Behind the timbers .

[Maximus]

I was amused by  "If there's an opportunity, then I'll be absolutely as keen as mustard,"

If Phil Mustard gets a call up, I assume he'll be as keen as Foster......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/27679446

[IlfordEagle]

I was amused by  "If there's an opportunity, then I'll be absolutely as keen as mustard,"

If Phil Mustard gets a call up, I assume he'll be as keen as Foster......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/27679446

The best post I've seen today, nice one!!

[DT]

It seems likely that Prior's lack of match practice will exclude him from consideration by England for Sri Lanka tests.

Well that worked out!!

[IlfordEagle]

I think that's it for Fossie & England - if he can't get in with doubts over Prior's fitness & Buttler not apparently being ready then, sadly, I don't think he'll be considered again.Such a shame as he has clearly been England's best keeper for a long time with Read close behind.

[IanS]

It seems likely that Prior's lack of match practice will exclude him from consideration by England for Sri Lanka tests.

Well that worked out!!

What do I know?!

There did seem to be some desperation to get Prior back in the team, the comment from James Whitaker gives a clue: "He comes back as just the sort of character we want in that team."  This is despite his awful form with the bat - over the last three Test series he's averaged 17; that included 5 x 0's. I hope that he succeeds for England's sake but I'm not very confident.

[Valentines Park]

Fozzy's loss is our gain.

We'd be regularly all out for under 150 without him in the side.

[Diatribe]

Fozzy's loss is our gain.

We'd be regularly all out for under 150 without him in the side.

He's the only current ECCC player who would have got a regular place in the late 1970's/1980's team with the possible exception of Masters who probably would have lost out to Stuart Turner on the basis of the aforementioned's batting prowess.

[nat]

Fozzy's loss is our gain.

We'd be regularly all out for under 150 without him in the side.

He's the only current ECCC player who would have got a regular place in the late 1970's/1980's team with the possible exception of Masters who probably would have lost out to Stuart Turner on the basis of the aforementioned's batting prowess.

Well I know you'll disagree but RTD would also have got in...certainly ahead of Keith Pont and possibly one or two others. Ravi instead of Brian Hardie?

[Diatribe]

Well I know you'll disagree but RTD would also have got in...certainly ahead of Keith Pont and possibly one or two others. Ravi instead of Brian Hardie?

If I remember correctly, Keith Pont didn't automatically retain a regular position. For consistency and performance, I'd rather have half a memory of Brian Hardie than a million Boparas.

One also has to take into account that the CC wasn't partitioned in those days and the playing standards were far higher. For instance, instead of facing current div. 2 bowling, how long would Tendoeschate and Bopara have lasted against the likes of Marshall, Garner, Walsh, Roberts, Imran Khan, Walsh, Rice, Hadlee, Donald et al, not long, not long at all.

Its very difficult to make comparisons between the two eras due to the unavailability of top class players and the deterioration of the first class game in general. I suppose the closest one could get would be comparing a Ferrari Spider  with a Ford Fiesta, or a Patek Philippe grand complication wristwatch with a Seiko Quartz model.

[nat]

Well I know you'll disagree but RTD would also have got in...certainly ahead of Keith Pont and possibly one or two others. Ravi instead of Brian Hardie?

If I remember correctly, Keith Pont didn't automatically retain a regular position. For consistency and performance, I'd rather have half a memory of Brian Hardie than a million Boparas.

One also has to take into account that the CC wasn't partitioned in those days and the playing standards were far higher. For instance, instead of facing current div. 2 bowling, how long would Tendoeschate and Bopara have lasted against the likes of Marshall, Garner, Walsh, Roberts, Imran Khan, Walsh, Rice, Hadlee, Donald et al, not long, not long at all.

Its very difficult to make comparisons between the two eras due to the unavailability of top class players and the deterioration of the first class game in general. I suppose the closest one could get would be comparing a Ferrari Spider  with a Ford Fiesta, or a Patek Philippe grand complication wristwatch with a Seiko Quartz model.

I think you have a slightly jaundiced view of modern players which does you little credit. Yes there is a lack of top quality players regularly playing in the CC/T20 etc. However I think there has been a general levelling up of player quality so that there few really poor players playing county cricket today.

Anyone remember Jim Foat of Gloucestershire? Just one example of a really poor county player. Or Bob Cooke of Essex? or George Sharp or Arnold Long? The list goes on.

[Diatribe]

However I think there has been a general levelling up of player quality so that there few really poor players playing county cricket today.

Wot!! even your all time favourite, Sajit Mahmood??

[nat]

However I think there has been a general levelling up of player quality so that there few really poor players playing county cricket today.

Wot!! even your all time favourite, Sajit Mahmood??

he is the exception that proves the rule.

[Andy]

Nat, not sure we can say the likes of Cooke were that bad, the game was different back in the 1970s - after all David shepherd (not the Bishop of Liverpool) wouldn't be allowed in the modern game but were perfectly equipped to sustain county careers.

[Perov]

I think if  people on here call for players like Mickleburgh, Smith  and Westley, to be dropped, if we zoomed back in time, Essex regulars like Gordon Barker, Micky Bear, and Graham Saville would be in the firing line.

[nat]

I think if  people on here call for players like Mickleburgh, Smith  and Westley, to be dropped, if we zoomed back in time, Essex regulars like Gordon Barker, Micky Bear, and Graham Saville would be in the firing line.

You should remember that when Barker, Bear and Saville played Essex were poor, bordering on very poor.