Overseas for 2024

Northants have released Josh Cobb.

Elgar has joined Essex

dougieginn wrote:Elgar has joined Essex

Yeah

Hopefully that means we get Tom Latham in, who to be honest i'd prefer.

Given recent news from MCCC, could I just ask - what's an overseas player?

adelaide wrote:Given recent news from MCCC, could I just ask - what's an overseas player?

What do you mean?

Latham would be a good move although not making loads of Runs atm.

VicNorth wrote:

adelaide wrote:Given recent news from MCCC, could I just ask - what's an overseas player?

What do you mean?

We can't afford one! Never mind swapping them in and out mid-season. I'm not sure if that also applies to the Blast. Probably yes as I don't think we had one last season. So for me reading this thread is a bit like the paupers staring at the rich man's castle! Got any spare change, guv?

To be fair we have found a few coins under the sofa to recruit Du Plooy and Henry Brookes but John Simpson has gone to Sussex, prospectively as captain. I really do fear for the county's future as the counties hosting franchises let greed overcome any principles they had. As I posted somewhere, when UI became a life member I thought it was for my life, no the club's.

John Simpson always appears to excel against Surrey.

Jhe10077 wrote:John Simpson always appears to excel against Surrey.

I think he just excelled full stop. His batting was good too but not quite good enough to be on the international radar. No replacement has been signed (budget again?) so it may be one of the occasional keepers that gets the job. Byes might do well.

I sympathise Adelaide, it can't be easy watching the club get weaker. I don’t think the ECB are going to move heaven and earth to help either, they would quite like a few counties to go bust, it would make lifeceasier for them. They could also make money from the greater availablability of Lords without having to stage those pesky county games. I think Middlesex will survive and hope they do.

Thanks, Offdrive. I suppose MCC members, as opposed to those running it, would probably like some first class cricket over and above Tests, rather than an endless sequence of one day franchise matches. There has always had to be some sort of agreement between MCC and Middlesex about who meets which costs and gets which revenue and a revised agreement which keeps the county afloat might be in their interests.

There is no way a Club the size and History of
Middlesex ccc can be allowed to go bust and not be supported.

I am not a MCC member nor am likely to be but if I were I would not be happy. MCC used to play first class matches against the tourists and the traditional match against the County Champions was first moved to the Middle East and now dropped all together. Way back the Varsity match and Eton v Harrow used to be big social occasions but we now live in very different times. I could never quite understand why the Varsity cricket match is considered elitist but the Boat race isn’t. Does the Rugby match still attract good crowds?. As Adelaide says Lord’s is in danger of just becoming another franchise venue so it is important that Middlesex remain there.

Thanks, everyone. I hope I am painting too bleak a picture.

I think the Boat Race is seen as less elitist because anyone can go to the river bank and watch it for free. Well, when I say "watch it", it is more like "watch it for thirty seconds and then wonder why you bothered". I remember my father, who was brought up in Hammersmith, saying that everyone there picked a crew to support, even though they had absolutely no connection to either. My favourite Boat Race was the one when one crew sank. I think I saw that on a TV in the Co-op in Wood Green!

What? Go off topic? Me???

Changing the subject completely.

Another New Zealand batsman comes to county cricket.

Tom Bruce signs for Lancashire.

Lancs now have 2 overseas players signed for whole season.

They are seriously going for the Championship.this season.

Tom Bruce played a few games for Surrey seconds a few years back.He also played for Sussex.

Jhe10077 wrote:They are seriously going for the Championship.this season.

You would hope so.

It's a shame Pat Cummins is in the IPL, because if he played county cricket, whichever county he played for might well win it, as he would be bowling sides out for under 100 regularly!

I know this is a terrible West Indies team, but in the first hour the bowling figures are thus:

Starc 0-12
Hazlewood 0-7
Cummins 2-4
Lyon 0-0

By the way Laurie Evans is making plenty runs
In the Big Bash League is he still connected to Surrey.?

Jhe10077 wrote:By the way Laurie Evans is making plenty runs
In the Big Bash League is he still connected to Surrey.?

Looks like he was only contracted to Surrey till end of 2023 season, can't see if his contract has been extended?

When you consider Roy and Jacks won't be available for much of the T20 campaign, you'd probably think his re-signing is needed. Can't see who would be at the top of our order otherwise (Burns, Sibley, Patel and Geddes don't seem to be natural one day players) + don't think Lawrence opens in one day matches.

I think Lawrence has opened for Essex in T20

Jhe10077 wrote:I think Lawrence has opened for Essex in T20

He's opened the bowling.

Not sure Roach is fully fit, his speeds in this Test are well down. But he has bowled quite well this morning.

Pace not such a problem when you Bowling on Greentops.