Team v Bears

[alji]

So yet another T20 campaign ends in failure, but the Club will regard it as a success. As Grayson said "The aim at the start of the season was to get out of the group". 

Getting out of the group but going no further is not success, it's just not as much of a failure as not getting out of the group.

[Observer]

Even Hussain had a dig at the Essex coaching staff in suggesting that they are too slow in responding to conditions, in this case, pace off the ball.

It really was a pitiful and embarrassing  performance, how long can this be allowed to go on?

Will Irani act I wonder or was it all weasel words??

[Andy]

So yet another T20 campaign ends in failure, but the Club will regard it as a success. As Grayson said "The aim at the start of the season was to get out of the group". 

Couldn't get the proverbial out of his own proverbial.

[mawallace]

Listening to TD In the after match interview on Sky, he seemed to hint that he thought Napier should not have played. I wonder how long it will take Napier to recover, reckon he'll miss the rest of the One Day games now as well.
Td seemed to be saying that the performance was not good enough, but that they had been inconsistent all season.

Overall, it was a pathetic performance, bad bowling giving it away to Birmingham, and then batting which meant we lost it from the start. And as for those dropped catches! It all remind me of when I watched England during the last Ashes in Australia! A team in need of a revamp and a new coach

[DT]

The match wasn't lost when Ravi got a superb ball from an excellent spinner - it was lost in the field with Foster at the top of the bill showing again that he is way past it and has been since the Hants saga.  That said he should have batted ahead of Browne - you can only assume as Tendo was at the crease that decision came down to Larry...  Another moment was Ryder - Nasser called it didn't he...

Anyone else feel this side is going through exactly what the Aussies are at the moment?  A team of superb but now ageing mid 30 year old players who are now past their best - sad to say but I think we also need a clear out at the end of this season with a new captain, some new players and fresh ideas.  Give Ravi the captaincy in all forms because I think this will reinvigorate his game which has to be fair become stagnant this season.  One or two astute signings elsewhere and the youngsters - bye bye Foster, Masters, Napier and possibly even Tendo - fantastic servants but now too injury prone, past their best and fielding has become dreadful - even Tendo dropped a clanger last night.  It's hard to say but for the good of the team...

[Mick]

- bye bye Foster, Masters, Napier and possibly even Tendo - fantastic servants

I really don't think you can call Tendo a fantastic servant as he only deigns to play once his other commitments are over.  Decent player certainly, servant no !

[Slogger]

- bye bye Foster, Masters, Napier and possibly even Tendo - fantastic servants

As I understand it Masters and Napier signed contract extensions so they will be around next year. There's the rumour on here that Foster is about to announce his retirement although to my knowledge there's been no announcement from the player or the club to that effect. So unless any of these people decide to go of their own volition they will be around next season. I have to say I rather agree with the poster who says that Foster hasn't been the same since the offer from Hants. Perhaps he has now decided to go and he's finding it hard to remain motivated? That can happen to people who know they are leaving a job in any walk of life. But that's all speculation based on a rumour posted on this site.

[DT]

As I understand it Masters and Napier signed contract extensions so they will be around next year. There's the rumour on here that Foster is about to announce his retirement although to my knowledge there's been no announcement from the player or the club to that effect. So unless any of these people decide to go of their own volition they will be around next season. I have to say I rather agree with the poster who says that Foster hasn't been the same since the offer from Hants. Perhaps he has now decided to go and he's finding it hard to remain motivated? That can happen to people who know they are leaving a job in any walk of life. But that's all speculation based on a rumour posted on this site.

Thanks for the update - I suspect then both might well retire after 2016 then...

'twas I who said that about Foster !!!

[decksj]

An inept display again that has prompted me to write a letter to the Essex Chronicle, a paper read by the Essex management, I believe. If more letters about the current state of Essex cricket were to appear it might begin to create a climate of opinion that the new chair of the cricket committee might notice. I think it's worth a try, anyway. If you want to write then the email address for letters is newsdesk@essexchronicle.co.uk - you have to keep letters to under 250 words and include your name and address.

[freddiefisher]

the chronicle will not say anything critical. they are in the clubs pocket and hardly dedicated to essex cricket preffering chelmsford city football to dominate the backpages despite no one caring.

[freddiefisher]

foster is retiring to take up the cricket masters role at a local public school its apparently an open secret

[Andy]

foster is retiring to take up the cricket masters role at a local public school its apparently an open secret

Don Topley better watch out for his job...another public school ex-pro master, just  what we  need! Can't he go into the state sector - that's where we need the interest.

[Slogger]

foster is retiring to take up the cricket masters role at a local public school its apparently an open secret

Don Topley better watch out for his job...another public school ex-pro master, just  what we  need! Can't he go into the state sector - that's where we need the interest.

Very good point Andy. My son who is 13 switched clubs over the winter. At the club he used to play for around half the lads were privately educated and clearly had received a lot of coaching at primary school age. He received none at school.

My son, who is keen on playing the game, now goes to one of the Southend grammar schools where the game is played but many of his new club team mates (he switched clubs to play with his best friend at school) don't really play at all at school. His new club is more working class with no privately educated players As said above ex Essex pros going to local private schools is a well trod path - Lever, Turner, Hardie, R East and Gallian spring to mind - but wouldn't it make sense for the ECB to employ some ex (or current pros in the winter) to coach in state schools/clubs?You never know they might unearth another Ian Botham. Everyone moans about the lack of cricket in state schools but that's a practical step that could be taken to address the issue.

[Andy]

Slogger, stop talking complete sense... 

Best of luck for Slogger Jnr.

[bwildered]

Toddays the night the teddy bears had there picnic .