Overseas for the last 3

One thing in our favour is that Northants are desperate for win points: a draw is no good to them (hence their very generous declaration v Warwicks in the last game).
That means that even if we lose time through weather there should be a result. It's up.to.us to make sure we are on the right end of it.
One win from the last two should do. This is the banker.

Is there a chance we prepare a wicket more batter friendly than the normal pitches we have served up this season in case our weaker looking Batting line up unravels.

Jhe10077 wrote:Is there a chance we prepare a wicket more batter friendly than the normal pitches we have served up this season in case our weaker looking Batting line up  unravels.

No chance. But, Hampshire could be flat given they have a suspended penalty in play for a poor quality pitch.

Hoping both teams get a even break with the weather.

5th Batting point how many teams have got 450 in 110 first innings overs.Why not make it 4 Bowling 3,5,7,10. 4 Batting 250, 300,350,400.from110 Overs.

Maybe 4,6,8,10. Normally a lot easier to take 4 Wickets than make 250 Runs. Especially on the pitches we are playing on now.

Jhe10077 wrote:I wonder if Sam Curran is made available for our last 2 Championship Games?

No - I do wish people would read the press releases and statements properly before asking these sorts of questions.

We don't have any of the World Cup players (Roy, Curran, Atkinson, Topley) OR those selected against Ireland (Smith and Jacks).

Jhe10077 wrote:5th Batting point  how many teams have got 450 in 110 first innings overs.Why not make it 4 Bowling 3,5,7,10.   4 Batting 250, 300,350,400.from110 Overs.

I'd broadly support that, with a couple of slight tweaks.
4 batting points, at 250, 300, 350 and 400
4 bowling points, at 4, 6, 8 and 10.

bonus points available in the first 100 (rather than 110) overs.

Bowling used to be 3, 5, 7, 9.

The trouble with tying the last bowling point to the 10th wicket is batsmen retiring hurt or declarations with 9 down

I know declarations purely to deprive the opposition of a point are supposed to be outlawed but it is not easy to prove that that is what happened. Langer once declared on the first morning at 50-8, depriving the opponent of a point but his stated reason was to let his bowlers have a go before the pitch lost its juice.

I think declaring to deprive the opposition the chance of a cheap bowling point is a legitimate tactic. If you have scored your runs at a sufficient lick to put yourselves in the driving seat why on earth not? But if you misjudge it, you may cost your team the chance of a draw or win, or further batting points.

If you apply that principle then there is no need for No 11 to retire hurt when they are not injured. They can just declare.

It's interesting to look at the table and consider that the 'to play for' bits would be pretty much the same if it were simply 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw. (No bonus points.)

VicNorth wrote:It's interesting to look at the table and consider that the 'to play for' bits would be pretty much the same if it were simply 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw. (No bonus points.)

I'd agree to a point. There is no sense in having 5 points for scoring 450 in 110 overs because aside from Durham and I think one other county this summer, no one has achieved it. And really if a side has scored 400 plus and haven't been bowled out you shouldn't get bowling points at all. Actually it might be better to get rid of the lot of them as Vic says.

Jackers and all

If the last wicket is so cheap, it is scarcely worth rewarding!

On injuries, I was thinking of a player badly injured earlier in the match rather than no 11 conveniently retiring hurt. Why penalise the bowling side for that?

Of course you can have two such injuries but tying the last BP to wicket #9 makes the risk minimal and also decreases further the temptation to declare when it makes no sense in match terms but might in tournament terms (like the extreme case of the infamous Brian Rose one day declaration, which would now be illegal)