Rocky joins Middlesex

Well done to Mark Stoneman, but this combined with his four-ball pair on Middlesex debut epitomises his frustrating inconsistency.

I have never been in any doubt that Cameron Steel is a downgrade.

Again he's first out and against the new ball!

To be fair the Sussex attack seems to be fresh from the kindergarten.
I doubt Steel would be first choice so comparison with one who was is a little unfair.
I still find it amazing that I can watch the live feed from the patio of a Cretan villa! Weather better in London today though ...

adelaide wrote:To be fair the Sussex attack seems to be fresh from the kindergarten.
I doubt Steel would be first choice so comparison with one who was is a little unfair.
I still find it amazing that I can watch the live feed from the patio of a Cretan villa! Weather better in London today though ...

But Steel became first choice when we allowed Stoneman to go.

I find it amazing that you have left your home. Enjoy your holiday anyway!

To be fair. Adelaide has a point. Steel or Patel are competing for a single opener's spot alongside Burns when all are available. But neither of them is as good as Stoneman, for all his frustrating inconsistency.

The best answer to our opener issues could be getting Will Jacks to study Rohit Sharma to see how he is able to be a world class opener in white and red ball cricket. They are both elegant players and with some work on his technique I don’t see why it couldn’t be done for Jacks as well.

I would have thought Jamie Smith would need less work on his technique than Will Jacks to offer an in-house solution to our opener problem - assuming he is relieved of glove duty once Foakes is back.

You may be right - but I don’t think Jacks would need as much work as people might think. The basics are there but the quality of pitches to allow it to work with him probably aren’t.

guildfordbat wrote:

adelaide wrote:To be fair the Sussex attack seems to be fresh from the kindergarten.
I doubt Steel would be first choice so comparison with one who was is a little unfair.
I still find it amazing that I can watch the live feed from the patio of a Cretan villa! Weather better in London today though ...

But Steel became first choice when we allowed Stoneman to go.

I find it amazing that you have left your home. Enjoy your holiday anyway!

Thanks! Back now. Very good until yesterday when it rained much of the day; even worse someone else had had the last kleftiko! I think being knocked over by the tumbleweed blowing through Gatwick was more dangerous than Covid (to the double jabbed) now but goodness you do have to faff around with tests and forms. My issue was always more with people thinking of ways of getting round government rules or guidance, or thinking that Dr Google must know better.

I wouldn't be surprised if Surrey signed another opener, though I've no real suggestions as to who. Haines at Sussex did well in their thrashing (twelve wickets for Middlesex leggies - unheard of) and was first to 1,000 runs but he's captain so unlikely to shift.

I'd like to see Dernbach bowling spin. Would he still have a slower ball?

Another duck for Stoneman today. It’s safe to say he’s not enjoying batting at Lords.

Trouble is he's been hit and miss for a few years, but I'd rather have him in the side than most of the current bunch.

109 today - his second 'ton' since joining Middlesex recently.