|
|
Post by hhsussex on Apr 9, 2015 6:32:45 GMT
The chilly half-game against Leeds-Bradford showed that Ajmal had taken to his new county with enthusiasm and that Joyce and others had continued their form; then the friendly game against the statues of Surrey showed that Mills has the potential to set hearts beating fasting and boost the sales of Immodium to batsmen. There was also the heartening sight of Luke Wright beginning a year in which he takes on the responsibilities of a Benefit and of one-day captin in his triumphalist style with 9 fours in a superlative cameo.
Now we play Hampshire in the Championship for the first time in 4 years. The result then was a draw, dominated by the batting of several of the names we can expect to see this week: a hundred fro Joyce and 78 for Nash, a big hundred for James Vince and runs for Dawson amongst others. The bowling attacks for both sides have changed utterly and this will be the crucial factor this time.
|
|
|
|
Post by jonboy on Apr 9, 2015 7:21:26 GMT
Now all the likely top six, no seven, have had a score as well
|
|
|
|
Post by coverpoint on Apr 9, 2015 17:21:29 GMT
Nash
Wells
Yardy
Joyce
Cachopa
Wright
Brown
Shahzad
Mills
Magoffin
Hobden
|
|
|
|
Post by hhsussex on Apr 9, 2015 18:12:57 GMT
Nash Wells Yardy Joyce Cachopa Wright Brown Shahzad Mills Magoffin Hobden Is that what you think the team should be, or what someone has told you is the team selection, coverpoint? |
|
|
|
Post by coverpoint on Apr 10, 2015 20:05:47 GMT
What I think the team should be.
|
|
|
|
Post by jonboy on Apr 11, 2015 8:37:53 GMT
Me too, pretty much picks itself
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2015 8:43:27 GMT
Nash Wells Yardy Joyce Cachopa Wright Brown Shahzad Mills Magoffin Hobden That lot will get points docked for slow over rates. I'd pick Zaidi over Hobden but expect that Hobden will play. From the uni game, when Yardy came on to bowl before Nash, it looks like he might be asked to bowl a few more overs than he has in recent years and that we will play four seamers in most games. |
|
|
|
Post by jonboy on Apr 11, 2015 8:47:22 GMT
The over rate could be a concern, especially if Mills and Hobden are given free reign to just bowl it as fast as they can. Hopefully we'll skittle them before it becomes an issue
|
|
|
|
Post by hhsussex on Apr 11, 2015 9:06:31 GMT
I agree with the above comments. If I were Robinson I'd want to see how Mills looked bowling amongst a supportive group, with options available to replace him if he tired quickly or someone got hold of him. Our lack of serious spin is going to be a weakness later in the season but for now, especially in these first two games against the promotees, we should be attacking and using this new strength to build a position.
Judging by the way he bowled, as much as what he actually did, in the practice games, I think Shahzad will be the key bowler, even if Mills' speed is exciting and potentially devastating. It looks as if he can add to Magoffin in controlling the game and keeping the batsmen in check.
|
|
|
|
Post by coverpoint on Apr 11, 2015 9:23:14 GMT
Not if you don't ***** about re-setting the field after every ball! Nash can bowl Zaidi's overs. Not sure about Yardy bowling.
|
|
|
|
Post by jonboy on Apr 11, 2015 9:25:31 GMT
I agree with the above comments. If I were Robinson I'd want to see how Mills looked bowling amongst a supportive group, with options available to replace him if he tired quickly or someone got hold of him. Our lack of serious spin is going to be a weakness later in the season but for now, especially in these first two games against the promotees, we should be attacking and using this new strength to build a position. Judging by the way he bowled, as much as what he actually did, in the practice games, I think Shahzad will be the key bowler, even if Mills' speed is exciting and potentially devastating. It looks as if he can add to Magoffin in controlling the game and keeping the batsmen in check. I suppose in an ideal world, we would be able to field four front line seamers, and a bona fide spinner. For us to be able to do that, one of the bowlers has to bat in the top six. None of the seamers can do this. Zaidi might be able to bat there, but he has yet to fully convince me that he has what it takes to be a front line bowler. It's all about balancing the side, something Robbo alluded to while lamenting Prior's absence. Perhaps Magoffin's impending UK qualification affords us the best opportunity to balance the side. For me though, now I'd go with the four seamers. |
|
|
|
Post by hhsussex on Apr 11, 2015 10:20:10 GMT
This is the squad: BC Brown (wkt) C Cachopa ME Hobden EC Joyce (c) SJ Magoffin TS Mills CD Nash A Shahzad LWP Wells LJ Wright MH Yardy SAA Zaidi www.sussexcricket.co.uk/news-1/preview-sussex-head-to-hampshire-to-launch-2015-championship-campaignNo surprises there, with Anyon and Hatchett both on middle to long term injuries. This is the Hampshire squad (Andre Adams and Bird both unfit): Will Smith (2) Jimmy Adams (4) captain Sean Ervine (7) Liam Dawson (8) Gareth Berg (13) James Vince (14) Michael Carberry (15) Danny Briggs (19) James Tomlinson (21) Chris Wood (25) Adam Wheater (31) Brad Wheal (58) Brad Wheal is an 18 year old South African fast bowler of limited experience. I suppose the attack will be Tomlinson, Wood, Berg, Briggs, supplemented by Ervine and Dawson. A wider range of options than Sussex, but less individual force. The batting should be about as strong, at least on paper, and Vince has agood opportunity to make a big splash at home while others are making pratfalls in the Caribbean. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2015 11:49:13 GMT
It's all about balancing the side, something Robbo alluded to while lamenting Prior's absence. Which must mean that the intention was for Prior to keep wicket, because to play him as a batsman only, in place of Cachopa or Yardy, would not impact upon the 'balance' of the side. So we have to assume that if Prior was fit, the plan was for the unfortunate Brown to spend the summer languishing in the second XI, which would have been very unfair. So overall I'm not as upset over Prior's absence as Robinson is... |
|
|
|
Post by jonboy on Apr 11, 2015 12:52:42 GMT
It's all about balancing the side, something Robbo alluded to while lamenting Prior's absence. Which must mean that the intention was for Prior to keep wicket, because to play him as a batsman only, in place of Cachopa or Yardy, would not impact upon the 'balance' of the side. So we have to assume that if Prior was fit, the plan was for the unfortunate Brown to spend the summer languishing in the second XI, which would have been very unfair. So overall I'm not as upset over Prior's absence as Robinson is... I suppose so, but like Zaidi, Brown isn't quite there as a top six batsman. Having the option of playing Prior at six, meant that we could use Zaidi when conditions were favourable, and still retain four seamers. Likewise, we could always plum for the extra batsman if that was what was required. Of course that extra batsman could have been Prior himself, with Brown keeping wicket. The key to this is, finding a bowler, or a keeper, who can bat in the top six. Maybe this will be the season Brown shows us that he can be that man |
|
|
|
Post by hhsussex on Apr 11, 2015 13:21:49 GMT
Which must mean that the intention was for Prior to keep wicket, because to play him as a batsman only, in place of Cachopa or Yardy, would not impact upon the 'balance' of the side. So we have to assume that if Prior was fit, the plan was for the unfortunate Brown to spend the summer languishing in the second XI, which would have been very unfair. So overall I'm not as upset over Prior's absence as Robinson is... I suppose so, but like Zaidi, Brown isn't quite there as a top six batsman. Having the option of playing Prior at six, meant that we could use Zaidi when conditions were favourable, and still retain four seamers. Likewise, we could always plum for the extra batsman if that was what was required. Of course that extra batsman could have been Prior himself, with Brown keeping wicket. The key to this is, finding a bowler, or a keeper, who can bat in the top six. Maybe this will be the season Brown shows us that he can be that man But that would have been to have deprived ourselves of a first-rate wicket-keeper. Prior had a long journey turning himself into an adequate, then for a short time, a top class keeper, and then lost it again when his injuries restricted his mobility. He seldom displayed that kind of versatility for Sussex, usually turning out in a few matches as a kind of warm-up for England, sometimes as batsman, sometimes with the bonus of keeper as well.Meanwhile Brown has worked very hard at his craft and is probably the most under-rated keeper in England now, with 41 (from 14 matches) 64, and 59 dismissals since he became the regular wicket-keeper. He will never be a smoothly consistent batsman, but then you could hardly accuse Prior of that quality. |
|
