Window Cleaner

Hants will be lucky to make 200 today, batting is too weak for this competiton unless Gubbins makes a big score, which he hasn't today.

Poor start from the SB men's team today. All 3 Hants players failing dismally. The women's team got a win though.

Could be "ideology" sounds about right.

This is nothing that's not been said before really. I remember a colleague telling me about a book he'd been reading back in the early 80's written by some eminent ecologist or other. His line, from what I remember was that we shouldn't try too hard to eradicate disease in the 3rd world because it would eventually lead to chronic overpopulation to the detriment of all. Wish I could remember the author's name, I'd look it up to see how accurate his thesis has become.

Not me, I don't have access to that series. Apparently it's set up to draw new spectators into the game so it has to be up beat and for the masses doesn't it. Otherwise it would just be T20 with a few less balls. They talked about it a bit on the live stream commentary today and from what I could gather the opinion seemed to be that it was just another variant of the same game which uneccessarily depleted the counties due to the lack of major overseas "stars" ,engaged elsewhere.

Really not great from Hants today. Put in, didn't make anywhere near enough runs to have a defendable total and when we bowled there was no consistency at all. Far too many no balls, wides and leg side balls that were just asking to be clipped to the boundary. Apart from Alsop, who was missing today, I don't see that we have anyone available to make us look more solid in any of the lacking departments. Still we've done well in the CC and qualified in extremis in the T20 so I guess we can afford to dip out in the Royal London. The new bowler Turner did look quite quick and will probably be an asset when he learns to be more consistent.

Seems to be all about getting more international "stars" into domestic cricket and trying to promote the women's game. Now there I watched a bit of the Vipers stream the other day and frankly it's not very good at all. Probably about the standard of Taunton's School second XI when I was in it. Trouble is these ladies are probably getting paid for it. There are probably a few of them who are pretty handy but from the little I've seen they're a distinct minority.

Probably because of the endless stream of pointless international series which get most of the press attention. It seems that when a series ends another one starts a couple of days later. Not to mention the upcoming Hundred competiton, there seems to be a lot of press coverage for that.

Bit of a poor week for the Glosters then. Away QF at Notts for Hants by the look of it.

So either Gloucs or Sussex need to lose for Hants to qualify. What a run chase, 187 at what must have been nigh on 15 per over. Must have been good to watch, unfortunately I didn't. Might look at the stream replay later on.

Good day for Hants today. Pulled off a biggish run chase in the second game as well. Great batting all round today, some of the bowling in the second game was a bit questionable though. That said Sussex's was no better. Batsman's wicket seemingly. Not sure that we'll qualify for the knockout stage though. Depends on other results as well as Sunday's game.

I think there is at least some prize money at stake for the Divs 2 and 3. There's next seasons format to consider as well I suppose. If it's the same as this season there'd be seeding I suppose and if it's back to the old D1/D2 formula then then better placed teams in the two lower divisons might get boosted to the first division next season. If it went back to the 10/8 format which was due in 2020 it might be the 6 Div 1 sides from this season, top 3 from div 2 and top side from Div 3. Do we get Dawson and Vince back for Friday's T20 game?

So 5 out of the six qualifiers for Div 1 were part of the old first division as it was in 2019. Although Notts would have been relegated had 2020 proceeded as normal. Essex,Surrey and Kent missed out and Lancs got upgraded this time round although they would have been promoted in 2020 anyway.

Middlesex are total crap, even good players seem to sink to the bottom there.

Yorkshire will start below us I think, 4,5 points, half their total against Lancs. It's only the points against the other side from our group that count I think.So us and Somerset, Lancs and Yorks and Notts and Warks.

Well they've both made a big first class century for us already so I guess we can give them some slack.

Ah well we'll still start ahead of Yorkshire because they only got a total of 9 points against Lancashire I think. Even then they might end up with less if they get vfned points for the flooding at Headingly. It used to be zero points for an unsafe pitch but I think that has changed now.

What's the formula there? Is it half of the total points from the 2 matches?

So Division 1 is just 53 runs from 20 overs away for Hants. Took a while to get the last few Gloucs wickets but they kind of collapsed right at the end. Think the last three went down for 1 run. Presume that we won't cock this up.

Really not looking any too hopeful today. Got a wicket in the first over but since then nada, been tonked about a bit as well. Lead down to about 50 and still 6 wickets to get.

Well that didn't happen despite a fine start by Holland and Weatherly. Then we lost a few wickets and got pinned down somewhat. Ended the day 41 ahead with 5 wickets down. All to play for tomorrow.

Forecast doesn't look great. Second division is more than likely.

Much as expected Middlesex collapsed losing their last 6 wickets for about 15 runs. Strange how the filthy rich county that they obviously must be are just so poor at cricket just now. Doesn't change all that much for Hants, we'll need to beat Gloucestershire next week.

Although Middlesex are still holding up at tea at Cheltenham, only lost one wicket all day so far. That said, I don't think that their lower order batting is up to much so once the Glosters get amongst it a collapse is likely.

Skittled Surrey for 72 in the end and then got 2 wickets when they followed on. Good bowling from the seamers. We'll have to see if we can get Amla again for not too many tomorrow.