The New Season
By New Boy 2
April 6 2022
Excitement builds as the new seasons is upon us.
The new season is a day away, and it seems to me to have been a rather eventful winter at Middlesex CCC. Looking back to the team that took on Somerset at Lord’s on April 8th last year, I was surprised at how few differences there are.
The side that started that day was: Robson, Holden, Gubbins, Eskinazi, White, Andersson, Simpson, Roland-Jones, Helm, Bamber and Murtagh. Seaxe Man suggests the side to start tomorrow could be: Robson, Stoneman, Eskinazi, White, Andersson, Simpson, Davies, Roland-Jones, Bamber, Helm, Murtagh.
I don’t disagree with him, although for the sake of argument I would like to replace Davies with Holden.That is so that I can make a spurious point: that the only change in the County side in 12 months is Stoneman in for Gubbins. Ignoring the Vitality Blast signings and departures, I’d venture that the only two departures since last April are Steven Finn and Nick Gubbins. Finn left Lord’s 16 years after his first team debut and will now ply his trade for Sussex by the seaside. Gubbins preferred to sign for Hampshire than accept the Middlesex contract offer.
Mark Stoneman arrived in August on a three-year contract from Surrey. In addition, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi joins the club and I am rather keen to see him bowl. We also have Ishaan Kaushall andDaniel O’Driscoll signing rookie contracts.
Even with Dial M still performing at a high level aged 40-and-a-bit, the average age of the full squad is, by my calculation, a smidgen over 26, down from 27.5 last season. There’s plenty of experience in the team, but also plenty of youth
The big difference this year is, of course, the replacement of Stuart Law by Richard Johnson. Will we see much difference on the field? I don’t know but I sense we may hear of a happier dressing room. Alan Coleman’s new position as Head of Men's Performance Cricket isn’t necessarily a direct replacement of Angus Fraser who transitions from Managing Director of Cricket to a new position as Director of Development. There was a fascinating interview with Gus in this month’s County Cricket Matters (https://www.countycricketmatters.com) but you’ll have to order your own copy to read what he said! It’s only £2.50 plus P&P...
All that is now in the past, what is more important is arriving at Lord’s tomorrow for the first day of summer (presuming you define summer as starting on the first day of the county cricket season)? The Met Office forecasts a bright but cold day, with 10% chance of rain. What can possibly go wrong?
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:20:11:09:32 by New Boy 2.
Hopefully someone on here give us heads up when squad announced today?
Is PH in uk yet?
Maybe he'll play?
Maybe no spinner,but then our OR goes through the roof?
And dont forget make those predictions.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:14:12:46:27 by Seaxe_man1.
Terrific innings' by De caires & Esky.
Hopefully 450 today??
Adelaide
Quote:adelaide
Robbie White's knock as valuable and he has his method but it did seem to me that his lack of runs this morning put undue pressure on Simpson, TRJ (and Helm) as the 110th over loomed large.
I totally agree. I was watching the "chase to 350" and noticed that we seemed to leave some fairly easy singles alone within overs 103 to 107, which in turn put the pressure on us needing boundaries to get the point. I can't fathom any other reason for TBJ's shot, and I felt we were fortunate to get the boundary that took us past 350 on the last ball of the 110th over. Just keep the scoreboard ticking over with singles and you get closer to the target. It's almost as if we lost focus on the need to get 350 inside 110 overs; and I struggle to believe that was really the case.