Start of County Championship season

[Yorkshire Blue]

Time to forget about England's world cup woes and concentrate on the mighty Essex's promotion campaign*

First up is Derbyshire, who have won the toss and elected to bat on the road that is known as Chelmsford.

Essex line-up as follows: Danish Kaneria, RC Irani, ML Pettini, MS Westfield, TJ Phillips, V Chopra, JS Foster, AJ Tudor, AN Cook, RN ten Doeschate, JD Middlebrook

Me thinks that won't be the batting order!

*or laugh at Statski's sorry Surrey.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Just realised that we have picked THREE spinners in April and seem to have forgotten to pick any batsmen.

What's happened to Andy Flower?

I think we'll line-up as follows:
1. Cook
2. Chopra
3. Pettini
4. Irani
5. Foster
6. ten Doeschate
7. Middlebrook
8. Phillips
9. Tudor
10. Westfield
11. Kaneria

[Uncle Leo]

What's happened to Andy Flower?

He's got a hip injury.

We were 9/4 favourites to win Division Two. This will be the first year since 2001 that I haven't bet on Essex to win their division (2002 being the only time I had a winner) hopefully not having the weight of my £25 won't drag them down again, but I'm not overly confident.

[The General]

Shame we wont see Nel for a while ...

We are lacking a real wicket taking quickie there! Napier has never really been the same since his injury, cant see G.Flower playing too much, need A.Flower to get back quick and the obvious return of Ravi!

[Yorkshire Blue]

He's got a hip injury.

We were 9/4 favourites to win Division Two. This will be the first year since 2001 that I haven't bet on Essex to win their division (2002 being the only time I had a winner) hopefully not having the weight of my £25 won't drag them down again, but I'm not overly confident.

Cheers. How long is he likely to be out for?

I'm disappointed that we opted to play another all-rounder instead of giving young Westley a chance.

9/4 sounds very tempting to lay. I think a team with a more lively pitch will win the title.

[The General]

Danish Kaneria 3.0 2 3 1

He's off already but the poor bloke is going to be getting alot of over's under his belt this season i feel!

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Where's Bichel ??

[The General]

Where's Bichel ??

I thought it was gunna be Nel for the majority of the year (with Bichel replacing him for a while) this season!?!

[Uncle Leo]

Danish Kaneria 3.0 2 3 1

He's off already but the poor bloke is going to be getting alot of over's under his belt this season i feel!

I have a feeling that a condition of his contract is that we will be obliged to limit the number of overs he bowls in the Championship this year - something the PCB have imposed.

Remember a couple of years ago when he sent down well over 100 in a game vs Lancashire?

In answer to YB's question re Flower, no idea I'm afraid :(

[MrB]

TD strikes, 62-2.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Shame we wont see Nel for a while ...

We are lacking a real wicket taking quickie there! Napier has never really been the same since his injury, cant see G.Flower playing too much, need A.Flower to get back quick and the obvious return of Ravi!

I'm hoping that Westfield comes good this season, but I expect it will be him who makes way once Nel (or Bichel) arrives.

That Derbyshire line-up looks proper cack, but I expect Katich will fill his boots and give them enough runs to put us under pressure. Only two players average over 35 with the bat, and whilst Dean is a useful left-arm seam bowler that attack shouldn't frighten anyone.

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

I thought it was gunna be Nel for the majority of the year (with Bichel replacing him for a while) this season!?!
Ah, wasn't sure which way round it was :thump:

[canveyshrimper]

I thought it was gunna be Nel for the majority of the year (with Bichel replacing him for a while) this season!?!

Nel won't be available until after the World Cup, and then only until June. Bichel will join then, although I thought he was available until Nel arrives.

3 spinners in April at Chelmsford are they expect it to be a bunsen?

[Yorkshire Blue]

I have a feeling that a condition of his contract is that we will be obliged to limit the number of overs he bowls in the Championship this year - something the PCB have imposed.

Remember a couple of years ago when he sent down well over 100 in a game vs Lancashire?

In answer to YB's question re Flower, no idea I'm afraid :(

http://www.ecb.co.uk/stats/fixtures/lancashire-v-essex-21-7-05,1763,FF.html

70.2 overs and he didn't even pick up a wicket!!!!

[The General]

Taken from website and posted last Friday!

Andy Flower
Andy has an osteochondral defect on his left femoral head in his hip. This is damage to the articular cartilage at the end of the bone. He is expected to return to play in 3-6 weeks.

Tony Palladino
Ultrasound scans have shown a small abdominal strain which is healing. Expected to return in 2-3 weeks.

( did well at back end of last season, and also a quickie)

Graham Napier
Graham has been experiencing right elbow pain which is emanating from his back. He is training and starting to bowl again at about 75% effort in the nets with a view to building up, providing there are no problems. Expected to return to play in 2-3 weeks.

Darren Thomas
Darren has a small tear in his right shoulder which appears not to be clinically significant. He also has a bursitis at the front of his shoulder which has been injected. Rehab is going well and he will progress to bowling in the nets next week. Expected to return to play in 1-3 weeks.

( that the ex Glamorgan one?! )

Jahid Ahmed
Jahid continues to work extremely hard to strengthen his core stability in order to overcome his bone abnormality in his lower back. Rehab is going very well and he is back bowling but not yet flat out. Hopefully he will be fully fit in 3-4 weeks.


So 4 bowlers out injured isn't helping our case, with our most classiest batter out too as well as being 1 foreign star down and without Ravi too!

[The General]

Right, by the looks of it, Nel is with us after the WC until mid-June and then Bichel will replace him from then until September time! ( which could also be extended)

[Yorkshire Blue]

Taken from website and posted last Friday!

Andy Flower
Andy has an osteochondral defect on his left femoral head in his hip. This is damage to the articular cartilage at the end of the bone. He is expected to return to play in 3-6 weeks.


I've tried putting it into babelfish but still can't make sense of that, other than he'll be back in 3-6 weeks!

Don't think losing Thomas, Palladino, Ahmed and Napier is really that much of a loss.

[MrB]

Aka 'hip knack'.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Derbys 123-2 at lunch.

Katich 50* at nearly a run a ball seems good value for the first double hundred of the season....

[Yorkshire Blue]

Get in there Dani.

Katich clean bowled for 50.

[Uncle Leo]

http://www.ecb.co.uk/stats/fixtures/lancashire-v-essex-21-7-05,1763,FF.html

70.2 overs and he didn't even pick up a wicket!!!!

Ahem. Apologies for the exagerration. :o

[MrB]

Katich 50* at nearly a run a ball seems good value for the first double hundred of the season....
Great prediction!

231-4. Alas Derbyshire look well set for max batting points, none of their guys are complete mugs with the bat.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Great prediction!

231-4. Alas Derbyshire look well set for max batting points, none of their guys are complete mugs with the bat.

As our bowling attack was unlikely to bowl him out, I knew I had to talk him out.

The score has been on 231-4 for ages. I thought it must be tea, but why would they have tea two-thirds of a way through an over?

[MrB]

Finally moved on, 275/5 with 3 for Danish. He's bowled 26 of the 78 overs.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Danger time for Essex - the 6th wicket partnership.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Danger time for Essex - the 6th wicket partnership.

I'm on top form today. Kaneria strikes on cue again. 285-6

Actually, was it the 6th of 7th wicket that Essex always foul fall of?

[Museshrimper]

I'm fairly sure it's the 7th, as we think we get into the tail suddenly 150 is put on. Still, 2 overs until the new ball I think? Should bowl them out fairly cheaply.

[Yorkshire Blue]

I'm fairly sure it's the 7th, as we think we get into the tail suddenly 150 is put on. Still, 2 overs until the new ball I think? Should bowl them out fairly cheaply.

That is what we always say, and a large 7th wicket partnership then builds.

I'm not sure whether the new ball becoming available is in our favour, considering our toothless pace attack.

[Yorkshire Blue]

405-6 at stumps

120 run partnership for the 7th wicket.

Deja vu, rather than any of our bowlers, strikes again.

[Museshrimper]

Quel surprise, this is nearly as consistent as England batting collapses!

[The General]

Derbs make 551

A J Tudor 19.0 5 66 1
M S Westfield 13.0 1 64 0
R N ten Doeschate 19.0 2 98 1
Danish Kaneria 52.3 8 152 5
J D Middlebrook 22.0 3 77 2
T J Phillips 17.0 2 79 1
A N Cook 1.0 0 6 0

Poor old Danish. At it already!

[Yorkshire Blue]

Blimey. I see Essex realise they made a mistake in only playing three front-line spinners and that Alistair Cook had to bowl an over of spin.

[C C Csiders]

Meanwhile Yorkshire's #'s 8 and 10 (Bresnan and Gillespie) close in on a 250 stand for the 9th wicket

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/fds/hi/statistics/cricket/scorecards/2007/4/13580/html/scorecard.stm

[Bluesmanager]

45 extras too... Woeful.

Essex 172-2 off 45.3 overs. Cook on 95no Irani 49no.

[The General]

Cook out for 100. 231-3.

[Bluesmanager]

BBC says 221. :confused:

[The General]

BBC says 221. :confused:

My bad!

:thump:

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

246-3 at stumps, sounds like another Chelmsford featherbed.

2 choices, get to 400, declare and hope we get a decent declaration back, or bat on and on, get 150 in front and try and bowl them out.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Century up for for Irani, and fifty up for Foster as they survive the first hour.

[Museshrimper]

Foster and RTD both gone quickly, 321-5, we must get another 80 at least for full batting points.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Phillips out for 20. 375-6 with another 25 runs needed to avoid the follow-on.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Oh dear, Irani follows. Harsh to criticise a man after he's scored 144, but he could really have done with holding on until we passed that mark! Middlebrook and Tudor are more than capable with the bat, and I think Westfield is handy as well, so we should still avoid it, but you never know!

[MrB]

Made it, 407 all out thanks to a few bits and bobs contributions from the tail.

[Yorkshire Blue]

The very good news is that we have won the toss.

63-1, Cook out early for 0 but Pettini and Chopra repairing the damage. Our best chance of winning will be to score 750+ and then crowd the bat and hopes Danish picks up 20 wickets.

Our bowling is so threadbare that we've had to re-sign Andrew McGarry.

[Matt the Shrimp]

Ahh, different game.

As for the Derby game... hmm, weird one. A very timid second innings declaration from Derbyshire, I thought - is Chelmsford really that much of a flat track that they felt they needed 375 in the bank before having a go at us? Very odd.

As for today's game against Glamorgan... hmm. That almost looks like a one-day line-up, doesn't it?

A N Cook , M L Pettini , V Chopra , R C Irani (capt) , J S Foster (wkt) , R N ten Doeschate , T J Phillips , J D Middlebrook , A J Tudor , Danish Kaneria , A C McGarry

Ho hum. 74/1 at the mo.

Matt

[Yorkshire Blue]

Ahh, different game.

As for the Derby game... hmm, weird one. A very timid second innings declaration from Derbyshire, I thought - is Chelmsford really that much of a flat track that they felt they needed 375 in the bank before having a go at us? Very odd.

As for today's game against Glamorgan... hmm. That almost looks like a one-day line-up, doesn't it?

A N Cook , M L Pettini , V Chopra , R C Irani (capt) , J S Foster (wkt) , R N ten Doeschate , T J Phillips , J D Middlebrook , A J Tudor , Danish Kaneria , A C McGarry

Ho hum. 74/1 at the mo.

Matt

I think Essex's reputation as a one-day side will hurt them when it comes to setting targets at Chelmsford. The BBC Essex guy thought it was a very fair declaration and expected Katich to bat another 5 overs to give Essex no chance whatsoever. He was a little surprised that Essex didn't have a go at it.

[C C Csiders]

A C McGarry

If only his name was Peter, Patrick or Paul rather than Andrew.:minger:

One for the older Camberwick Green fans, I guess.

[Yorkshire Blue]

If only his name was Peter, Patrick or Paul rather than Andrew.:minger:

One for the older Camberwick Green fans, I guess.

If only he was any good.

[The General]

That team is pap!

[MrB]

Decent 86 from Petts, Chopra still plodding along. Looks like another draw already!

179/2

[Matt the Shrimp]

181/2, Chopra making stately progress on 79*, Pettini stumped off Robert Croft for 86 being the second man to fall.

[Matt the Shrimp]

Decent 86 from Petts, Chopra still plodding along. Looks like another draw already!

179/2

Ah, you beat me to it. And yes, when we're bumbling along at 3 an over, we hardly look like the sort of side who would hunt down 375 in a second innings chase...

:minger:

[Matt the Shrimp]

189/3 - Chopra has fallen, like Pettini for 86.

:o

[The General]

329/4 at the end of play.

Fossie went cheaply but a partnership of over a 100 from RtD and Ronnie have seen us do well on Day 1!

[MrB]

Irani and RtD still going strong 392-4, 178 run partnership. RtD going along at 5 per over which is more like what we need.

[canveyshrimper]

Sounds like another Chelmsford featherbed.

[MrB]

Ton up for RtD though he has slowed down a lot, 440/4.

[Yorkshire Blue]

444/4.

Feet up please.

[Bluesmanager]

Irani's 150. Got to start thinking about declaring soon, surely?

[canveyshrimper]

Irani's 150. Got to start thinking about declaring soon, surely?

No chance, they will want to post 600+

[Yorkshire Blue]

Irani's 150. Got to start thinking about declaring soon, surely?

With our bowling "attack" I'd want about 600 before I'd start to think of declaring. I'd probably bat on until tea, come out and have a 20:20 style slog and then look to take 2 wickets before close.

[Bluesmanager]

Oh. In that case, Irani for 200 and RNtD for 150 at least then.

[MrB]

501/4. Now's the time to hit out and have a go at them after tea.

[MrB]

575/7, that's got to be it surely? Ronnie got his 200, that's enough!

[MrB]

584/7 declared. Do we really think we can bowl them out twice in 2 and a bit days?

[Yorkshire Blue]

584/7 declared. Do we really think we can bowl them out twice in 2 and a bit days?

I'm not entirely convinced we can bowl them out once in 2 and a bit days....

[Matt the Shrimp]

575/7, that's got to be it surely? Ronnie got his 200, that's enough!

Ahh... the photo and caption on the front page of Cricinfo perhaps explains things...

http://www.cricinfo.com/

That 218 was a career-best for Sir Ronald. Cap is well and truly doffed...

Matt

[Matt the Shrimp]

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/75000/75066.jpg

Ronnie Irani departs after his career-best 218, Essex v Glamorgan, County Championship, Division Two, Chelmsford, April 26, 2007

Taken from Cricinfo... (http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/image/292472.html)

[The General]

50-0 ... so no!

[Matt the Shrimp]

50-0 ... so no!

111/0. LOL. Chelmsford is truly living up to its featherbed status.

Can't we get Danish at one end, Philips at the other, and just bore people out?

:thump:

[Museshrimper]

I'm seriously re-considering getting membership this year after the first few days at Chelmsford :hilarious:

[the_forgotten_man]

I'm seriously re-considering getting membership this year after the first few days at Chelmsford :hilarious:

Yes, quite. Although it might make for a few interesting run chases in the one-dayers.

[Matt the Shrimp]

141/1 at stumps. Draw #2 is on its way...

:thump:

[canveyshrimper]

141/1 at stumps. Draw #2 is on its way...

:thump:

Just hope that Andre Nel is too.:(

[Yorkshire Blue]

Just hope that Andre Nel is too.:(

I heard something about Nel breaking his finger. Anyone know any more?

[Yorkshire Blue]

Matthew Elliott run out for 95. The nightwatchman, Huw Waters, a young very promising fast bowler is 2* off 34 balls, but Glamorgan appear to have sent in their keeper in at no.4. I don't think Wallace normally bats that high for them, I wonder if he has been sent in to increase the run-rate?

[The General]

H T Waters not out 5 64
M A Wallace not out 9 40

Erm. No.

[Yorkshire Blue]

H T Waters not out 5 64
M A Wallace not out 9 40

Erm. No.

Wallace's cameo comes to an end. 13 off 44 balls after dominating a 3rd wicket stand of 17 in about 20 overs.

[Yorkshire Blue]

I think Ronnie Irani's previous highest score came against Glamorgan when he batted 9 hours for a big hundred in a drawn game at Sophia Gardens. That innings really p*ssed off Glamorgan.

Actually Essex have had a fair bit of needle with Glamorgan, I seem to remember Ilott and Croft clashing in a quarter or semi-final.

I wonder if Waters 9* off 81 balls is revenge?

[Yorkshire Blue]

Waters narrowly missed out on a century before lunch by a mere 88 runs.

Glamorgan 194-3 at lunch. Waters 12* Powell 17*

[Matt the Shrimp]

after dominating a 3rd wicket stand of 17 in about 20 overs.
Bloody hell, it must be like watching paint dry. Waters is now 14 off 146 balls... "are you Tavare in disguise?!"

:thump:

[Bluesmanager]

This is the sort of cricket I hate. Can't they impose a rule like the batting side has to average a certain RPO rate?

[Yorkshire Blue]

Bloody hell, it must be like watching paint dry. Waters is now 14 off 146 balls... "are you Tavare in disguise?!"

:thump:

Tavare was a test batsman, Waters is a no.11 averaging 4.36 before this innings.

Looking at the positives, its probably good experience for him facing someone like Kaneria. If Waters' bowling develops like many expect it to, he may be performing this role in a rearguard action for England in somewhere like Karachi in a couple of years time.

[SUFC_Al]

254-3 after 100 overs

Waters 18 off 189 balls :flamer:

[Bluesmanager]

Where's the snooze smiley?!

[Yorkshire Blue]

Huw Waters' top score in first class cricket is 34, and took only 190 balls.

His career strike-rate is 11.82 runs per 100 balls, but he did bat no.8 in his only 20:20 game!

He is currently 21* off 205 balls.

Phillips has got Michael Powell out though.

[The General]

Hemp ( 12 runs from 8 balls ) goes bowled by Danny and they are 280/5 ... 22* from 208 i believe ....

[Yorkshire Blue]

281/6 Kaneria strikes again.

23* from 229 balls and Essex now in the danger period of 7th wicket partnerships!

[Davros]

is this Huw Waters guy playing for a draw, or does he just hate cricket!

Maybe he has mistaken today for defensive nets practice?!?! 25 off 237 balls

[OlvisIII]

is this Huw Waters guy playing for a draw, or does he just hate cricket!

Maybe he has mistaken today for defensive nets practice?!?! 25 off 237 balls

Just seen this - I thought it must be a typo. How much stick will he get from his team mates? Sounds like the solution to the pinch hitting in the England one day team to me?!!

[The General]

Have people read this whole thread, or not!?

:rolleyes:

[Davros]

yes i have, however, i just find it astonishing feat how we cannot remove a number 11 bowler despite nion 250 attempts!

[Davros]

FRUCK ME!!!

Waters just hit a 4!!

[Yorkshire Blue]

He's racing on to 33* off 260 balls. 1 away from equalling his career best, so he may well get bogged down by nerves.

[MrB]

He's racing on to 33* off 260 balls. 1 away from equalling his career best, so he may well get bogged down by nerves.
Or get out! :finger:

[Davros]

gone for 33... hehehehehehehe

[The General]

351/9 ... Danny with 6. How much they need to not follow on?!

[Yorkshire Blue]

Think its 150 for a 4 day game.

I suppose you've got to enforce it with only a day left, but Kaneria could really do with a rest. He's already bowled 40+ overs.

[The General]

You must be right as Glamorgan were just short of 400 ...

Look who is opening the bowling! WTF!

A C McGarry 3.0 1 8 0
J D Middlebrook 2.0 2 0 0

[Yorkshire Blue]

That's stumps.

Its not unusual to see a spinner opening the bowling if there are only a couple of overs to go before close. The theory is that a spinner makes the batsman play every ball, so that there are no easy leaves, and you can crowd the bat with close catchers looking for the bat-pad catch.

I think Middlebrook and McGarry bowled as they were probably freshest. Kaneria bowled 40+ overs and Tudor bowled 20+.

[Bluesmanager]

And, for the sake of completion:

Essex: 584-7
Glamorgan: 394 & 183

Essex win by an innings and 7 runs.

[MrB]

Good win considering the line up!

[Museshrimper]

Christ, Surrey are 264-0 after 30 overs, and Ali Brown is 165 not out off around 90 balls!

[Bluesmanager]

Benning - 103no from 104
Brown - 173no from 95
Extras 10
Total 285 from 33 overs.

Gulp.

On the down side, Essex are 114-6 off 35.

[The General]

Truly shocking.

151-7 off 42 overs.

And the ironic thing ...

R S Bopara run out 10 35 1 0

[Museshrimper]

We finished on 210-7, which is a good recovery from what I think was 58-5!

[Museshrimper]

Well it's looking a good score now! Hampshire 18-4.

[The General]

G R Napier 3.2 1 4 3
A J Tudor 3.0 0 14 1

Good to see Napier back! Opening the bowling too! Shows how short we are. They must be using the same wicket as the previous 4 days and obviously got the best of the conditions in the first 2 days. After that, there's been wickets galore.

Bizarre indeed.

[Museshrimper]

Surrey made 496 off their 50 overs, that's immense. Clarke got 82 off 28 balls, Brown 176 off 97. Doubt that'll ever be beaten in a game between two first-class teams.

[Bluesmanager]

Immense? No! A New World Record is what it is! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/6603817.stm)

[The General]

G R Napier 5.0 1 16 3
A J Tudor 7.0 1 25 1
R S Bopara 6.0 0 13 3
J D Middlebrook 5.0 2 14 1
Danish Kaneria 1.5 0 7 2

75 all out. Pretty damn clinical, after all that!

:)

[Bluesmanager]

Same again next week please Groundsman.

[The General]

Tough schedule of games. Gotta finish in the top 2 from 10 teams to reach the semi's!