Weston Saint

I think it is just a loss of form. I am unware of any conflict in the dressing room and as I meet with many of the teams parents during games and am good friends with some I think I would have had a hint. I also know most of the committee very well and often pass the time with the Chairman and Directors of the Ageas Bowl so again something would have come out by now. We have just got into a rut. However I do not agree it was a bad loss against Essex. It was a close loss and but for the experience of Bopara we would likely have won.

Shame about yesterday. We really needed a lead of 200 on a very spin friendly wicket. Colchester is an out ground where wicket wear quickly and are unpredictable. Cannot put my finger on why our batsmen are so out of form, fatigue apart. Anyway if we win tomorrow we qualify for T20 Bash QF with Surrey's result last night.

Top 4 in each of the two leagues go through. Top 2 at home next 2 away. It is in our hands. However if we miss out on a home game it will cost the club about £100,000 in income.

Looks like you have your wish. Good call Hampshire Squad: Adams ©, Briggs, Carberry, Coles, Dawson, Ervine, Rimmington, Smith, Taylor, Tomlinson, Vince, Wheater.

I have read the recent comments on this thread so will try to answer. Like many Test Match grounds the new drainage is meaning it is difficult to produce a balance between batting & bowling wickets although the water table level at Hampshire is not as low as some of the grounds but it does have an effect. On Monday we produced a very green “bowler friendly” wicket but yet again lost the toss. By late on the first day, despite it still looking very green, it became flat, slow and unresponsive. That said they bowled better than us in both innings! I have been there for all 6 days cricket. I have never seen so many players out of form at the same time in one team! Essex is going to be difficult. Abbott has left to join SA in SL for the Tests. I was with David Balcolme on Thursday morning. His knee has swelled overnight and he is unavailable. Spoke to Woods last night and he is not yet ready for 4 day cricket. Dawson is fit and available and will play. Watched him bowl in the 2nds on Thursday afternoon and he is ready. Coles was rested from the game to keep him fresh for Essex. Gatting was given a 2 year contract as cover. We wanted to strengthen the batting (I know!) and he had made 100 for the seconds coming into the game. I will be surprised to see him again this season! Rimmington has an English link but he is registered to an Aussie side at present so can only bowl as the overseas player. He was only bought in as a replacement for Abbott in the T20. We have no one else that can step up to the mark! Bowlers will be Tomlinson and Coles to open. Going to be a lot of bowling for Ervine, Vince Briggs, Dawson with back up from Maxwell & Smith Sat with Ervine after last night’s game. He is mentally and physically shattered. Decided not to find Carberry to have a chat as he seems in a strange place at present. However he has class and will find his form again. Thanks for some of the nice comments. It prompted me to post here. Will keep you in touch with what I can on the cricket front. Looking forward to the Test match. Have tickets for all 5 days, private pay bar (none of this queueing) and onsite parking.

Have been fed up with this forum and some of the mindless posters for a while now. Thank God it does not represent life. For me, I see no reason to post any more.

Remember the chant "We are Southampton, we're off to Brazil" Well we were but we seem to have lost some of them along the way! Possibility that all our World Cup stars will be starting the season somewhere else. Absolute tragedy for us supporters but plenty of memories from the last few seasons particularly the last one. New board, new Managment, new Team and with the money we have to spend, new optimism??

It matters to me as a supporter.

How can it be. You do not move up for less money. Silly analogy. Of course money is important. But so is stepping up on a bigger stage. The two go together.

Likewise.

Have to say if we can get him for £10m as Adam Lallana replacement our loss is an English born player but our gain is a player of at least equal ability/age and money in the bank on the deal. Yes please.

Not worthy of comment so I won't!

But will you wish Lambert & Shaw well or treat them all with the same disgust? If so I accept your comment.

I am saddened to see some of the comments regarding Adam Lallana. This is a guy who stayed with us when we got relegated from the Championship and has assisted us returning to the Premier just as much as Lambert. He has accepted wages way below what he might have got had he sought another club in that time. He has now reached 26, is an England International as has had an offer to play for a club who have qualified for Champions league. He has been loyal for many years. So what that he kissed the badge and said what he said about Southampton in the past. He has exceeded his own expectations both playing at Southampton and being selected for England and now wants to reach for the next level. He cannot get that at Southampton. This is his great opportunity. An opportunity that most of those who are knocking him would take if they had the opportunity. If the club were so determined to keep him they could have insisted he stuck to his contract but they appear to have accepted this is his great chance and with the right transfer fee have let him move on. Not much different from Lambert in my opinion. This is all about opportunity in a short career. Accept that and wish him well. Anything less is disingenuous to a long term servant, not a mercenary who came in for a year or so to use us as a stepping stone.

This is how I feel. We do not have the income (under financial fair play) to pay the wages required to gain or keep players to take us to the next level. Just like those outside of the top 4 or 5. It is they way of things now and it will remain the way of things in the future. I already have my season ticket so will continue to support this coming season but I think this will be my last year! Outside the top 12 at the end of next season and that will be it for me. Increase in season ticket more than inflation next season and that will also count against. I am lucky that I can afford Itchen central and Hampshire Cricket Executive Membership plus dining. However I am not going to continue to feed this obscene beast that is the Premier League unless it is on my terms. I will support from the armchair if we do not achieve my targets!

On a lighter note Adam Lallana on his move to Liverpool "It's a dream move for me. It just seemed the most logical way to avoid getting bitten next season".

Why did we not put them back in! The wicket is not going to get better. It is a dry wicket and Hants did not fancy last use with so much time available. The fact we are 264-2 vindicates with 2 days to go in good weather. That from our 1st team coach. Why is Vince not playing for England! Well he is disappointed he was not included in the ODI squad at least. That from his father Time and weather on our side. We should beat them. Fantastic bowling from our strike bowlers this morning. Briggs is now a Dad. Stanley Robert Briggs born today.

Could not agree more. May be time our little group went out for another drink and chat! Will send an email shortly to all.

I thought it was a good read. Since the high of the end of season I am growing more and more disillusioned as weeks pass. I renewed my season ticket this year for 2014/15 but there is a growing reluctance to do so in the future. I am one of the lucky ones who can afford it but I want a good return for my money Hopefully we get a good Manager who can settle what we have left after summer transfers and that he is of a stature who will attract good replacements and continue our journey. Football stinks at present!

Wheater has already said he does not want to be a batsman but a wicket keeper who can bat a bit. He has done well and can count himself unfortunate but Bates holds the gloves at present but needs to keep scoring runs to hold on. Maxwell is in for his spin and lets remember he is an Australian Test Cricketer. You do not just walk into that side.

Abbott has been rested because he has played every game since he came. The thoughts were that Worcester would prepare a wicket to compliment their spin attack so we wanted to strengthen our batting and at the same time give us a spin option. Abbott, although our overseas star, is low maintenance in the club and highly respected. I spoke to his father on Thursday and although he has been called up by SA they are allowing him to stay a few days longer and will miss the first couple of days of the training camp prior to the test matches. Dawson said he is progressing well and about 3 weeks away from recovery. I spoke to Dawson's mum a few weeks ago over what I thought was an overlook as Vice Captain this season but she said when it was talked about he ruled himself out immediately as he wants to concentrate on his own game.

Thanks for all the comments and for kpturner trying to explain. As he said we both know Adams father and at this stage would not dream for asking him what is going on. It is private and a position he has not been in before. Even if he did say something, which he has not since the last game of the season, I would no longer post it. I have his email mobile and home number and address but now is not the time. I took the same line with Drew Surman when there was speculation. As for his Agent, I cannot remember his name but he is not connected to the family but a professional agent. No more comment from me on the subject as I have nothing further of interest or opinion on the subject.

So if Lallana was simply telephoning the club to find out what was happening and to speak to them about his future and the board are not returning his calls I would say that has to be totally unacceptable. He is the first team captain and our most valuable player yet he is being ignored. Contract or not this is not how a club who claims openness should act. Are they panicking? It certainly looks that way. I am certain Adam Blackmore is reporting correctly. And for those asking I am told players do not get part of the transfer fee whether they ask for a transfer or not.

Not sure who Saint Charlie is but you are right, I was not present but you told me after!!

My opinion alone but it would be a great shame if Saints deny a great servant the opportunity of playing at a higher level in the Champions League. It has to be subject to the right price and I can understand Saints making sure they end up with £20M net. He is worth the £27M Liverpool will have to pay. By the way, I am told he does not get a cut in the transfer figure whether he asks to leave or not so his only focus is bettering his football career. As a Saints supporter I desperately want him to stay but I can see his point of view