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Post by nemouk on Mar 7, 2017 13:49:29 GMT
It's March, and under a month to go, so I thought a new thread might help us get hyped ahead of the new season.
Who has had the best winter for signings? What's the most important move going to be - Somerset signing Steven Davies? The Kolpak invasion at Hampshire, Sussex and Lancashire?
Who are you most excited about seeing? Will Delray Rawlins break through on the south coast? Will Mason Crane's shield experience turn him into Shane Warne overnight?
Who will be this year's Jake Ball, from nowhere to England in a few months?
Let's discuss!
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Post by aneesh on Mar 7, 2017 15:16:04 GMT
Who would this year's Keaton J would be? Nobody would have predicted his meteoric rise. It was as though he became tired of being crap and decided enough is enough.
Lancs signed Dane Vilas and Chanderpaul but it would be hard to see the latter playing even half the games, he has been brought on to cover for Hameed's potential absence. Nobody noticed that they released Peterson too, so in effect, they signed a 42-year old on Kolpak and that is making a huge fuss I know not why. Hants and Sussex were making a mockery, Hants more so, signing two first-team SA players. (Or maybe I just despise them because I haven't still forgiven them for what they did to Bates)
I think Surrey made the best signings, having added Borthwick and Stoneman to solidify their batting lineup. Essex would be a close second, having identified what is required and solidified accordingly.
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Post by Mattzo on Mar 7, 2017 16:36:23 GMT
I'm toughening up my skin ready for a season of watching my team get slagged off by anyone and everyone for a variety of percieved and not percieved slights. Some of which will be entirely justified, I admit, but lots won't be, and it'll be thrown out in a vitriolic manner.
Regarding the actual cricket, I am very excited as usual. Surrey do look strong, and it will be interesting to see how Essex do as the newly promoted team. Also interesting to see how Somerset fair under the captaincy of Tom Abell.
Division 2 will be weird with the 10 teams this season.
Crane has had a cracking winter down under so hopefully we see him develop nicely over the season. If we're really lucky Reece Topley might even get a bowl.
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Post by aneesh on Mar 7, 2017 16:48:15 GMT
I just can't help it Matt, I just can't.
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Post by Humair on Mar 7, 2017 19:15:18 GMT
I think Surrey signing Stoneman and Borthwick will make them strong, but Yorkshire and Middlesex are still the teams to beat.
As always, I will be following any Associate players playing for any of the county teams especially the Bermudian Rawlins.
This year's Jake Ball for me could be Saqib Mahmood and hopefully Sam Curran makes his debut for England.
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Post by nemouk on Mar 8, 2017 7:27:59 GMT
Liam Livingstone is another, thoroughly outperformed all other batsmen on the Lions tour.
Surrey and Middlesex should probably both be up there, but the eight team division looks very competitive indeed. Can't wait.
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Post by Balladeer on Mar 11, 2017 9:25:32 GMT
I'm going to have to learn all about my new team in reasonably quick time! Sri, any tips for players to know and to watch out for? Hampshire can get stuffed.
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Post by nemouk on Mar 12, 2017 20:00:18 GMT
Borthwick and Stoneman to Surrey is a good shout... if you can average 40+ at the Riverside, what does that equate to at the Oval? Surrey of course also have Sangakara, Burns, Roy, a pair of Currans and Ansari and yet are still only third favourites to take the title. For posterity, these are Bet365s thoughts:
Yorkshire 3.00 Middlesex 4.50 Surrey 6.00 Warks 6.50 Somerset 9.00 Hants 13.00 Lancashire 15.00 Essex 21.00
And for the second division:
Nottinghamshire 3.00 Sussex 4.50 Kent 5.00 Worcestershire 8.50 Northants 11.00 Gloucestershire 13.00 Leicestershire 15.00 Glamorgan 17.00 Derbyshire 34.00 Durham 34.00
Can't help but be tempted by a couple of quid on Durham. Wood, Onions, Rushworth bowling in division two? They'll make up that points loss pretty quickly. I'd definitely back them long before Glamorgan...
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Post by aneesh on Mar 18, 2017 16:24:04 GMT
Reversing that list, we find: Lancs and Essex to be relegated. Interesting thoughts. Somerset are the odd ones out. They played tremendously well last season. They certainly have worked out how they would go about things this season. They have solidified their batting with Steven Davies, replaced Rogers with Elgar and with Dom Bess and Leach in their ranks and would prepare turners. For me, they are much more serious contenders than Middlesex or even Warks.
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Post by nemouk on Mar 18, 2017 21:46:30 GMT
It's an interesting one. On paper Davies is a great signing, one of the best wicket keepers who won't be away with England and in the single position we most needed to improve on.
I think the fear for Somerset is that it's an ageing side that's got a year older, on the batting side especially, and that Bess and Leach might not be the surprise package that they were last year. An injury free season from Jamie Overton would be a big help, but it's hard to judge how we might do.
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Post by Mattzo on Mar 19, 2017 17:15:22 GMT
In other news, I am pleased to see that we have established that the South is superior.
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Post by Humair on Mar 19, 2017 19:52:04 GMT
In other news, I am pleased to see that we have established that the South is superior. Good to see, they have easily won the first two matches.
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Post by waughandpeace on Mar 21, 2017 17:41:10 GMT
Third game closer, but still squeezing out a victory, Mason Crane on fire for a bit of that!
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Post by waughandpeace on Mar 22, 2017 6:17:59 GMT
Michael Carberry playing well in recent warm up games for Hampshire, fantastic to see he's recovering well and so quickly!
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Post by Humair on Mar 23, 2017 11:07:05 GMT
Lancashire trash Birmingham by 63 runs in first match of Emirates t20 tournament. Liam Livingston with another fifty to continue his fine winter, he must be close to getting into the England reckoning.
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