vs Kolpacshire

[Andy]

Well, we didn't lose.

Good to see us holding back our most successful hitter until it's virtually too late.  Quinn and Wagner went for a few. Zaidi clearly banned by the club - must've sold the skipper a dodgy Primera in the close season...

[JasonP]

Why on earth did Quinn bowl the last over?  Wagner bowled a decent 18th over and could have bowled the last one and Bopara also had one over left.  Quinn has been smashed around in the 2nd team in the t20s.
Harmer at 7 is still a joke and if Siddle replaces Wagner as a straight swap in the next matches then the tail is even worse.
We re not going to qualify, I know but it would still be nice to see a better balanced team in the last few matches.

[Andy]

Why on earth did Quinn bowl the last over?  Wagner bowled a decent 18th over and could have bowled the last one and Bopara also had one over left.  Quinn has been smashed around in the 2nd team in the t20s.
Harmer at 7 is still a joke and if Siddle replaces Wagner as a straight swap in the next matches then the tail is even worse.
We re not going to qualify, I know but it would still be nice to see a better balanced team in the last few matches.

Trouble is, Harmer bowled pretty well, for once.  To me, he generally doesn't work as well in the T20 but is useful in 'proper' cricket.

Keep Wagner in, for his batting, rest Harmer for the longer format and bring in Zaidi for his hitting.

[nat]

Riddle me this. My boy Cook jnr played yesterday vs Gloucs and didn't bowl. Today he is dropped for Quinn who goes around the park.

He has locked himself in his room and torn up the poster of RTD he had on his bedroom wall.

What should I do?

[jwb]

Riddle me this. My boy Cook jnr played yesterday vs Gloucs and didn't bowl. Today he is dropped for Quinn who goes around the park.

He has locked himself in his room and torn up the poster of RTD he had on his bedroom wall.

What should I do?

Ask Andy he seems to know the answers the everything

[JasonP]

Riddle me this. My boy Cook jnr played yesterday vs Gloucs and didn't bowl. Today he is dropped for Quinn who goes around the park.

He has locked himself in his room and torn up the poster of RTD he had on his bedroom wall.

What should I do?

Quinn played yesterday as did Cook.  Porter didn't as he had finished playing for the Lions the day before.  I guess they didn't want to leave Quinn out after not being given the opportunity to show what he could do.  They're haven't really got a clue what their best combination is.

[JasonP]

Why on earth did Quinn bowl the last over?  Wagner bowled a decent 18th over and could have bowled the last one and Bopara also had one over left.  Quinn has been smashed around in the 2nd team in the t20s.
Harmer at 7 is still a joke and if Siddle replaces Wagner as a straight swap in the next matches then the tail is even worse.
We re not going to qualify, I know but it would still be nice to see a better balanced team in the last few matches.

Trouble is, Harmer bowled pretty well, for once.  To me, he generally doesn't work as well in the T20 but is useful in 'proper' cricket.

Keep Wagner in, for his batting, rest Harmer for the longer format and bring in Zaidi for his hitting.

If they think Harmer is one of the five best bowlers then pick him but 5 specialist bowlers from 7-11 in the order makes the tail too weak.  Bopara should be one of the 5 and so you pick the best 4 others.  IF you pick Zaidi you have him, Lawrence and tendo to bowl if you need to fill in 2 or 3 overs from somewhere.

[Andy]

Riddle me this. My boy Cook jnr played yesterday vs Gloucs and didn't bowl. Today he is dropped for Quinn who goes around the park.

He has locked himself in his room and torn up the poster of RTD he had on his bedroom wall.

What should I do?

Thanks JWB. 

Put up a much better poster on the wall...

...seriously, sums up the muddled narrow-minded thinking this season. 

Now, back to preparing for the next round of Brexit negotiations.

[Stringbok]

Not sure whether that was a tie snatched from the jaws of  victory or defeat. Clearly a better choice of death bowler would have made a difference.

I hope that now qualification is unlikely we  try some youngsters.  I was reminded by the half time quiz that Walter was our leading wicket taker in last years competition.

And does anyone know what Mascheranas does ? I hardly ever see him at the ground, although I don’t look to hard, and whatever he is doing with the bowlers it doesn’t seem to be working.

[Graham93]

Nice to see our captain is consistent with his appalling choice of last over bowlers.Last week it was Wagner who gave Glamorgan the chance to win and today it was Quinn who had already been smashed for over 20 in his second over giving Hants a better score which turned out to cost us the match. He doesn't seem able to bowl the right bowlers at the right time. His own bowling couldn't have been worse than some of the bowling. As for the batting oh for a big hitter to scare the opposition a la Jessie Ryder not an occasional boundary. The batting in all forms this season is not a patch on last season so what's happened to the coaching? What has Zaidi done to be neglected or Walters. The team selection also leaves a lot to be desired.

[Andy]

And does anyone know what Mascheranas does ?

Well after a brief spell in the charts and on the dance floors of Ibiza in the late 1990s sort of drifted into relative obscurity except the occasional appearance at end of year school discos.

[IlfordEagle]

We got a bit lucky having looked out of it for some time thanks to the efforts of Lawrence & Ravi (should have gone in higher than 6) Amazed to see Porter our best seamer only bowling 3 overs again, spinners bowled well especially Zampa who looks quality. I find it incredible that we now have no fixture until Aug 2nd & then 5 in 10 days. Unless we beat Kent & Sorry (little realistic chance of either) then T20 is over for this year, I always felt we would finish no higher than 7th this year & sadly I think I will be proved right.

[Niel01]

Very strange team selection again - batsmen win 20 Over matches so why does our tail start at number 7. Why was Quinn playing - only just recovered from injury and not found any form yet - not done well in 2nd Eleven matches.

Reluctant to criticise RTD, but does look like poor captaincy cost us the game:
1. Why did our best Bowler, Porter, bowl only 3 overs ?
2. Why did he take both Zampa and Harmer off after 2 overs when they had the batsmen pinned down and taking wickets - do you not keep the pressure on instead of bringing them back when the circumstances of the game have changed.
3. Quinn bowling the last over when he had already conceded 35 runs in his first two. Everyone in the ground around me knew exactly what was going to happen and it did - seemingly only RTD did not ?
It seems that RTD decides exactly on the game plan and who will bowl before the game starts and does not change whatever happens in the game itself.
You do get the impression that the Club do not really care about the T20  competition this year - it is now pretty dead for us with over a month to go. Shame and disregard for all of us supporters who have bought tickets !!

[ytsejam]

Very strange team selection again - batsmen win 20 Over matches so why does our tail start at number 7. Why was Quinn playing - only just recovered from injury and not found any form yet - not done well in 2nd Eleven matches.

Reluctant to criticise RTD, but does look like poor captaincy cost us the game:
1. Why did our best Bowler, Porter, bowl only 3 overs ?
2. Why did he take both Zampa and Harmer off after 2 overs when they had the batsmen pinned down and taking wickets - do you not keep the pressure on instead of bringing them back when the circumstances of the game have changed.
3. Quinn bowling the last over when he had already conceded 35 runs in his first two. Everyone in the ground around me knew exactly what was going to happen and it did - seemingly only RTD did not ?
It seems that RTD decides exactly on the game plan and who will bowl before the game starts and does not change whatever happens in the game itself.
You do get the impression that the Club do not really care about the T20  competition this year - it is now pretty dead for us with over a month to go. Shame and disregard for all of us supporters who have bought tickets !!

Don't disagree with much of that however rather than saying the T20 is pretty dead with a month to go, I would say that it was pretty much a hopeless case before the competition even started with the team we have!! Zampa aside and possibly the two openers, then no-one else has performed anywhere near good enough. And as for Westley!!..... Is there a clause in his contract that says he cannot be dropped?!!.... or is it that the club thinks it would be too demeaning to drop next year's permanent captain?

[Mog]

Very strange team selection again - batsmen win 20 Over matches so why does our tail start at number 7. Why was Quinn playing - only just recovered from injury and not found any form yet - not done well in 2nd Eleven matches.

Reluctant to criticise RTD, but does look like poor captaincy cost us the game:
1. Why did our best Bowler, Porter, bowl only 3 overs ?
2. Why did he take both Zampa and Harmer off after 2 overs when they had the batsmen pinned down and taking wickets - do you not keep the pressure on instead of bringing them back when the circumstances of the game have changed.
3. Quinn bowling the last over when he had already conceded 35 runs in his first two. Everyone in the ground around me knew exactly what was going to happen and it did - seemingly only RTD did not ?
It seems that RTD decides exactly on the game plan and who will bowl before the game starts and does not change whatever happens in the game itself.
You do get the impression that the Club do not really care about the T20  competition this year - it is now pretty dead for us with over a month to go. Shame and disregard for all of us supporters who have bought tickets !!

And as for Westley!!..... Is there a clause in his contract that says he cannot be dropped?!!.... or is it that the club thinks it would be too demeaning to drop next year's permanent captain?

Hmm, I've been thinking similarly re 'golden boy' Westley. Of course, as this is no Change Essex and....as he's been identified as future captain, so will play irrespective of form. Think Pettini, Grayson, et al.
It only illustrates the cement headed mentality, and utter reluctance to take a different route at the Club. I'd further venture that Westley would represent the worst captain since Irani. Some accolade!