Hodgey

Really good result that, dug deep for the draw against a good outfit. Will need that kind of resilience for the rest of the games to have any chance of staying up.

Oval is a decent batting pitch, but our lack of genuine accurate pace (yes Baker could be this but he’s very green) or mystery spin means once a ball is worn and batsman in, it’s all similar fare. Our spinning dept is extremely weak without Dawson. I’d expect a Surrey score of 400 plus here, we need to actually bat well for once in the first innings to have any hope here. At least we are decent in the slug fests !! Taking a step back I’m just not sure where Hampshire go from here. As it stands they look like a Div2 make up the numbers kind of team. Might be best for all concerned to take the hit this year with a total rebuild next. Albert doesn’t look like a 4 day opener to me, Prest may make it as a one day player but not in 4 day, Organ definitely isn’t a front line spinner (appreciate they may have been caught out with Dawson retirement - but surely they saw this coming), we don’t seem to know what to do with Orr, Middleton has been totally exposed this season and most of last, Abbot can’t last forever - what is the succession plan etc etc. Then again, with the lack of money in 4 day do Hampshire really care ?.

What a game that was. Lumsden will learn a lot from that, I guess Wood didn’t really have a choice given lack of other bowlers but I felt he rotated them well. Currie again excellent and Dawson got a massive wicket in Jacks. Puts us in a great place at the halfway point. Good balance in the team at the moment. Next - championship game against Surrey - not that confident there.

Was a fun evening out that, was worried when I saw Jacks was back, but they really missed Jordan/ Overton and Atkinson from their attack - can’t believe that young spinner was their best specialist, also no idea why Sam Curran didn’t bowl at all. i thought 180 may be par when Surrey were 90 from 10, but some excellent bowling by Currie and Lumsden with Fuller much less erratic had them looking at 160 until Wood gets putting the ball in Clark’s arc. Some brief fizz from Prest and Albert, and a genius tactical move bringing Dawson up to allow the finishers to do what they are best at (even if they were not needed). I knew Dawson was capable of that but I’ve not seen that kind of aggression for a long time, he’s tended to be the nurdler keeping the scoreboard ticking role. Aside from beating an extremely good side, the big positive for me was seeing the aggression shown by the batsmen with Dawson and Albert showing they can regularly clear the rope to add to the destructive Vince, Cartwright, Stubbs and pinch hitting of Fuller. You can even afford a Weatherly to play anchor with the odd four if that continues. Bowling is a worry - we seem to be dependant on one of the youngsters playing well, which is asking a lot (although they have last two games). I’m not keen on Wood but I’m not convinced Baker wouldn’t be smashed around either (without the experience). Currie is our best bowler and rapidly becoming a key team member which is great to see. Think we have to accept that batters will tuck into one or both of Wood or Fuller in a number of games. Sundays game at a smaller ground could see a lot of runs - looking fwd to it.

Interesting but I don’t get this. If THB and Downes were terrible I’d agree - but they aren’t. So are you saying we overpaid for them, or that you think without the options to buy we would have found far better or bought in different positions ?. Im putting this in context of us buying utter gash such as Archer : bbd etc (ie our recruitment dept were incapable of finding gems rather than if they had another £40m they would have found better players) interested in your thoughts here

We need to play the loan system, was a big mistake not doing so last summer. Thats how we got up last time, and how we improved in January Get 3 or 4 decent loans in and that should negate the 3-4 top level players we will inevitably lose. Cant see us having much cash to spend with PSR and this being year 3 of parachute payments. Maybe £10-£12m depending on how much we get for players. BTW has everyone forgotten about Roslev or are we all agreed that he isn’t very good ??

Much better - Stubbs makes a massive difference - made Weatherly more relaxed and took the pressure off Cartwright. Not sure about Neals quality but he bowled well today. Commentators all thought a strike bowler is what we are missing (in place of Neal or Fuller) which I tend to agree with, Baker suggested but he’s a bit wild for me and gets hit about a lot (then again so does Fuller but on his day he can bat). Think we also need to find a replacement for Prest (Mayes ?) who sadly looks unable to fulfil his potential.

I think that batting looks really weak - I know they are waiting for Stubbs but too many nurdlers in that line up when you need rope clearers. The way 20/20 is played nowadays you have no room for the likes of Weatherly and Prest - unless they could be genuine anchors, which they can’t.

This is a really tough one - and actually sums up a lot - when the stakes are so high it’s almost as if any advantage should be taken. The reality is that there will be huge pressure to take advantage you can if the stakes are so high like they are in football. Let’s be honest - the behaviour we have shown hasn’t been anything to be proud of. Ends justifies the means of course, I guess my point is that if the stakes are so ridiculously high you may do or say things you would never normally do.

Think most of us saw this coming, aside from a brief glimmer we look woefully inadequate. Getting a solid first innings score is crucial, this is the third season in a row we have been criminally bad at it, but this time we don’t have Abbot/Barker/Abbas bailing us out (for the first two often with bat as well) I’m not sure we can describe all our young players as ‘non-league’, they’ve all shown huge talent in periods, but none have gone on and this season appears to have gone backwards. Whether that is bad coaching/management or simply being found out technically I’m not sure - but the fact Middleton / Prest / Albert / Currie and Turner all now look out of their depth is worrying (with Jack and even Mayes seemingly following suit) Maybe it’s simply that they don’t see a future in red ball and are waiting for the slog fests where the money is at (eg last year the latter 3 were all succesful in short form) As for this year - we look light in all departments, maybe Brown/Fuller/Dawson/ Gubbins / Abbott / Lehman can all fire at the same time for a few wins to keep ys competitive - or we’ll quickly be like last years saints……

The big issue here is precedent and deterrent. Sensibly two things need to happen here 1) The EFL need to declare a punishment on spying now - and it needs to be big. If its say £500k that’s not enough as I’d be happy to try and spy on an opposition knowing the risk is £500k vs potential reward of £200m. I would not be surprised if that’s a -6 (or higher) immediate point deduction (plus obviously a big wedge of cash for their coffers - this is the totally corrupt world of football after all). 2) They would then need to rule on us - do they have enough evidence to prove guilt ? How long are they going to need to legally build a bulletproof case ?. I assume this will take too long and will be too complicated to implement so I’d expect if found guilty our points punishment will be deterred to next season or when we find ourselves back in the epl (whichever is sooner) Of course the above remains unfair on other teams (especially Boro) in this instance if we clearly cheated (provable) as we’d have a delayed punishment. But realistically what would be the alternative ? - even if they wanted to go over the top with a 10p ban they can’t go back in time.

Fair point - but let’s see how we do in short overs. What I would say is that many of these players in the 5 day will do limited and morale / form will be horrendous.

Our batting continuing to disappoint. Can’t believe us getting zero batting points when an ordinary Glamorgan were on their way to 600 is on the cards.

Not sure even if we go full strength we win this as they are knackered, we may actually do better with reserve players - not having a decent 2nd string keeper is a problem but we cannot afford any injuries to Bree, Azaz, THB, Larin or Peretz so I’d go: Long Jelert-Wood-Quarshie-Wellington Charles-Bragg Edozie-Matsuki-Archer Stewart id also have the kids on the bench - Dibaga, Williams, Obrian-Whitmarsh, Oyenkunle

Quite happy with last two matches, good win and competitive against a really good side. Think we’ve all pegged that batting isn’t good enough for this level, and bowling attack does need a mystery spinner, also been unlucky with our overseas bowler (again). Will be touch and go in terms of staying up. Lehman looks like an inspired signing though