Weston Saint

No, when I make a decision not to go to cup games I mean all cup games. Be a bit flaky to pick and choose. That is not how I operate.

There was a time when FA Cup 3rd round was an exciting time for all football supporters. Those in the 1st and 2nd tier joined those remaining in the lower leagues. In those days there was no team rotation. You put out your strongest team. Now most of the top teams put out almost their second eleven or fringe players because of the squad system and the need to give overpaid players time on the field. The romance has gone. The expectation diminished. The excitement reduced. I made a decision at the beginning of last season not to pay to see our cup games. We are being short changed. Don’t get me wrong, I am not blaming Southampton FC. It is the same for the majority of the Premier and high flying Championship teams. Success in the League due to the high financial rewards has to be a priority particularly when you add in the rich returns from the European Champions League. Times have changed. The FA Cup is the worse for this change. However football at the higher level has shown a positive progress. The skill levels are better, the facilities including the pitches are so much better. Just look at the New Years day weather. Remember the mud patched of old. Yeovil was live on the TV that lunch time and it was the old fashioned mud bath. Switch over to Swansea and the pitch looked like a carpet. Then our game with Chelsea. A perfect pitch that looked just as good at the end as it did before kick off. The FA cup will never die. But it is fading. I suppose it is just one of the casualties of progress.

I was told about this on New Years eve. What was said was not revealed to me but it did upset Adam.

Deforestation is not causing an increase in Carbon Dioxide. How can it! However Deforestation is resulting in less Carbon Dioxide, caused by other means, being absorbed. There is a subtle difference.

For those not on Twitter Pochettino says there's still no timescale set for Artur Boruc's return from injury, while @danistone25 has picked up an illness. #saintsfc Pochettino: “I think we’ve started the season really well. We’ve been able to establish our style and philosophy.” #saintsfc Pochettino: “We have a young side for one competing in the #BPL but overall our first half of the season has been a positive one.” Pochettino: “Our project is based around young players. It’s important to nurture young talent.” #saintsfc Pochettino: “We’re much stronger when all of our players are fit. We’ve been hindered by injuries over the last two months.” #saintsfc Pochettino: “Our mentality never changes – we want to win our next game, whoever we’re playing against.” #saintsfc Pochettino: “On Wednesday we will be facing one of the best teams in England and in Europe in #CFC, but we want to win.” #saintsfc Pochettino: “When all of our players are fit, that'll make us a much stronger group – and then we'll know our potential for 2014.” Pochettino reiterates that Artur Boruc and @VictorWanyama will not be involved against #CFC on Wednesday. #saintsfc Pochettino will assess @danistone25’s fitness after he suffered an injury against #NUFC before falling ill over Christmas. #saintsfc

I will start with rule changes applying to next season The changes in summary: ‘Finning’ In relation to a bowler who breaks the wicket as they deliver the ball, ECB will adopt the Law change recently made by MCC stating that this is now a ‘No Ball’ and this will apply in all domestic cricket. Super Over The introduction of a Super Over in all tied NatWest T20 matches – including for the first time in group stages of the competition. Over Rates In the NatWest T20 competition, the time allowed for the incoming batsman to be ready at the wicket will be reduced from 90 seconds to 60 seconds. Points system: LV=County Championship An extra two points will be available for a draw in order to provide greater reward for hard-fought draws and matches where bad weather has affected the outcome. This will mean five points in total for a draw, 16 for a win. Bonus points remain unchanged. Coloured Crease Markings Alternative colours to white may be used as crease markings from next season – subject to successful trials. This change is designed to make crease markings easier to see for both spectators and TV viewers. Royal London One-Day Cup ODI playing conditions will be replicated in the Royal London One-Day Cup wherever possible and two new balls will be used. Heavy Roller A heavy roller, should it be made available, may only be used once by each per team per match for a maximum of seven minutes in LV= County Championship fixtures. However the decision on whether to make a heavy roller available or not will rest with the home team and this will also apply in the one-day competitions. A light roller must always be available. TV Umpire and foot-fault No balls: ICC regulations will apply in domestic cricket. At the request of the on-field Umpire at the bowler’s end, the TV Umpire should check for a No Ball – for dismissals only. TV Umpire and waist-high full tosses: Waist high full tosses will be reviewed by the Third Umpire at the request of the on-field Umpire at the bowler’s end for dismissals only. Any benefit of doubt should be with the batsman. With thanks to Terry Crump, Hampshire Committee Chairman who summarised the above

OptaJoe ‏@OptaJoe The average finishing position of teams who concede three goals in their opening eight PL games (like Southampton) is fifth.

He has just scored

Will Smith signs a 2 year contract. Presume he will bat at 4 Hamza Riazuddin has retired from First Class cricket as expected. Never really got going. Very intelligent lad from a good family. He will succeed outside of cricket. Adam Rouse, Jack Sheppard, Michael Roberts and Jake George. I knew Adam and Michael were going to be released. Never saw anything of Jack & Jake! Sean Terry given 2 year contract.

Australia have no fixtures during our summer season!

The overseas player is likely to be Faulkner. Not a done deal yet. We would like to have signed Watson but he wants next summer off. Harris would be happy to play in England next year but only for a 1st Div side! Listening to Coles today I think he is close to signing. Should know within a few days.

So we finish the season with back to back wins in what has been a very disappointing Championship season. Two semi finals in the one dayers has softened the blow but whilst the club want to do well in this format as it brings in the punters and much needed income the main aim was to gain promotion. My personal review of the Championship season players Adams Poor season for him with the bat. Two big scores mask the fact he had 7 ducks in the Championship and only 833 runs at 39.66. As captain he is a bit lacking in tactical knowhow when things are not going well but always willing to negotiate to get a chance of a result. 5/10 Carberry Only 687 runs at 42.93 and only one century in 16 innings is disappointing. However he has missed 5 matches. An England call up in all forms of the game is well deserved for a very focussed and hardworking player. 6/10 Dawson What a season he has had at number 3. 1031 runs at 49.09 is a fine effort. He just needs to get a few more big scores and he must get picked for the Lions next season. Only one 100 but eight 50’s and he is our best fielder (second slip) with 23 catches. He can bowl a bit as well but not used much as his batting and slip fielding need a high level of concentration. 8/10 McKenzie A class player and we will miss him. 433 runs at 48.11 in only 6 matches. 7/10 Vince Just pips Dawson as my player of the season. Has matured this season scoring consistently with four 100 and six 50’s. 1101 runs at 61.16. This season he has also shown what a few of us thought he could. An occasional back up seamer. 9 wickets at 44.00 might not seem much but it gives the skipper another player to turn to for something different. Good fielder too with 16 catches. 9/10 Ervine Poorish season for him but still an important part of the team at No 6. Only 458 runs at 25.44 is below the standards he has set himself and no 100’s to his name this season! In fact only four 50’s in 19 innings. Bowling wise he was used sparingly and took 17 wickets at 33.94. Good first slip fielder with 20 catches to his name. 5/10 Wheater The club always denied that they had promised him the WK gloves for the season despite both Essex and himself saying they did. I am told he bought out the remainder of his contract with Essex to join us. He is an ok wicket keeper and his batting whilst good in bits does not, in my opinion, justify Bates omission. 585 runs at 36.56 with two 100’s but only one 50 is ok but no more than that. 18 catches and 2 stumpings in 17 innings is not flattering when compared with Bates 16 catches in 8 innings. 6/10 Wood His batting has improved but he will come under pressure from Coles if he signs. 256 runs at 23.27 is a bit low for the all-rounder slot at No 8. However he is in the side as a bowler and 15 wickets at43.93 are less than flattering. 5/10 Balcombe Really disappointing season and his place is very much at risk. 22 wickets at 50.04 is one of the reasons we have struggled to bowl sides out. Shame because he is a nice chap, works hard and rarely gets any luck. 4/10 Briggs Not really done much this season. 22 wickets at 36.27 is moderate to say the least. Batting has improved averaging 27.11. Not bad for a number 10. 5/10 Tomlinson Stand out bowler for us. 53 wickets at 24.16 8/10 Other bit players Coles Has done well in the 5 games he has played. 21 wickets at 24.00 and a batting average of 29.5. 7/10 Bates I have said enough in the past about him. Should be automatic choice but his batting is still suspect although he has scored a few centuries in the 2nds.. Some of the catches he took down the leg side in the last few games most wicket keepers including Wheater, would not have taken. Hope the club recognise this. On wicket keeping alone 9/10 Terry Too his chance in the last 2 games he played with 50 in each. Hopefully he will get a new contract. The whispers from the Ageas Bowl look positive in that respect. 7/10 Roberts Has failed to step up from Minor Counties cricket in my opinion. Doubt we will see him next year! 4/10 Taylor Only 16 so one to watch. Unfair to rate him on one game

No we took him on loan until the end of the season. We are in talks but nothing agreed. Derbyshire are after him as well. Their rich chairman may win the day! Coles is definitely a talent but he is flawed. It is suggested he would not listen to Kent coaches on fitness and training. He is a bit overweight and he was sent home from Lions tour last year for disciplinary reasons - think it was late night drinking. Matt needs to sort himself out and mature a bit. I have spoken to him and he seems a pleasant enough individual. Worth us signing him on talent alone but Hampshire need to get a commitment from him that he will buckle down. He is young and pleanty of room for him to mature his attitude.

Sussex Membership for the same is £250

They are not right wing....they are right

Shame really as Terry Clarke was taken for £70,000 by the "old" club. Business went bust as well!! Terry Clarke builder and club creditor "Two weeks before the season I did some extension work to the dressing room at Fratton Park. I haven't been paid. They've taken advantage of me because I love Portsmouth. I've followed the club for 50 years — my dad took me when I was four years old. I've done my bit for the club over the years, sponsoring its youth development programme, introducing new clients to them, because I only want the best for Portsmouth. They played on my loyalties because I would never put any pressure on"

Yes this is Terry the builder who was owed £70,000 by the club.

The club were sinking financially. They approached Spurs to see if they could renegotiate the add on deal as real cash. At that stage Bale was not even featuring regularly in the Spurs line up. At the time it was a good deal. Forecast was merely a make weight, nothing more. How do I know? Because I have spoken to one of the Saints Directors of that time.

He is only 23 and has a taken 138 fist class wickets at an average of 22.9. He may end up a regular for Australia and next summer they only have a 3 match ODI in SL end of July beginning of August. Harris would have been the pick but he will only play for a Div 1 side. Of course we need a gun front line bowler but they are not out there, especially for 2nd Div teams.

4,500 plus turned up in the end. Look like a stodgy wicket and it suited Glamorgan. Some very disappointed people There has been a rumour on line (I am told) that Tremlett will not be offered an extension to his contract at the end of the season and may be heading back to us. The reaction I got was that we needed a bowler we could turn to but they are hard to get. Tremlett is a good player but spends more time off the field than on it so I doubt he is in Hampshire sights. One to watch out for could be James Faulkner. Not a given but ...........??????

Only 2,500 tickets sold for tomorrow so if you are thinking of walking up you will not have a problem getting a ticket

Yes it was convincing. Some nice strokes. I appreciate it was a flat wicket but he made more than most of the others on both sides. He is scoring well in the 2nds and although that is weaker opposition you still have to concentrate or be found out.

Michael Bates should be playing as wicket keeper in our Championship fixtures. I have found no one who thinks otherwise. Six catches, two superb down the leg side (sorry Wheater you would not have got near) and a convincing 71 has to give him the berth for the rest of the season. I understand Adam Rouse, also a good keeper and batsman, is being released at the end of the season. Griffiths has elected to sign for Kent for more game time. This has been an extremely disappointing Championship season. We need to rebuild and it has to start with the bowlers. Carberry, Adams, Dawson, Vince and Ervine will be our main batsmen. Roberts does not look like he will step up but perhaps he needs a run to give him a chance. As yet he has not been offered a deal, nor has Terry but I expect they will get a year contract. McKenzie will not be coming back for the season. His family commitments are sited as the reason Bowling department is a worry. We have Tomlinson who is worth his place next year if he can remain fit. Balcombe has failed to perform this season. Wood should get the number 8 position vacated by Dimi but he will be in competition with Coles, if he is given a contract. Braithwaite has a year and looks fairly quick but I reserve judgement until he has a few games under his belt. Riazuddin will likely leave 1st class cricket. I suspect he will go to University. We need a fast overseas bowler but that is more difficult. Spin will be filled by Briggs with the emerging Taylor to give him competition. I would look no further than Bates as wicket keeper for Championship Cricket.

That is better from Hampshire. 145 in 38 overs in the last morning session without losing a wicket. 8th Wicket partnership between Wheater and Coles of 153 so far. Still need 214 in final two sessions so no real change but at least a bit of a fight.

Bowled them out. Home semi now.