Essex Outfielder : The Unofficial Essex CCC Forum
Cricket => Essex Eagles T20 => Topic started by: bwildered on September 05, 2019, 08:57:28 PM
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Views and news for finals run up .
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So with five teams left in the competition my geography is correct and we have significantly further to travel than the other four, yes? So as that has always been the justification for who gets the afternoon semi final we should get the better slot at last?
Might mean considerably more demand for tickets if people can travel at a reasonable time. Think demand might outstrip supply.
On balance though hope for an afternoon slot and a first final appearance in the evening.
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Well two weeks to go and no news of tickets. Typical I suppose.
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Think they will be £86 for adults and £36 for kids. (Info gleaned from Pears website)
Wonder how many of the "can't stand T20" brigade will now show an interest.
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Think they will be £86 for adults and £36 for kids. (Info gleaned from Pears website)
Wonder how many of the "can't stand T20" brigade will now show an interest.
Well at that price I think I'll stay at home and watch on Sky.
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Thankfully I don't have Sky so I can afford to go. ;D
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Well two weeks to go and no news of tickets. Typical I suppose
E-mail just received:
"The Club are pleased to announce the ticket policy for the upcoming visit to Finals Day, which will take place at Edgbaston on Saturday 21 September (Reserve Day is Sunday 22 September if required).
There will be a small allocation of tickets on sale for Essex Members and supporters, with the opening priority window starting on Monday (9 September).
This will be followed by a purchase window for Vitality Blast Season Ticket holders, with any remaining tickets going on sale to 2019 Vitality Blast Essex Eagles ticket buyers.
The event is sold out directly via Edgbaston, but all tickets sold via Essex Cricket will be priced at £86.00 Adults and £36.00 Juniors (U16s) + £5 booking fee per ticket."
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Think they will be £86 for adults and £36 for kids. (Info gleaned from Pears website)
Wonder how many of the "can't stand T20" brigade will now show an interest.
Ticket news can be found here;
https://www.essexcricket.org.uk/2019/09/07/finals-day-ticket-on-sale-information/
The prices you’ve mentioned above are correct.
PS if anyone wants a friends and family code for Sky, send me a message. It’s 40% off I believe.
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I'm a life member and rarely go to T20. I won't be applying for a ticket. I think people who attend this format should get the first chance on going. Good luck to the team.
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I'm a life member and rarely go to T20. I won't be applying for a ticket. I think people who attend this format should get the first chance on going. Good luck to the team.
I agree - I won't be going either.
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The event is sold out directly via Edgbaston, but all tickets sold via Essex Cricket will be priced at £86.00 Adults and £36.00 Juniors (U16s) + £5 booking fee per ticket."
My boy wants to go but at a cost of £132 plus return travel and refreshment expenses I think he'll have to settle for watching on Sky.
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Interesting that for all the earlier talk on here about "gun overseas batsmen" none of the teams on final day really have one. I guess Dan Christian is the nearest.
Seems more about teams who work well together as a unit
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Interesting that for all the earlier talk on here about "gun overseas batsmen" none of the teams on final day really have one. I guess Dan Christian is the nearest.
Seems more about teams who work well together as a unit
Worcester have Guptill and Gloucester, if they get through, have Klinger. Klinger looked to be finished but in the last 3 matches has looked like he used to. I presume Guptill is available but I'm not sure.
Worcester look a very strong side and are big favourites I think. If everyones available they have Guptill, Rutherford, Wessels, Ali as a top 4 with the likes of Whiteley, Parnell, Cox and Barnard to follow.
I think we'll probably be without Amir and Zampa, so our bowling will be pretty weak. I know it was mentioned elsewhere that Zampa would be available but I think it's unlikely. Tymal Mills on sky last night said that Alex Carey wouldn't have been available for Finals Day should Sussex have got there as the Australians have to go home to play in their 50 over tournament. Carey plays for South Australia which is the same team Zampa plays for. Zampa was in the Aussie 50 over world cup squad so if we wants to stay in that he'll want to play in that and is probably contracted to do so.
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I really like Klinger as a player but not sure about describing him as a gun batsman. I was thinking more about people like ABdeV - the sort of player some on here were calling for. 'Batsman for hire". Klinger has been with Glos for quite a while
Fair point about Guptill. I had Callum Ferguson in mind when I was thinking about Worcestershire
I can only go on what the Essex CCC site said about his availability. I hope you are wrong. You aren't normally, though!
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Interesting that for all the earlier talk on here about "gun overseas batsmen" none of the teams on final day really have one. I guess Dan Christian is the nearest.
Seems more about teams who work well together as a unit
Worcester have Guptill and Gloucester, if they get through, have Klinger. Klinger looked to be finished but in the last 3 matches has looked like he used to. I presume Guptill is available but I'm not sure.
Worcester look a very strong side and are big favourites I think. If everyones available they have Guptill, Rutherford, Wessels, Ali as a top 4 with the likes of Whiteley, Parnell, Cox and Barnard to follow.
I think we'll probably be without Amir and Zampa, so our bowling will be pretty weak. I know it was mentioned elsewhere that Zampa would be available but I think it's unlikely. Tymal Mills on sky last night said that Alex Carey wouldn't have been available for Finals Day should Sussex have got there as the Australians have to go home to play in their 50 over tournament. Carey plays for South Australia which is the same team Zampa plays for. Zampa was in the Aussie 50 over world cup squad so if we wants to stay in that he'll want to play in that and is probably contracted to do so.
As per club website 21.12.2018
Essex County Cricket Club are delighted to announce that Australian international leg-spinner, Adam Zampa, has re-signed with the Club for the 2019 Vitality Blast, including any potential matches in the later knockout stages of the competition.
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If I wasn't going to Taunton for the 4 days of the Somerset game then I may well have gone to T20 Finals Day although I think £86 is a bit steep just for tickets, plus fuel etc you are looking at £150+ for the day, having watched the T20 home games plus Sorry & Middx I am gutted but you can't do everything!
I reckon we will be the outsiders so nobody will expect us to do much.
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Oh well. There goes the Klinger discussion!
So all four sides batting last won their quarter finals and we are all that is left of the South Group
Didn't see that coming
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Drawn against Derbyshire. So look out for the concerted campaign to 'big up' little ol' Derbyshire, wouldn't it be great if they won it etc etc.
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Drawn against Derbyshire. So look out for the concerted campaign to 'big up' little ol' Derbyshire, wouldn't it be great if they won it etc etc.
It was worse last year. They had an attack of Hardus Viljoen, Lockie Ferguson, Ravi Rampaul and Wahab Riaz last season and they were still being perceived as plucky little Derbyshire then.
It will be the same against Somerset in the CC. Sky will have Trescothick commentating and will be desperate for Somerset to win their first CC.
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Drawn against Derbyshire. So look out for the concerted campaign to 'big up' little ol' Derbyshire, wouldn't it be great if they won it etc etc.
It was worse last year. They had an attack of Hardus Viljoen, Lockie Ferguson, Ravi Rampaul and Wahab Riaz last season and they were still being perceived as plucky little Derbyshire then.
It will be the same against Somerset in the CC. Sky will have Trescothick commentating and will be desperate for Somerset to win their first CC.
To be fair, if we don't I'd rather they did; they get about as raw a deal from the ECB as we do.
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Just remember that Dominic Cork whose responsible for Derbyshire t20 team used to be sky commenter so they will be wishing his team on
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Both the underdogs drawn together . Anyway beat the team, not the commentators . Got to be in it to win it , now down to the final four teams . Think any Essex supporter would take being at finals day at the start of the competition .
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Drawn against Derbyshire. So look out for the concerted campaign to 'big up' little ol' Derbyshire, wouldn't it be great if they won it etc etc.
It was worse last year. They had an attack of Hardus Viljoen, Lockie Ferguson, Ravi Rampaul and Wahab Riaz last season and they were still being perceived as plucky little Derbyshire then.
It will be the same against Somerset in the CC. Sky will have Trescothick commentating and will be desperate for Somerset to win their first CC.
To be fair, we go in with plenty of non-Essex/England players in the T20. Although ironically we might be one less for finals day!
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Quite amazing that all 4 quarters won by sides batting second (I predicted all 4 winners incorrectly!), on paper we have the best draw but we need to break our losing first semi jinx. Winners of Notts/Worcs should be favourites especially given the way both won especially Worcs against a strong Sussex side, being underdogs will suit us though, no pressure.
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Finals day tickets purchased.
No choice where we sit. Apparently we're in blocks 241 and 242.
Took less than 5 minutes including phone call about choice of seats.
Once again thanks to ticket/reception staff for help.
Hotel booked. Now need to book train for the Sunday to Taunton.
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Is Zampa available to play??? Or will he be called back for pre season with S Aus???
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A Derbyshire team who without the 2nd o/s spot filled are regular fielding 5-6 non UK players in the t20 and have just signed another in Dustin Melton who played for our 2s. We have at times had similar but at least have homegrown players too.
My Derby mates are not pleased about the latter...they are not producing any young players and are packing the side with cheap imports. It's a bit sickening. They are fodder for the too many counties brigade as they are doing nothing to justify their existence or ecb handout. The last England player i can think of was cork. The only lions player they have ever had is Critchley. And he came through the Lancs age groups. They are a home for failed cricketers who shouldn't be earning a living out of the game and just sum up what is wrong with some counties. Players who will never and have never shown potential to play for England or even be able to taking money out of the ECB coffers. They have 2 homegrown players in their CC side at most (Hosein) and 1 in the T20 regularly (hughes) That's it.
At leics and Northants produce England players.
They will beat us as i think as their not a bad t20 side witj all their mercenaries whearas we are mercurial and won't have amir who is a big loss. But both us and them got through thanks to the toss no other reason. I'd love us to stuff them though. I just feel their getting all the luck.
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Bashing Derbys is punching down.
I'd rather they won Finals Day than Notts.
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A Derbyshire team who without the 2nd o/s spot filled are regular fielding 5-6 non UK players in the t20 and have just signed another in Dustin Melton who played for our 2s. We have at times had similar but at least have homegrown players too.
My Derby mates are not pleased about the latter...they are not producing any young players and are packing the side with cheap imports. It's a bit sickening. They are fodder for the too many counties brigade as they are doing nothing to justify their existence or ecb handout. The last England player i can think of was cork. The only lions player they have ever had is Critchley. And he came through the Lancs age groups. They are a home for failed cricketers who shouldn't be earning a living out of the game and just sum up what is wrong with some counties. Players who will never and have never shown potential to play for England or even be able to taking money out of the ECB coffers. They have 2 homegrown players in their CC side at most (Hosein) and 1 in the T20 regularly (hughes) That's it.
At leics and Northants produce England players.
They will beat us as i think as their not a bad t20 side witj all their mercenaries whearas we are mercurial and won't have amir who is a big loss. But both us and them got through thanks to the toss no other reason. I'd love us to stuff them though. I just feel their getting all the luck.
Don't hold back. Say what you think.
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Bashing Derbys is punching down.
I'd rather they won Finals Day than Notts.
Absolutely. Now Notts ARE mercenaries.
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Stew
I think it's it's a fair assessment. I hate people bashing county cricket but a couple of counties are just providing grist to the mill to the idiots who advocate a move to 8 super counties.
Notts are little better as they produce very few academy players.
It should be called out and highlighted.
Derby's are shopping in bargain basement compared to Notts but at least Notts may be able to develop some of the young English talent they steal you would hope (this season aside!)
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Stew
I think it's it's a fair assessment. I hate people bashing county cricket but a couple of counties are just providing grist to the mill to the idiots who advocate a move to 8 super counties.
Notts are little better as they produce very few academy players.
It should be called out and highlighted.
Derby's are shopping in bargain basement compared to Notts but at least Notts may be able to develop some of the young English talent they steal you would hope (this season aside!)
Glamorgan are the worst where this is concerned. They have the whole of Wales to get players from and yet since Simon Jones last played for England they've not produced anyone even half decent. Them giving Labuschagne 3 months batting practice this summer has meant they have done far more damage to English cricket than anything positive towards it in the last 15 years.
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Fair point. But Jones at least played this century. Did Cork?
I no cricket is popular in the north of Wales but it must be quite quite a difficult pathway given the distance to HQ.
I'm not sure how popular the game is in the south. But you would have to assume Cardiff, Newport and Swansea have decent numbers from south Asia so it's odd that to my reckoning they have never had a Welsh Asian origin player in the first xi.
Something clearly wrong there.
Doesn't let the others off.
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Anybody else been allocated crap seats at front of RES Wyatt Stand rather than the 'promised' Blocks 241/242??
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Block 242 Row EE for me. I'll take some binoculars!
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Block 242 Row EE for me. I'll take some binoculars!
GD
Interested in a swap?
CS
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No thanks, I'll take my chances with what I have.
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Anybody else been allocated crap seats at front of RES Wyatt Stand rather than the 'promised' Blocks 241/242??
I’m in that stand as well. All the way in the back at Row S. I’ll give you a wave ;)
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No Zampa this Saturday. Gone back already. Massive loss to the team in my opinion. Typical ECB - scheduling Finals Day the same day as the start of the Australian domestic season. I'm sure as a Cricket Australia centrally contracted player he has do as he's told in this instance.
I'd give Lawrence a bowl and have another bat. Maybe Chops back in to bat at 3 and Wheater back down the order.
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No Zampa this Saturday. Gone back already. Massive loss to the team in my opinion. Typical ECB - scheduling Finals Day the same day as the start of the Australian domestic season. I'm sure as a Cricket Australia centrally contracted player he has do as he's told in this instance.
I'd give Lawrence a bowl and have another bat. Maybe Chops back in to bat at 3 and Wheater back down the order.
Agreed. Walter might also be out. Dodgy digit.
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The way Derbyshire are playing they will lose in two days and have plenty of rest/practice before Saturday.
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If Chopra plays then that's our T20 hopes over.
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We clearly never planned to get to the T20 Finals - no overseas "Stars" !! I bet that none of the other three finalists will be without their quota of two Overseas Players.
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You lose your bet. Derby have only Van Beek who is pretty poor so does not always play. They bizarrely brought Boyd Rankin in for a couple of games before realising he is no good at 20/20.
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Notts have lost Imad Wasim for the same reason we lost Amir (PCB are massive bellends). Alex Hales though is flying back from CPL duty the night before. Here’s hoping his plane gets delayed! The big winners of the oversees farce are Worcestershire, who will have all their Kiwis back and available (Guptill and Rutherford).
Walter would be a miss in the field, very underrated out on the boundary, tall but athletic who normally holds his catches, everytime I’ve watched us on tele he’s looked good in the field. Batting and bowling less so. Nijar or Cook you’d imagine would come in for Zampa. But god knows who comes in for Walter if he’s injured. Whoever it is, we absolutely cannot disrupt the batting order, which seems to be working so they have to bat at 7 or lower. I guess the most like for like replacement would be Coles...
Personally I’d play Sir Chef at 7. If we’re gonna go out, we might as well go out in a blaze of square cuts! :D
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Is the Zampa news confirmed? Guess he could have gone home for a couple of weeks and be flying back later this week? Clutching at straws.
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Peter Northfield said Zampa was not playing ... I did point out that it said he was available for 'the whole campaign' ..
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Are the people moaning about having no overseas the same who moaned about signing Bravo for a finals day?
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Are the people moaning about having no overseas the same who moaned about signing Bravo for a finals day?
For once, I tend to agree with you.
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The moans about Bravo were basically that he was a ringer.
A very bad one too.
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Bravo moans were after the event probably. He was a class player in the format. The club were giving themselves the best chance by bringing him in. He failed ultimately but a risk worth taking.
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Confirmed by McGrath on here that Zampa is not playing, ditto Amir.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lKab_cqC5A
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Am I alone in wishing this wasn't happening and all concentration could be on Taunton? If they win the thing it will have been an arduous day, if they lose moral will have been dented. I now retire behind my keyboard expecting derisory comments.
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Confirmed by McGrath on here that Zampa is not playing, ditto Amir.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lKab_cqC5A
McGrath speaks well but, God, that interviewer. Why use one word when one hundred will do. Heard him before - he talks more than the interviewee!
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An extra day off today will have helped
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Confirmed by McGrath on here that Zampa is not playing, ditto Amir.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lKab_cqC5A
McGrath speaks well but, God, that interviewer. Why use one word when one hundred will do. Heard him before - he talks more than the interviewee!
He needs pensioning off. Absolutely shocking!
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Am I alone in wishing this wasn't happening and all concentration could be on Taunton? If they win the thing it will have been an arduous day, if they lose moral will have been dented. I now retire behind my keyboard expecting derisory comments.
Champion teams want to win everything. If they lose out on one trophy, Essex should just dust themselves down forget it and put everything into the Somerset game next week.
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Worth remembering the prize money for the winners of the blast is 175k.
Runners up receive 78k.
Loosing semi finalist each get 14k.
No Zampa is a huge blow. We have only used 15 players in the whole tournament. That's now down to 13 with no Amir or Zampa. Which means one of Snater or Quinn will have to play ? Unless they add Nijjar or Sam Cook to the squad ?
Westley
Delport
Wheater
Lawrence
Ten Doeschate
Bopara
Walter
Harmer
Beard
Snater
Porter
Chopra and Quinn.
Just noticed Snater is playing for Netherlands at the moment so is probably unavailable which means Sam Cook or Quinn to play then ?
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Although I'm not too fussed we stand no chance if Snater played!
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Squad travelling to Finals Day;
Simon Harmer (11) (Captain)
Aaron Beard (14)
Ravi Bopara (25)
Sam Cook (16)
Cameron Delport (89)
Dan Lawrence (28)
Aron Nijjar (24)
Jamie Porter (44)
Shane Snater (29)
Ryan ten Doeschate (27)
Paul Walter (22)
Tom Westley (21)
Adam Wheater (31) (Wicket-keeper)
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Worth remembering the prize money for the winners of the blast is 175k.
Runners up receive 78k.
Loosing semi finalist each get 14k.
No Zampa is a huge blow. We have only used 15 players in the whole tournament. That's now down to 13 with no Amir or Zampa. Which means one of Snater or Quinn will have to play ? Unless they add Nijjar or Sam Cook to the squad ?
Westley
Delport
Wheater
Lawrence
Ten Doeschate
Bopara
Walter
Harmer
Beard
Snater
Porter
Chopra and Quinn.
Just noticed Snater is playing for Netherlands at the moment so is probably unavailable which means Sam Cook or Quinn to play then ?
Quinn is injured. Last position between Snater, Nijjar or Cook.
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Nijar or Cook in for me. I try to be positive but I can’t be about Snater. He’ll crumble under the pressure of such a game.
Whatever team we play, we know our bowling will get smashed to all parts. Our success will come down to whether our top 6 fires and gets us the scores needed to make up for it. It’s hard to have any faith in the bowling attack to defend a total, so like we did against Lancs we need to bowl first should we win the toss.
Go well lads, regardless of our weaknesses, this is quite frankly the best chance we’ll ever get at winning this bloody thing. So field well, take those catches, embrace the pressure and excitement of playing in such a big game and go and play the two games of your lives. We’ll be right behind you in the stands!!!
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No Chopra in the squad which is odd. Why has he signed for another year if he's not in favor ?
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One off games who knows. Snater def out, last place between Nijjar or Cook
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No Chopra in the squad which is odd. Why has he signed for another year if he's not in favor ?
Guessing because of the probable departure from at least some red ball cricket by Ravi. As we have Siddle for two years we can't bring in an overseas bat next year which, I am sure, we will the following year.
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On paper we look relatively weak, then again I thought we would lose to Lancs (I also got all 3 other QFs wrong!!), we have nothing to lose & I think we will be rank outsiders, what we do have though is momentum, a fantastic team spirit & great character as we have seen in the Kent & Lancs games when we have won very much against the odds, So go for it Essex & shut the commentators up, apart from Nasser who will want us to win & Bumble who will be his usual humorous self & fair to all teams.
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On paper we look relatively weak, then again I thought we would lose to Lancs (I also got all 3 other QFs wrong!!), we have nothing to lose & I think we will be rank outsiders, what we do have though is momentum, a fantastic team spirit & great character as we have seen in the Kent & Lancs games when we have won very much against the odds, So go for it Essex & shut the commentators up, apart from Nasser who will want us to win & Bumble who will be his usual humorous self & fair to all teams.
3rd favourites, 3-1 currently. If the main guys step up anything is possible.
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No Chopra in the squad which is odd. Why has he signed for another year if he's not in favor ?
Is odd. But perhaps.we fear cook will retire.
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On paper we look relatively weak, then again I thought we would lose to Lancs (I also got all 3 other QFs wrong!!), we have nothing to lose & I think we will be rank outsiders, what we do have though is momentum, a fantastic team spirit & great character as we have seen in the Kent & Lancs games when we have won very much against the odds, So go for it Essex & shut the commentators up, apart from Nasser who will want us to win & Bumble who will be his usual humorous self & fair to all teams.
The toss decided most if not all of the QFs .
It shouldn't effect us this time but could effect the early game and final.
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Derbyshire Squad
1. Billy Godleman
10. Luis Reece
77. Wayne Madsen
76. Leus du Plooy
18. Alex Hughes
20. Matt Critchley
3. Darren Stevens
65. Anuj Dal
11. Daryn Smit
33. Fynn Hudson-Prentice
37. Logan van Beek
75. Hamidullah Qadri
14. Ravi Rampaul
30. Boyd Rankin
Mr Darren Stevens included.
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Interestingly there will be only 3 overseas players in total available.
Logan Van Beek, Dan Christian and Hamish Rutherford.
Well done ECB on the schedule.
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Interestingly there will be only 3 overseas players in total available.
Logan Van Beek, Dan Christian and Hamish Rutherford.
Well done ECB on the schedule.
Boyd Rankin is playing as an overseas player.
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No Chopra in the squad which is odd. Why has he signed for another year if he's not in favor ?
It's a bit strange that there's no spare batsman. What if one gets injured in a potential SF win?
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Where Eagles dare -Edgbaston 2019 .
Best wishes boys .
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If a batsman is injured we would probably have to promote Walter up the order.
Although Lawrence hasn't bowled much this season, he averages under 20 a wicket, and may be worth slipping in a couple of overs if we are getting hammered.
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We've already done better than all our other Finals Day appearances...we are usually going home by 2pm.
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Huge day today. Can we finally win the mascot race?
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Huge day today. Can we finally win the mascot race?
Nope..another p**s poor performance from Eddie. Every year the club continue to short change the members by refusing to invest in top drawer mascot talent. I don’t believe there are any top franchise tournaments on at the moment surely there was an overseas mascot available. No change Essex. I’m off to watch the football.
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So Aaron Nijjar plays. Massive risk but the wicket looks slow so he has to play. Could make or break his Essex career.
Come on boys. Massive chance. Us and Derbyshire by far the weaker of the 4 teams on show. What an opportunity to get to the final.
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Huge day today. Can we finally win the mascot race?
Nope..another p**s poor performance from Eddie. Every year the club continue to short change the members by refusing to invest in top drawer mascot talent. I don’t believe there are my top franchise tournaments on at the moment surely there was an overseas mascot available. No change Essex. I’m off to watch the football.
<applause>
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Huge day today. Can we finally win the mascot race?
Nope..another p**s poor performance from Eddie. Every year the club continue to short change the members by refusing to invest in top drawer mascot talent. I don’t believe there are my top franchise tournaments on at the moment surely there was an overseas mascot available. No change Essex. I’m off to watch the football.
Post of the day :)
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Huge day today. Can we finally win the mascot race?
Nope..another p**s poor performance from Eddie. Every year the club continue to short change the members by refusing to invest in top drawer mascot talent. I don’t believe there are my top franchise tournaments on at the moment surely there was an overseas mascot available. No change Essex. I’m off to watch the football.
I feel your pain.
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Superb performance from Nijjar..we clearly don’t need Zampa...lets spend the money on a Mascot...or perhaps a batsman.
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Fantastic from the boys. Harmer excellent. Wheater keeping well. Delighted for Nijjar.
Derbyshire dreadful.
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Well done Essex - superb performance!
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We were well impressed by Niijar: excellent catch at the end, too. A worthy substitute for Zampa!
Lynda and Steve
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Atmosphere here is electric. That catch from Wheater changed the game. Fingers crossed for one more win.
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Huge day today. Can we finally win the mascot race?
Nope..another p**s poor performance from Eddie. Every year the club continue to short change the members by refusing to invest in top drawer mascot talent. I don’t believe there are my top franchise tournaments on at the moment surely there was an overseas mascot available. No change Essex. I’m off to watch the football.
<applause>
Double <applause>
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Halfway there & we have already bettered all 4 previous appearances so well done the team. A terrific start with Delport providing the impetus needed, Westley also did well but his weaker offside play shown up, terrific bowling & fielding with the spinners excelling & showing the virtue of bowling straight. A terrific result, just one more win please.
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Finale
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11 wides so far ...
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Those wides could be costly.
Beard bowled one over. Should have had Chopra in the squad and played an extra batsman.
146 to win. What a chance. We just keep finding a way to win. Good luck guys. Done so well to get to the final.
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146 to get. Will the evening dew nullify the spinners? Should be a defendable total given what’s happened today.
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Got enough runs , got enough wickets .
The Eagles soar
CHAMPIONS
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WELL DONE!! Phew Essex you put us through it tonight but we love you :)
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Sensational Simon at the end.
So happy for Ravi, he’s dragged us here and played a superb knock.
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Fantastic. Well done boys. Heroic from Harmer all day. Another crucial knock from Ravi. Great finish to a great match. And now I need to go and lie down. My nerves are shredded.
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That's the cherry now for the cake.
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Brilliant - congratulations to a great team
Ravi and Harmer amazing.
Well done to a great TEAM.
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Great performance today!
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Delighted for the team but more so for the droves of Essex fans who support this format.
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And Aztec on the telly!
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Fantastic team performance
Congratulations to the players and staff for a real achievement from nowhere
We were out at lunch so missed the Derby game. The alcohol consumed got me through the final!
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CHAMPIONS!! How nice that feels & fully deserved today, huge congrats to the team , our heroes, wonderful bowling from Simon twice, Ravi there at the end & how fitting given his efforts over the last few matches. We have now won every trophy at least once & not many Counties can say that. We most definitely are not a small County (only Yorks Chief Exec seems to think so) - our trophy winning record proves that. A great day for all the fans & what a week this should prove to be with the CC to come (fingers crossed).
Even if some fans don't like white ball cricket everybody should be really pleased for the boys tonight, so please no negativity on here about today.
COYE!!
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My favourite bit was the cardboard cut outs of Zampa and Amir that were used for the celebration photograph, firstly because it shows a tremendous team spirit but also a degree of confidence and foresight that they would indeed be required.
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Brilliant performance and worthy swansong - allegedly- for Ravi. Loved the fact that Harmer took the opportunity to have a coded swipe at Yorkshire and Graves. Obviously terrified Bumble.
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Wow, that was exhausting. Having been so impressed with Harmer's unbeaten 50 at Chelmsford Wednesday, I was screaming at tv for him to get in as Walter was clearly out of touch. Just in the nick of time! I really thought we had lost it, but glad to be wrong. Great congrats to players and staff. Go easy tonight, the big one awaits!
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Terrific win well done everyone. Eddie the eagle - hang your head in shame.
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I also hope the club give Aron Nijjar a new contract and play him!
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My first ever post on the T20 thread. Brilliant! Tremendous team spirit and self belief from everyone. Now let's finish the season off in style, rain or shine, next week.
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Wow, that was a real nailbiter. I'm so happy for the lads. Please celebrate, but then have a bit of a lie down ready for Somerset. It would be just brilliant to pull off the double - then you can all go bananas1
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Jobs half done. Well done thus far.
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Another terrific performance particularly as I don’t really consider us a T20 team, more a team of nurdlers plus Delport. However, we do have Harmer who may be the best spinner in the world at present! It amuses me to read back all the selection suggestions on here. Once again our selectors have got things right. The fielding was excellent, everyone chipped in & the team spirit is superb. They seem to be getting most things right at present. Let’s hope for more of the same next week.
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Well done lads.
Showed a lot of bottle and proved a lot of people wrong.
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Harmey army.
Stressful and brilliant. Some great performances Harmer, Nijjar, Lawrence, Ravi. Thought Wheater was magnificent behind the stumps all day.
Loved being part of the support. Superb.
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They should get an extra award for the unlikeliest winners of the event. Qualification hang by a thread, no overseas stars left and no person on this site could have thought at the outset that we had a cat in hells chance of winning the thing. Crazy season. ;)
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Very proud to support this amazing side. Nothing better to see so many players from Essex growing into top players and loving our/their club. Ever since I went to Leyton in 1972 there has been something so special about this club that surpasses anything any other county has. In tough times it is this camaraderie and togetherness that gets you through as has happened over the last 4 successful seasons. Chuck in captains who really care and can make tough decisions and you are nearly there. Finally we have some really talented cricketers who are sometimes undervalued and who occasionally we are quick to criticise. We support a very special club and from Tonker/Gnome to Tendo/Harmy I’ve loved every minute of it.
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Interesting comment on ESPNcriccinfo:
"And it is even more important to recognise The Blast's value because it appears under challenge; because, so the argument goes, if the ECB can use The Hundred to kill The Blast it will foreshadow the introduction of a hierarchy of ten or so first-class teams with the smaller counties permanently relegated or forced out of business altogether: counties like Essex, who won The Blast and may well win the County Championship, the greatest prize of all; counties like Somerset, who won the Royal London One-Day Cup; counties like Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire, who are on the verge of promotion to Division One; counties like Derbyshire, who so relished their first Finals Day; counties like Leicestershire, who continue to nurture great talents like Hasan Azad and Harry Swindells."
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Interesting comment on ESPNcriccinfo:
"And it is even more important to recognise The Blast's value because it appears under challenge; because, so the argument goes, if the ECB can use The Hundred to kill The Blast it will foreshadow the introduction of a hierarchy of ten or so first-class teams with the smaller counties permanently relegated or forced out of business altogether: counties like Essex, who won The Blast and may well win the County Championship, the greatest prize of all; counties like Somerset, who won the Royal London One-Day Cup; counties like Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire, who are on the verge of promotion to Division One; counties like Derbyshire, who so relished their first Finals Day; counties like Leicestershire, who continue to nurture great talents like Hasan Azad and Harry Swindells."
Spot on. That is why everyone should oppose it.
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Very proud to support this amazing side. Nothing better to see so many players from Essex growing into top players and loving our/their club. Ever since I went to Leyton in 1972 there has been something so special about this club that surpasses anything any other county has. In tough times it is this camaraderie and togetherness that gets you through as has happened over the last 4 successful seasons. Chuck in captains who really care and can make tough decisions and you are nearly there. Finally we have some really talented cricketers who are sometimes undervalued and who occasionally we are quick to criticise. We support a very special club and from Tonker/Gnome to Tendo/Harmy I’ve loved every minute of it.
Totally agree - replace Leyton by Chalkwell Park and 1972 by 1971 and I could have written that :)
I've not lived in Essex since 1975 but still follow them whenever I can [nearly 50 different grounds now] and am one very proud Life Member.
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We didn't get stressed here, because we were just glad Essex had made it to Finals Day - anything else was a bonus. Absolutely thrilled that they won, though.
Listened to both Essex matches with the BBC Essex commentary, so only heard to Sky commentary for the first match and a bit at the end. Can't remember which Sky commentator it was, but there was mention of how much the teams in county cricket are supported by their own fans - something that The Hundred will just not have, especially if they're relying on existing cricket fans to go to matches initially.
The Little Counties must stick together: we suspect that some of them (Essex, for one) are in a lot less debt than the Test Match counties. And if they can keep Middlesex in the Second Division, the ECB's plans to rule the world will come to nought!
Lynda and Steve
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I still can’t believe it to be honest. Unbelievable scenes. Whilst Ravi was there, we always had a chance.
Every player did their bit and came up with big moments in the day. Delport’s
50, Wheater’s catch to get Reece, Walter’s run out. It was a superb team showing.
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And if they can keep Middlesex in the Second Division, the ECB's plans to rule the world will come to nought!
Middx are tenants of the MCC & see very little T20 money.
Long term they want their own ground for obvious reasons.
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Interesting comment on ESPNcriccinfo:
"And it is even more important to recognise The Blast's value because it appears under challenge; because, so the argument goes, if the ECB can use The Hundred to kill The Blast it will foreshadow the introduction of a hierarchy of ten or so first-class teams with the smaller counties permanently relegated or forced out of business altogether: counties like Essex, who won The Blast and may well win the County Championship, the greatest prize of all; counties like Somerset, who won the Royal London One-Day Cup; counties like Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire, who are on the verge of promotion to Division One; counties like Derbyshire, who so relished their first Finals Day; counties like Leicestershire, who continue to nurture great talents like Hasan Azad and Harry Swindells."
Spot on. That is why everyone should oppose it.
Exactly. Give credit to the author. Was it Droopy Dobell?
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Paul Edwards.
Full article here if you scroll down - the others are worth a read too.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27673275/threatened-species-shows-worth-t20-finals-day
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Didn’t realise we will become the first county to do the double of championship and t20 this week. Good article in The Times today by Cook as to why he still loves playing for us. Might suggest that rumours on here of his demise are a little premature.
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Didn’t realise we will become the first county to do the double of championship and t20 this week. Good article in The Times today by Cook as to why he still loves playing for us. Might suggest that rumours on here of his demise are a little premature.
He signed a three year contract and I personally don't think he's the sort of person to go back on this.
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Didn’t realise we will become the first county to do the double of championship and t20 this week. Good article in The Times today by Cook as to why he still loves playing for us. Might suggest that rumours on here of his demise are a little premature.
He signed a three year contract and I personally don't think he's the sort of person to go back on this.
I agree with you. He is a very decent and honest person. Even before the season started there were posts about him not playing, not finishing the season etc. And it continues
I guess if he was completely out of form and not enjoying his cricket he might go to Essex to see what they could agree. But, neither of those seem to apply so I'd believe he will be here for the next two years at least. And not playing T20 gives him a chance to have a break and/or do some commentary work
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Phew!! Marvel comics do not have a monopoly on superheros. We have two, Simon Harmer and Ravi Bopara.
The rest of the team, may be mere Gods, but they will be immortalised for ever. Every single player yesterday, contributed significantly and although too close for comfort, we are worthy winners.
The quality of this thread demonstrates the level of knowledge and support we enjoy for our team. Just wonderful.
Reflecting on the day, difficult as so much happened, but from the moment Harmer won the first toss, and then the second, both crucial, and made the correct decisions, Essex, so often vilified for snatching defeat from victory, showed so much bottle, they could stock a brewery.
The decision to pick Nijjar was inspired and with all our spinning options demonstrated how well we read the pitch, and were ultimately able to control key periods of both semi final and final.
Harmer, definitely, and Ravi, probably enjoyed their finest day ever.
How fitting was it that together they saw us home, against ever mounting odds requiring over 11 an over, albeit from only the last two overs, but when the pressure was the greatest.
How fitting that Harmer should dismiss Moeen Ali, surely THE vital wicket, captain to captain.
How fitting that his destructive cameo of 18 runs off 7 balls should ultimately seal victory.
Saved the best until last.
His bowling. Now everybody can see what a great bowler he is, in all formats. Sending down jaffa after jaffa. The most feared bowler of the day, riding his responsibility admirably and with 7 wickets on the day, the most successful ever. What a player and what a Captain.
His decision to bowl first in the final, gambling that dew falling later would ease batting, was brave, especially as the dew did not really happen, the ball kept turning, and for Essex to reach, a daunting target on that pitch reflected, skill, application, bravery, concentration, the odd deliciously lucky snick for four and being brutally honest we enjoyed Lady Luck smiling on us occasionally, but we deserved our luck through our performance.
Now Ravi, your spotlight.
Go back to when we had won just two out of first ten games played. Understandably we were not happy, and had written Essex off yet after another hugely disappointing T20 campaign.
Maybe coming into the last three games, the odds of our qualifying were so high and we were depending on other results to go our way which is exactly what happened, and mainly due to Ravi’s efforts which were instrumental in us winning not only the last three qualifying games, but the quarter final and yesterday's matches, we played with freedom but achieving exactly what we needed for survival.
Both his innings yesterday were priceless for his calmness, his shot selection and not least his ability to hit boundaries when most needed.
For all the great efforts of the rest of the team, even Harmer, without his innings in the evening, when we were 90 odd for five and the rate ever climbing, Moeen and Brown with challenging overs to bowl,
Ravi steered us home. Class will always prevail.
An unforgettable day, ahead of an unforgettable week, we hope.
Thank you heroes, each of you.
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I've never been a fan of T20, but yesterday was enthralling (via TV screen). Well done, Eagles 8)
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I know I am old, but, jeez, how young do some of our players look.
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Not just our players - Steve was remarking that it didn't look like Pat Brown had started shaving yet.
I just accept that I'm old enough to be grandmother to most of them.
Lynda
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Brilliant i followed on the Web as on hol but was very tense. Congratulations all round hope ravi signs a new deal. Harmer could be tendos replacement in 4 day stuff when he retires surely? Clearly a tactician.
Now please don't cock up the big one this week!
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Quite a good article on T20 final's day, Harmer and the hundred
https://www.thefulltoss.com/england-cricket-blog/t20-finals-day-enjoy-it-while-it-lasts/
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Not just our players - Steve was remarking that it didn't look like Pat Brown had started shaving yet.
I just accept that I'm old enough to be grandmother to most of them.
Lynda
Well, I’m nearly old enough to be Harmer’s father. Now that makes me really feel old!
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Not just our players - Steve was remarking that it didn't look like Pat Brown had started shaving yet.
I just accept that I'm old enough to be grandmother to most of them.
Lynda
Well, I’m nearly old enough to be Harmer’s father. Now that makes me really feel old!
I vaguely remember being that age!
Lynda
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You two should worry; I've got a grandchild only a few months younger than Harmer!
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I was there. Bl**dy hell, I was there...
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I was there. Bl**dy hell, I was there...
Good for you. Now will your mate Ravi be re-signing for next year sometime soon???
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I was there. Bl**dy hell, I was there...
Good for you. Now will your mate Ravi be re-signing for next year sometime soon???
ahem....
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I am old enough to be Harmer's Dad - I'd be honoured if I was. I did know we would be first to get the T20 & CC1 double if successful at Taunton, that would be superb.
PS - Not bad for a small County!!
PPS - We were also the first County to do the JPL & CC double back in 1984.
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As this thread seems to have morphed into one where us oldies say how young everyone is looking, Yorkshire gave a debut to a 17 year old called Revis last week. Now he did look his age.
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Was it like Qadri at Derbyshire (signed for Kent now) Afghan spinner who was supposedly 17. He looked at least 5 years older and probably is given the disruption and lack of record keeping over there since all the chaos of recent times.
Decent player.
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No Revis looked as if he should still have been at school. It was weird that he fielded on the boundary but did not have the strength to throw it that far.