overs games)
Standalone T20 Blast Finals Day (competed for by the 4 sides with best T20 records)
Knockout Cup (Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, Lord's Final)
George Maddy took a ball to the face in last week's Under 18's game v Gloucestershire. Hopefully he's been mended but if not we may well see Kai Smith starting in one of the first few away games
McAndrew's last game for the club. If he could sign off with a quick fire 6-fer that'd be welcome.
Don't think there's any need for panic. No game till Sept 11th now. Before then Somerset will collect 12 points today. Yorkshire are still within reach and still to receive some form of points penalty. Then Sept 5th is the cider derby at Taunton where we could do with the North Bristolians doing us a favour against the South Bristolians
https://youtu.be/MaogEEpsLcI?t=12506
Essex chairman and former player John Stephenson at 3 hours 30 speaking yesterday
The numbers across the country are big. Yorks/Gloucs having their festivals have helped get the word round. Not sure what it can achieve however. I think just like football, cricket needs regulation to save it from the administrators wrecking the game for all. It needs the kind of ear bashing the ECB got over the Azeem scandal to shake the game to get a hold of itself.
Counties like Warwickshire and Worcestershire used to make up for that deficit of privately schooled cricketers as compared to the Surrey's and Hampshire's by producing a stock of good working class lads who could play a bit. But since the 1980's selling off of the playing fields, closure of most workplace sports and then the hiding of the sport behind a paywall from 2006 that's kinda knackered our chances of keeping up with the Surrey's in this respect
Don't agree with everything in it but Duncan Stone's recent book chronicles this decline of cricket as a game for the masses played by factory and Public bodies teams quite nicely in his closing chapter
Bowling wasn't up to it for the most part last season either which was plain to see - failing to beat Derbyshire, only drawing with Worcestershire etc... Bresnan, Woakes and Rhodes/Briggs chipped in we've missed their contributions this season. Miles probably had his best season last year, OHD is probably peaking this year. A fully fit Norwell, Stone or if Brookes had made the strides that we'd hoped he'd have made by now and the situation could be very different. Our batting hasn't been able to take us deep into the last session on 4th day this season and remains the major area of concern for me
Difference is Yates is a top order/opening bat very specialist position with limited options available for his replacement. Lamb bats in a position where there are 5 or 6 other vying for his spot and also his overall record over 5 seasons now is modest at best. A bit like Sibley would've had to have had a monumental start to the season scoring hundred after hundred to force his way back into the test reckoning, Lamb needed several big scores this season to put the doubters to bed
Scores of 22, 4, 6, 8, 3, 37, 0, 1 and 18 since the start of June will have that effect especially if there is no second string to his bow (1/57 on a flat one in Northampton excepted). He can't have too many complaints. I'd have got shot of a couple of others
Yates got a bit of a shocker looking at the replay
Surrey 2nds have just closed for the day at 4.39. Obvs 2nd XI there's more discretion. Suppose it depends how long the innings lasted. Their opponents had been in the field for 72 overs and today is worse further south (Kingston upon Thames where the ground is 37 just now) whereas forecast tomorrow is worse further north
Somerset released the following ahead of their match Vs Yorkshire
Due to the anticipated high temperatures on day one of this match, the ECB have advised that all counties can play three 90-minute sessions in order to reduce any risks to player’s health at their discretion. With cooler temperatures anticipated on days two, three and four, the time will be made up in an additional 30 minutes on those days. A decision will be made shortly before the toss tomorrow.
Given Taunton is outside the red zone seems likely Edgbaston (very much within the red zone) will be adjusting hours of play. They're probably just awaiting the nod from both captains and the groundstaff)
Cheers. NC Play cricket site earlier said play would be resuming at 1.23 so I wasn't sure
The detailed notes confirm it was 1301-1339
Lamb needs to show he can be threatening with the ball I reckon to be sure of his place. 3 centuries in 41 first class games. Several players were let go for having scored only 2 or 3 in far fewer games plus he's batting down the order so more risk-reward getting someone else in who can offer something else
They can't NOT do this pretty much nationwide now. I was hoping the HEAT would be mainly Essex way but remember Cheltenham has several annual records recently and they're saying the worst 42 degree temps likely to be a bit further north than the south east tomorrow
If it's a shortened day due to weather could see 1 or 2 shoot back to Brum early morning and be in the first team squad. Lunch taken at 12.40? Did they start early or are they going three 100 minute sessions I wonder?
Might even hit that 42c level that could change things regards play on Mon/Tues. If hospitals cancel shit then like when COVID loomed large unnecessary activities might need to be cut.
Brits are being warned to stay indoors as “ferocious” life-threatening ‘day and night’ temperatures are due to blast the UK for the first time in history.
Death-Valley type temperatures of 42C during the day and 30C at night are threatening to double the UK summer average - prompting a Met Office first-ever red warning.
The public are being urged “to do as little as possible” and try not to use public transport.
Does this apply to fielders busting their guts stopping a four or batters turning easy singles into risky twos?
Hospitals have cancelled appointments and many businesses have announced two day closures including restaurants, bars, zoos and wildlife centres - while millions will work from home.
The chief executive of the College of Paramedics has warned that the “ferocious heat” the UK is predicted to experience over the next few days could result in people dying.
They do indeed though for football move kick off times. I was at a game that had to be rescheduled from 4pm ko to 12 noon kick off purely due to the excessive mid afternoon temperature made worse by forest fires all across the Pacific Northwest. It is a reasonable question to ask when would it be needed to be done for cricket? Would it have to go to 42 degrees for them to call off play? Obviously not as practical for first class cricket as for football but you get the feeling that if it was the start of the Hundred it would be being considered at least due to the effect it might have on numbers showing up
We've had bright lights from windscreens stopping play - I wonder if there is protocal for suspension of play if temps get to a particular figure at various levels within the sport. I suppose we'll see over the next few days. Clouding over last night and today hopefully takes the sting out of it anyway. I think if/when it remains 29/30 degrees at night-time that's gonna make everyone uncomfortable