England (Internationals)

offdrive4 wrote:Everyone should read the latest article by Marcus.  He says proposals for next season include no championship cricket between mid-July and September and possibly three groups of six counties playing each other twice, therefore ten games and only five at home.  The suggestions are appalling.

Nothing between mid July and September isn't much different to this season, but the 10 match Championship proposal Strauss and others were desperate to push through was always going to rear its ugly head again. We'll never get more than 14 matches again, which is why we need to revert to the 8 team Division 1, so all the Championship contenders play each other twice.

Where is this article by Marcus, please?

https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/marcus-hooks-surrey-ccc-column-only-a-disastrous-collapse-can-deny-back-to-back-county-championship-titles/

I can't yet find any other. references to this, or any other concrete proposals for the 2024 season. Marcus must be very well informed...

Thanks for link.
Not sure about this as surely the counties would have to vote on any change and would it be feasible for 2024.
I suppose the 2 Dicks might be able to steamroller it through for 2025 but I'd hope their previous experiences would count for something.

It’s too late now to make changes for 2024 I believe in terms of reducing the number of games?

Well you can see why England were absolute rubbish. None of these have played 50 over cricket for at least 6 months and England only 43 ODI's in 4 years! And doesn't it show. New Zealand look a finely tuned outfit. Our bowling was the worst I've seen for ages, Topley is a waste of time, so is Willey, Rashid and Livingstone, we should ditch the lot. It was short, no pace rubbish and 290 on that small pitch was never enough. World Cup? On yer bike.

I had to search before I could find the article again, but then Jackers beat me to it. Information from Marcus can I think be relied on.

Sod England,i'm fed up with it.They play so often it's impossible (and a waste of time) trying to keep up with it.Most of it is absolutely pointless.

Jackers wrote:https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/marcus-hooks-surrey-ccc-column-only-a-disastrous-collapse-can-deny-back-to-back-county-championship-titles/

I can't yet find any other. references to this, or any other concrete proposals for the 2024 season. Marcus must be very well informed...

Thanks for the link from me too. Whilst I agree with Offdrive's earlier comment that the suggestions are ''appalling'', the possible introduction of three divisions with just ten Championship matches is - per Marcus' article - something that is being ''explored'' rather than being introduced in 2024. If it happens (and I pray not), it won't be as soon as that.

The reference to 2024 in Marcus' article is when it appears we won't be seeing County Champioship cricket played.

England 20/3. Middlesex are doing better - just - at 100/6.

3 x 6, with home and away fixtures, would be better than what we have now.

While it is unsatisfactory not to play all  opponents both home and away, a reduction from 14 to only 10 games would be far, far worse.

Two divisions of 9 with 8 games home and away would be the best solution. A team from each division would have to sit out each round, but 16 of the 18 could play. If the two short-form white ball competitions were merged
the 18 weeks of championship cricket required would be available within the calendar, I think.

Another option for creating space in the calendar for more championship cricket is to streamline the 50-over competition: eg add a couple of minor counties, 4 groups,

Yes, 2 x 9, with 16 games, would undoubtedly be my first choice.

We did it not so long ago?

We did. The challenge would be that we have since lost August to the wretched Hundred. The two white-ball competitions would need to be merged, as is now being proposed, to recreate the space in the calendar.

What would also help, though, is to streamline the 50-over competition, eg by adding a couple of minor counties and having a shorter group stage (five groups of four teams = 6 group games instead of the current 8, followed by QF, SF and Final). Group winners and 3 best performing runners-up to qualify for QFs.  If we accept that this competition is now destined to be a "development competition" (second-rate cricket), I think most of us would accept Surrey playing slightly fewer of these games in exchange for more championship cricket where we play all other teams twice.

Once they've changed it, it'll only be a couple of seasons before they change it again.

Brilliant bowling from Reece Topley

Personally I think all the 50 overs competition’s reduced to 40 overs. Since the increase in the T20 format.The 50 game over does now feels too long.

3 Day cricket? Fantastic weather in the last Round of CC matches how many games went 4 Days.

Jhe, I would prefer to stay at 50 overs, the longer the game the more scope there is for the game to ebb and flow, see yesterday where England looked dead, but came back! A major failing of T20/20 is that there is too little time for fortune to sway back and forth.

Has Isa Guha left the BBC? Because she’s awful and as a Sky viewer I really didn’t miss her commentary. But she’s back.

After what I witnessed today I’m very happy that Ben Stokes came out of ODI retirement.

What the thoughts on Gus Atkinson’s performances in the T20 and 50 Over Series?

Jhe10077 wrote:What the thoughts on Gus Atkinson’s performances in the T20 and 50 Over Series?

Really too early to say. He has bowled well although hasn't uprooted too many trees, but equally hasn't been poor. I reckon he and Topley are fighting for one place in the final XI, but I would leave them both out as it stands and play the extra batsman.

RB wrote:

Jhe10077 wrote:What the thoughts on Gus Atkinson’s performances in the T20 and 50 Over Series?

Really too early to say. He has bowled well although hasn't uprooted too many trees, but equally hasn't been poor. I reckon he and Topley are fighting for one place in the final XI, but I would leave them both out as it stands and play the extra batsman.

Probably same as if they were available for Surrey. Might make the XI, might not.