Essex v Leics

[Hong Kong Blue]

Essex: G. Flower, Cook, Bopara, A. Flower, Irani, Foster, Middlebrook, Adams, Gough, Palladino, Kaneria.

Everyone's favourite Kolpaker, opening the batting, out for a 28 ball 4.

Essex 26-1

Is Jefferson's form really that bad at the moment?
I'd again question whether we need so many spin options and would prefer a specialist batsman to Middlebrook.

[Museshrimper]

I think Middlebrook is a good player to have in, he can smash a quick fifty or hang around quite a bit. I'd also like Jefferson in there for G Flower because he's different, but I guess Flower's bowling gets him in. good to see Gough back, here's hoping for some wickets from him http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[W4 Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ July 26 2005,11:58)]I'd again question whether we need so many spin options and would prefer a specialist batsman to Middlebrook.
Must say I have no idea what the pitch is like up there. If it's going to turn, then we're in a cracking position fielding last.

[W4 Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (W4 Shrimper @ July 26 2005,12:49)]then we're in a cracking position fielding last.
Doesn't help that we're now 80-3 though. Doh!

[Hong Kong Blue]

Quote[/b] (W4 Shrimper @ July 26 2005,12:49)]Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ July 26 2005,11:58)]I'd again question whether we need so many spin options and would prefer a specialist batsman to Middlebrook.
Must say I have no idea what the pitch is like up there. If it's going to turn, then we're in a cracking position fielding last.
Didn't we all say that about Old Trafford!

[Hong Kong Blue]

126-4 Cook out.

Would be timely in more than one way for Foster to make a big hundred.

[W4 Shrimper]

Irani falls just short of his ton - out for 97 off 167 balls including six 6s!

253/7 as I type. Not great, but Leicestershire aren't up to much. If we can get past 300 it could be a handy total.

[Hong Kong Blue]

257-8

Not sure whether it will turn square on the 4th day - Leics won the toss.

Also I think thats a pretty decent top 6 Leics have got:

DL Maddy, DDJ Robinson, JK Maunders, D Mongia, *HD Ackerman, A Habib.

[Museshrimper]

They put us into bat, which probably means it's a bowler friendly wicket? So a score of 270 could be decent.

[Smiffy]

297 all out...

Leicester already down a wicket for only 10 runs...

Maddy caught by Bop off Goughies bowling...

Come on Essex.



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[Matt the Shrimp]

Leicester currently 29/4, with the "speedsters" (Gough & Palladino) each with 2/14. Obviously a bowler's surface!!

On a tangential thought - does the County Championship point-scoring system encourage teams to prepare "flat tracks" (so that a side picks up max batting points all the time) or "result pitches"...? Discuss.

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[Hong Kong Blue]

Its 5 points if you make the runs, or 3 points if you take the wickets, but its 12 (?) points for the win and only 4 points for the draw, so I certainly wouldn't want my pitches too flat.

I do however think bonus points should be awarded on the basis of the match situation, rather than reaching arbitary targets. If a team has a first innings lead that should count for more than making a set amount of runs.

[Hong Kong Blue]

36-5 Adams strikes 4th ball!

Aftab Habib is now in....

[C C Csiders]

36 for 5 and no-one, as yet, into double figures. Aftab Habib in now.

[Hong Kong Blue]

In true Essex style, I'm expecting a couple more qickets before lunch, before Claude Henderson and Paul Nixon compile a record 8th wicket stand for Leics.

[C C Csiders]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ July 27 2005,11:54)]I do however think bonus points should be awarded on the basis of the match situation, rather than reaching arbitary targets. If a team has a first innings lead that should count for more than making a set amount of runs.
Agree with this. I've always thought that bonus points should be awarded on the basis of a first innings lead, which I believe is how bonus points are scored in the Ranji Trophy in India.

I wouldn't award points for batting or bowling. 16 points for a win. 4 points for a draw. A first innings lead contributes 6 bonus points irrespective of a win or a defeat.

Possibly additional bonus points could be awarded to a winning team for a 'crushing' win - say an innings victory or by 10 wickets or 250+ runs, but that may get too complicated.

[canveyshrimper]

Quote[/b] (C C Csiders @ July 27 2005,12:11)]Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ July 27 2005,11:54)]I do however think bonus points should be awarded on the basis of the match situation, rather than reaching arbitary targets. If a team has a first innings lead that should count for more than making a set amount of runs.
Agree with this. I've always thought that bonus points should be awarded on the basis of a first innings lead, which I believe is how bonus points are scored in the Ranji Trophy in India.

I wouldn't award points for batting or bowling. 16 points for a win. 4 points for a draw. A first innings lead contributes 6 bonus points irrespective of a win or a defeat.

Possibly additional bonus points could be awarded to a winning team for a 'crushing' win - say an innings victory or by 10 wickets or 250+ runs, but that may get too complicated.
The downside of working to a first innings lead situation is that teams will try to bat on for as long as possible in the hope of batting the opposition out of contention. Thereby creating bore draws. Look at some of the scores in some Ranji matches in the region of 600 and 700. I am not too sure about recent Ranji games to be fair.

I would try and get the win ratio up therefore would suggest say 20 points for a win, 5 for a draw and no bonus points. All groundsman should be encouraged to produce where possible hard & bouncy surfaces, which should be around 60/40 in favour of the batsman, but also be conducive to spin by days 3 and 4. Finally all pitches should be uncovered, batsmen should learn to play on all surfaces and conditions.

[C C Csiders]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ July 27 2005,12:43)]Quote[/b] (C C Csiders @ July 27 2005,12:11)]Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ July 27 2005,11:54)]I do however think bonus points should be awarded on the basis of the match situation, rather than reaching arbitary targets. If a team has a first innings lead that should count for more than making a set amount of runs.
Agree with this. I've always thought that bonus points should be awarded on the basis of a first innings lead, which I believe is how bonus points are scored in the Ranji Trophy in India.

I wouldn't award points for batting or bowling. 16 points for a win. 4 points for a draw. A first innings lead contributes 6 bonus points irrespective of a win or a defeat.

Possibly additional bonus points could be awarded to a winning team for a 'crushing' win - say an innings victory or by 10 wickets or 250+ runs, but that may get too complicated.
The downside of working to a first innings lead situation is that teams will try to bat on for as long as possible in the hope of batting the opposition out of contention. Thereby creating bore draws. Look at some of the scores in some Ranji matches in the region of 600 and 700. I am not too sure about recent Ranji games to be fair.

I would try and get the win ratio up therefore would suggest say 20 points for a win, 5 for a draw and no bonus points. All groundsman should be encouraged to produce where possible hard & bouncy surfaces, which should be around 60/40 in favour of the batsman, but also be conducive to spin by days 3 and 4. Finally all pitches should be uncovered, batsmen should learn to play on all surfaces and conditions.
Yeah, you've got a good point there.

[Museshrimper]

102-5 rain stopped play. HKB was right about the recovery but it's happened earlier than expected http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif Hopefully we'll get a 1st innings lead of 100+.

[canveyshrimper]

132-6 rain stopped play.

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ July 27 2005,12:11)]In true Essex style, I'm expecting a couple more qickets before lunch, before Claude Henderson and Paul Nixon compile a record 8th wicket stand for Leics.
*shakes head ruefully*

Uncannily accurate... check out the FoW:

FoW: 1-9 (Maddy), 2-12 (Robinson), 3-14 (Masters), 4-20 (Mongia), 5-36 (Ackerman)

So far so good. Then a small fight back:

6-123 (Maunders)

and then, in true Essex style:

7-301 (Nixon)

Aftab Habib hit 153* in the Foxes' 382/8d. Point to prove, maybe? Anyhow, Essex now 22/1 (Cook out for 4), still 64 runs behind with 9 2nd innings wickets in hand.

Why does this always happen to us?!

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[Museshrimper]

Coz we suck at finishing teams off, sadly http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[MrB]

Quote[/b] (Museshrimper @ July 29 2005,16:40)]Coz we suck at finishing teams off, sadly http://www.shrimperzone.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
If the sucking doesn't finish me off I usually just use my hand.