Will Beer

Beer is 29, a one year contract is neither here nor there, usually players get a one year contract at the beginning or end of their careers. Doesn’t show much confidence in the player does it?

magik's sources had it right and the one year contract extension is announced today. www.sussexcricket.co.uk/news-1/news-will-beer-signs-new-contract

The drip feed continues and we still await the key information: the fate of Davis and the direction of Salt.

It almost certainly rules out any real ambition or vision. Yes, Beer had great figures at Arundel, although the strength of the opposition and their readiness to collapse must detract a little from this, but he has now been a professional with Sussex for 10 years, given many opportunities in white-ball cricket at least and his star has waned in that format. He hasn't shown the obvious signs of dissatisfaction with his lot: going off to another county for a fresh start. His supporters will say that he has never had an extended run in the side and that may indicate that neither of his coaches feel that he is going to perform at the highest level. So why eke out another year? This looks like yet another of these embarrassingly inept "Sussex family" appointments; not having the determination to say to him that he doesn't meet the needs of the club, but neither being prepared to use him extensively.

For the avoidance of any doubt I am not suggesting that Briggs is the saviour; far from it, his contract seems to be another wasted opportunity and a brake on Sussex ambitions. All the time that they haver over whether to play Briggs becuse the wickets don't "suit" him they miss the opportunity to find a spinner that could be trusted, could deliver something - control if not destruction - on any wicket. And in turn that leads to unbalanced team selections, cramming the side with rightarm pacebowling allrounders, detracting from the batting strength.

If the rumours are true and Davis is on the way out, save for some details of contractual payoff, then this reappointment must have been made on the strong recommendation of someone other than Davis. Who could that be? Who would rather muddle through with his old alumni from Academy days and avoid difficult decisions?

Van Zyl replaced Joyce.

No, no, he was the replacement for Goodwin

It's a 'sad sad situation' as Elton John might sing about Will Beer.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL42GI-X5WA

Perhaps, a professional sportsman with about as much ambition as a wet tea bag on a hot day. 

Cricinfo sums this up: 

In 2009 he impressed for England Under-19s against New Zealand, taking 10 wickets at 17.10. In the same year it was his performance
on Twenty20 finals day, though, that grabbed attention as he blended wrist-spinning ability with guts to help Sussex take the title. Beer
was part of ECB's spin-bowling programme and was mentored by the late Terry Jenner. He spent the 2011 winter at Darren Lehmann's
cricket academy in Adelaide but his progress was slow and Sussex, it seemed, would have to show considerable patience if he was to have
a chance of making an impression in the first-class game.

I like Will Beer. I have interviewed him several times. But after chatting you ask yourself the question, 'Where's it gone wrong Will? Where is
that desire to live up to your potential?' Eight years after all the T20 accolades, he is now captain of the Sussex 2nd XI and is more a batsman
than a spinner.

If Sussex had been kind, they would have let Beer go some years ago and forced him to find another club. To achieve that Will would need to
change his mentality but at 29 years-old now, this seems a bit late.

Whoever the new Head Coach is, Beer may find a new lease of life under him? One hopes so.

Loyal to the end. Will may even gain the Sussex CCC Club buildings contract for decoration and painting, after he retires!