|
|
Post by longstop on Sept 9, 2018 11:11:02 GMT
There are just three back to back County Championship games remaining and with two promotion places available, it looks certain to be two from Warwickshire, Kent and Sussex. With all teams having played 11 games, the top of the table looks like this:
Warwickshire 183
Kent 176
Sussex 171
Middlesex 133
The remaining fixtures for the top four are:
Warwickshire: Leicestershire (A), Sussex (A), Kent (H)
Kent: Middlesex (A), Glamorgan (H), Warwickshire (A)
Sussex: Durham (A), Warwickshire (H), Northants (A)
Middlesex: Kent (H), Derbyshire (H), Durham (A)
Warwickshire have three opponents from the top half of the table, Kent have two from the top half, Sussex and Middlesex have one top half opponent.
I think most people had assumed that Warwickshire were certain to be one of the promoted sides, but this week’s results now mean that Warwickshire might feel under pressure when they travel to Leicester this week as their last two games are against the two other promotion contenders.
Sussex head to Chester-le-Street this week. The first thing I checked before writing this review was to look at the weather forecast. Thankfully, it looks as though the weather will be good with overnight rain on Monday being the biggest threat. Conversely the weather at Leicester looks iffy on Tuesday and Wednesday while Lords may experience rain for Kent’s visit on Wednesday.
So, what of the game ahead? The Sussex team will see the visit to Durham as being a good chance to grab another win. Having beaten Durham by an innings at Arundel earlier in the season, a result which sparked a run of good form, a win looks attainable.
Durham’s last three results in the County Championship have produced one win, one draw and one defeat. The draw was last week when they frustrated Warwickshire by hanging on for a draw. The win came over Glamorgan, who were defeated by an innings in a low scoring game. Their defeat was a loss at home to Northants. In those three games, Durham were bowled out for 154 or less on four occasions.
Of the team that Durham fielded in their last game at Edgbaston, only Axar Patel has an average of over 30 – and only just. Chris Rushworth and Matthew Salisbury are Durham’s highest two wicket takers in County Championship., although Rushworth did not play against Warwickshire last week. (edited)
A win at Chester-le-Street, rain at Leicester and Middlesex to beat Kent this week? We will see.
|
|
|
|
Post by joe on Sept 9, 2018 12:26:08 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by northfan on Sept 10, 2018 7:53:19 GMT
There are just three back to back County Championship games remaining and with two promotion places available, it looks certain to be two from Warwickshire, Kent and Sussex. With all teams having played 11 games, the top of the table looks like this: Warwickshire 183 Kent 176 Sussex 171 Middlesex 133 The remaining fixtures for the top four are: Warwickshire: Leicestershire (A), Sussex (A), Kent (H) Kent: Middlesex (A), Glamorgan (H), Warwickshire (A) Sussex: Durham (A), Warwickshire (H), Northants (A) Middlesex: Kent (H), Derbyshire (H), Durham (A) Warwickshire have three opponents from the top half of the table, Kent have two from the top half, Sussex and Middlesex have one top half opponent. I think most people had assumed that Warwickshire were certain to be one of the promoted sides, but this week’s results now mean that Warwickshire might feel under pressure when they travel to Leicester this week as their last two games are against the two other promotion contenders. Sussex head to Chester-le-Street this week. The first thing I checked before writing this review was to look at the weather forecast. Thankfully, it looks as though the weather will be good with overnight rain on Monday being the biggest threat. Conversely the weather at Leicester looks iffy on Tuesday and Wednesday while Lords may experience rain for Kent’s visit on Wednesday. So, what of the game ahead? The Sussex team will see the visit to Durham as being a good chance to grab another win. Having beaten Durham by an innings at Arundel earlier in the season, a result which sparked a run of good form, a win looks attainable. Durham’s last three results in the County Championship have produced one win, one draw and one defeat. The draw was last week when they frustrated Warwickshire by hanging on for a draw. The win came over Glamorgan, who were defeated by an innings in a low scoring game. Their defeat was a loss at home to Northants. In those three games, Durham were bowled out for 154 or less on four occasions. Of the team that Durham fielded in their last game at Edgbaston, only Axar Patel has an average of over 30 – and only just. Chris Rushworth and Matthew Salisbury are Durham’s highest two wicket takers in County Championship, although Rushworth did not play against Warwickshire last week. A win at Chester-le-Street, rain at Leicester and Middlesex to beat Kent this week? We will see. Rushworth did play against Warks, taking 3 wickets in the match. [Corrected above: Thank you, northfan!] I'm not sure how accurate the weather forecast will be today as according to the BBC app I should be sitting in bright sunshine right now whereas it's actually very grey and murky and distinctly breezy. Definitely a day for wrapping up warm. |
|
|
|
Post by joe on Sept 10, 2018 12:08:24 GMT
Burgess for Wright.
Match delayed by bad light which just highlights the ridiculous decision to play CC cricket in September, especially that far north.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wicked Cricket on Sept 10, 2018 16:33:06 GMT
The weather conditions certainly helped Sussex. A great day's play. Wiese rediscovers his bowling form.
Durham: 92-7.
|
|
|
|
Post by northfan on Sept 10, 2018 17:17:09 GMT
The weather conditions certainly helped Sussex. A great day's play. Wiese rediscovers his bowling form. Durham: 92-7. If only we'd had a day's play! Only 27 overs bowled and only 1 before lunch.What a complete nonsense the rules regarding floodlights are. 5 of the wickets caught behind the stumps and 2 bowled, including Collingwood shouldering arms. Couldn't tell how much the ball was doing from where I was sat but it must have been nipping around a bit to induce so many edges. Rain forecast for the rest of tonight and until early tomorrow morning so there may be a delayed start tomorrow but then the forecast for the rest of the day and Wednesday and Thursday is OK so still plenty of time to win the match. |
|
|
|
Post by hhsussex on Sept 11, 2018 9:52:50 GMT
The weather conditions certainly helped Sussex. A great day's play. Wiese rediscovers his bowling form. Durham: 92-7. If only we'd had a day's play! Only 27 overs bowled and only 1 before lunch.What a complete nonsense the rules regarding floodlights are. 5 of the wickets caught behind the stumps and 2 bowled, including Collingwood shouldering arms. Couldn't tell how much the ball was doing from where I was sat but it must have been nipping around a bit to induce so many edges. Rain forecast for the rest of tonight and until early tomorrow morning so there may be a delayed start tomorrow but then the forecast for the rest of the day and Wednesday and Thursday is OK so still plenty of time to win the match. Ollie Rob didn't hang around this morning!10 balls, 0 runs, 3 wickets. |
|
|
|
Post by Wicked Cricket on Sept 11, 2018 9:55:15 GMT
Durham all out for 103. Yet another fifer for Ollie. What an amazing season he is having!
|
|
|
|
Post by hhsussex on Sept 11, 2018 10:18:59 GMT
Durham all out for 103. Yet another fifer for Ollie. What an amazing season he is having! 2nd highest number of Championship wickets (1st or 2nd) with 61, behind Matt Henry on 62. Leading bowler in first class games in England, 68. 5 wickets short of equalling Magoffin's best season (73). Looked good when he first played in a pre-season game against Surrey in 2015, when Mark Robinson told a member who was enquiring that "Robinson bowling from the Cromwell Road end" , "No, you're Robinson, who's the bowler?". Looked even better when he made his championship debut against Durham and got 110, sharing a record last wicket partnership with the late Matt Hobden, then returned to Hove and bowled Warwickshire out cheaply to give Sussex a little hope in a dismal season. He should have been Young Cricketer of the year in 2015, and as he isn't 25 till December he really ought to be in with a shout this year. |
|
|
|
Post by Wicked Cricket on Sept 11, 2018 12:24:30 GMT
Rushworth remains the Sussex nemesis. Now taken 7 wickets. 
edit: Sussex all out for 122. 19 runs ahead. Will the pitch inspectors be called? |
|
|
|
Post by northfan on Sept 11, 2018 19:44:13 GMT
Rushworth remains the Sussex nemesis. Now taken 7 wickets.
edit: Sussex all out for 122. 19 runs ahead. Will the pitch inspectors be called? Didn't look to be much wrong with the pitch when Durham batted after lunch. The conditions today were totally different from yesterday and Sussex batted in bright sunshine but didn't bat well. Only two batsmen were out caught in front of the wicket, Salt being unlucky to get out to a good catch but Burgess hit a short one right down the throat of the only fielder out on the leg side boundary. Finch lost his stumps shouldering arms to a ball that didn't seem to do a lot, Wells played around a straight one and lost his middle stump and Archer was bowled playing back to the first ball he received. To be bowled out in 25 overs was pretty poor stuff. It's going to be a massive uphill struggle with Durham now 200 ahead with 6 wickets in hand and the forecast for tomorrow is bright sunshine all day. |
|
|
|
Post by philh on Sept 12, 2018 7:50:04 GMT
I fear that this is the week where our bid for promotion goes wrong. Kent look set to win at Lords, Warwickshire are in a strong position and we are struggling against side that looked average to poor at Arundel.
I think the lack of solidity in our batting is beginning to catch us out. Whilst we've accumulated a decent number of batting points this season, this has often been thanks to the lower half of the order getting runs on friendlier wickets. When the going gets tougher, you need your top order to pick up 40s and 50s to make a decent total. Kent have been involved in a lot of low scoring games, but seem to pick up enough runs to defend in most games.
However, if this all sounds negative, it is not intended as such. I do wonder if our young batsmen need another season of scoring runs rather than struggling in Division One. Not that promotion next season will be any easier. The two relegated sides and Middlesex are likely to be there or thereabouts if we do miss out this year.
It's hard on our bowlers. If they allow Durham to get a decent total in their second innings, it will not be their fault. Let's hope we can keep Durham down to a lead of 250 - 270 and our batsmen do what it is needed. It will be an impressive victory if we pull off it, particularly as we are going to be under pressure.
|
|
|
|
Post by chrischammond on Sept 12, 2018 11:08:29 GMT
They’re all tired. The bowlers see the batmen apparently not trying ... so why should they? Looks like Div 2 for one more season. We need a Nash-type solidity in the top order. Two, in fact. Salt, etc, would make a T20 team but lack the skills for grinding through difficult conditions in the long game. The trouble with losing today is that taking a defeat into Saturday is not good. We had so many chances this season. Shame.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wicked Cricket on Sept 12, 2018 11:10:14 GMT
This bizarre match has gone from euphoria to a calamity for Sussex. Durham are now 294-5 with a future declaration of 350+ ahead
on the cards, where at best a draw is on unless some miracle batting from Salt occurs; and given there were no batting points, 8 is
the very best we can hope for where a loss is a more certain prognosis.
I very much agree with philh viewpoint about the Sussex batting. While our bowlers are the best, perhaps, in both divisions, the batting
in particular from the youngsters, must catch-up, where promotion this season may be premature.
Even so, while the Warwickshire and Northants matches are now must wins, anything can happen with the weather.
|
|
|
|
Post by northfan on Sept 12, 2018 12:44:34 GMT
4 quick wickets after lunch and Durham are all out for 340 leaving Sussex to get 322 to win. Briggs took 3 wickets today so there may be some turn in the wicket now which Patel may exploit.
Plenty of time to get the runs, let’s hope they bat much better than first innings,
|
|
