Hodgey

I called this after 4 games when I said they might as well give up and play the kids !. So enjoyable, really felt like they earnt that trophy - still don’t think they are the most talented squad, but they are a team where everyone contributes when needed and they just never give up. After that no ball I had no idea that Lancashire only needed 2 runs to win from the final ball. McDermott really came into his own in the latter stages of the tournament and Fuller has been absolutely excellent - deservedly pipped to man of tournament by Vince - not just for scoring the most runs but his catching, captaincy and even run outs have been crucial. What a rollercoaster - when they were 70-1 after 7 overs, even having seen Hampshires exploits before, I couldn’t see a way back in. Makes up for the dirge served up by saints in the last few month - maybe we can get Vince to give them a talk on application, teamwork and never giving up.

I’m hoping the pitch has got much trickier to bat on - otherwise this will be woefully short

Very professional display that. As long as the batters give the bowlers something to aim at they generally produce as they are hard to get away so take wickets as the batsmen feel pressure to keep up the run rate. Lancashire a form team like us so this will be interesting - come on Hampshire !!

Fair play to Surrey - pulled a win out from nowhere there !!

Haven’t they bought Peresic to play left wing back ? And they have Davies who can play there too as well as Regulion and Sessignon. Seems most unlikely to me

To dismantle as good a batting side as that, in their own back yard is outstanding. Ellis, Fuller and Wheal looked incredibly dangerous. Also pleased that Weatherly got a good knock in when we were wobbling a bit after a very quick start. Finals day again !!

Lost our way at the end there - couldn’t play Braithwaites very wide Yorkers at all. Think we may be 10-15 runs short there given their batting line up but let’s see…

Tough tough game - their nrr is huge so they’ve obviously thrashed a few. That said as you say they have lost as many as we have and finished with a loss tonight. Wonder if they’ll have a spin friendly pitch with Lintott and Briggs, and we also know all about Stirling and Davies from the hundred. Apparently it’ll be this Thursday…

Was going to post something when Hampshire were averaging 3 an over in the power play and just lost Vince and McD but this Hampshire team seem to be able to read wickets well. Prest took a crucial wicket and run out and Fuller continues to be excellent - everyone seems to contribute although Whitely remains in horrible Nick - given he’s just a short game players who only bats he’s having a shocking season so far. but if he scored a ton in the quarters all will be forgiven !!.

Difference in this game was the tail - we couldn’t get Essex tailenders out and that gave them 100 or so more runs. Also we clearly can’t play Harmer given his 14 wickets…all that after our openers had finally laid a decent foundation.

Good point, thought he was a seamer.. Well they survived that session…

Yep - if they have any kind of decent spinners we are in trouble. That said Twice Essex’s tail has amassed them a load of runs so if (they won’t) but if any of our batsmen get themselves in there is a chance. Need our openers to actually see off the new ball first mins…

I’ve seen him as a cb and he’s definitely put a foot wrong, inc one horrific pass that put a striker clean through (Forster saved him). He is much better there than right back, and is better with two other centre backs, but he isn’t good enough for anything other than doing a job for a couple of games, and for me is worse than Stephens, Bednerak and Lyanco. As mentioned, a really poor right back.

Not sure that’s fair - he’s more than that, in open play he still scored more goals than any of our midfielders, and he does assist in open play, plus he is an excellent (not just dependable) water carrier who often prevents goals, so no - not just a game changer for free kicks in decent positions. On the creativity front I do agree, some is due to our style but also poor quality finishing and we need better players to solve this - but these players are few and hard to get above competition . Not sure about your point on dead ball situations - a goals a goal, whether it’s from a free kick or an open play postage stamp from 30 yards it’ll still win games. If you happen to have someone who can do that the last thing you want is to lose them as you won’t find a replacement.

If we didn’t have JWP last year we’d probably have gone down. We know what he can do - he’s our captain, top goal scorer, is everywhere and assists. I honestly think if we sell him we go down - is that worth £75m - not for me. If however he really wants to go then £75m should be the price - means someone had to be really serious about starting him and allows JWP to leave with a chance of buying quality. As for our scouting skills - we’ve done ok recently, but there are so many holes in that squad already, and for every Livremento or Salisu there’s an Armstrong or Diallo.

After the first few games they’ve found a first 11 that complement each other. Today Vince went cheaply and they still posted a good score. The bowlers are all handy, think they’ll need to win the last two but as they play last they’ll know exactly what they need which is an (unfair but I’ll take it) advantage.

McD had a game to forget yesterday, 2 mis fields costing 8 runs and not troubling the scoreboard (after almost getting out for a golden duck). Whitely is the same, neither have contributed much this season. However both are big quick hitters and possible game winners and without them outside of Vince we don’t have many explosive players so I’d be patient with both. Also not sure we actually have a realistic alternate wk as does Brown even play T20 ? (Alsop and McManus both gone). Think both are lucky we have a very thin squad with Donald the alternative who has been even worse. On Vince - what a captain and batsman, but more players need to step up to take the pressure off him.

What an amazing game of cricket. Somerset we’re absolutely crusing, wood Wheal and Ellis exceptional. Can’t believe we won that by 14 runs !!

Not quite enough today, but that Surrey team has so much quality. Needed Vince or McD to stick around longer - great knock from Fuller at the end. At least it was competitive this time - now need to win the last few and hope someone else knocks Surrey out !

It’s an interesting one with this clear policy. Advantages are you often get kids who are totally fearless, unknown, and can make amazing starts. The danger is they’ll get found out later in the season and are often too early in their career to iterate. That on top of our cliff edge mental and fitness issues back end of season mean we’ll need to be basically safe by Mar. The fixture list makes me nervous as we’ve got a lot of winnable games in Apr and May. Then again we do have the World Cup break and by my reckoning we’ll only have a couple of players there so advantage with training, fitness and tactics which Ralph seems to need. Hopefully we’ll get the right sort of youngsters in - especially a cf (like the idea of Elanga) and a no 10.

Yep - it’s bonkers, as there are only 8 teams in div 2 you only play 14 games, so you only play 4 teams once and for us Surrey are one of them - they win the rest of their games they win it (unless something odd goes on with bonus points). Clearly that gives some teams advantages but that’s just the luck of it. Just as bonkers as suddenly playing t20 again for a week, then back to 4 dayers…players must not know if they are coming or going !!

Fantastic win that, this team have some mental strength as they seem to constantly bounce back. Just need Surrey to slip up somehow…

Vince is doing a real captains job in pacing innings according to pitch. Last two scores not big but they didnt chase a total not there and gave the bowlers something achievable. Wheal and Crane suddenly look like dangerous bowlers again, Prest could be a useful all rounder, Whetherly has found last years form and Albert is doing a great job. Just need Whitely to somehow get some form. Ellis also to come back (but may not regain his place..) Keep proving me wrong Hampshire - make my post writing you off look ridiculous !!

I too will go Bennet Vs Palace, he somehow made Shefti Kuchi look like Ronaldo in his prime that day. Honourable mentions go to Lundekvam against Portsmouth, Olly Lancashire away at QPR (I saw that red coming a mile off) and Boric against Arsenal when he tried to dribble pass Giroud twice (to be fair he was normally decent). I’d also put the ‘erratic’ performance of Grobellar away at City down but think that falls into a different bracket.

I was sensing Deja vu when our run rate slowed and middle order started caving, but good batting from Albert and Weatherly gave us some impetus and Essex showed it was a tough batting pitch if the bowlers were line and length. Unbelievably we are back in the mix as Somerset and Surrey running away with it leaving the rest beating each other. Fair play to Crane as well, off form but battled hard for his wicket under huge pressure.