County Cricket 2021
 

Morning all.

As in previous years, I thought I'd create a separate thread specifically for County Cricket this season. The 'Cricket Thread' thread is normally used for international or general stuff.

After renewing my membership at the Oval (despite feeling somewhat hypocritical for doing so, based on me slagging off Richard Gould so much last year), I've just booked some tickets for the 1st 2 County Championship games this season vs Middx & Glocs in May. Looking forward to enjoying that new Lock/Laker stand.

Let's have the thoughts of the regular Surrey & Kent followers - there's always a few Essex, Sussex & Hants fans on here too - all welcome :p

Anyone looking forward to The Hundred? :wallbash:

Likewise, I've just booked tickets for each Saturday of the Middx and Gloucs matches. Hope the weather is ok.
Looking forward to seeing some live sport again, both at Selhurst and the Oval. Guildford was always good too, but with current circumstances, the Gloucs match had to be switched.
Haven't booked any T20 yet and can't say I'm too thrilled about The Hundred-just seems too manufactured.

Booked for Thurs and Sat of the two games and really looking forward to it.

Sadly seems that the possibility of 'trial events' in April isn't going to happen for cricket as was hopeful the Oval would be bidding to host as they did last summer.

Some talk of trying to get round the restrictions by allowing people to have dinner with cricket as background entertainment (hospitality restrictions ease in April) but can't see that happening.

Yeah, this is madness. You can sit in that rooftop bar & have a 2 course lunch on April 12th, 13th and 14th April but not on the 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th because there is a game on.......

I'm up for the county season after last years season having to be so short that will probably mean I will find it a let down.

It will be interesting to see how the new County Championship format works. I'll put a summary of how everything is working this year nearer the time.

I'm not sure how many games I can get to because of the restrictions. Kent have currently only have one four day game against Sussex in Beckenham. I'm hoping that some One Day Cup matches will be played there as well but the venues have not yet been announced. I will try to get to Canterbury for two T20s but that might not be straightforward.

I don't have a good feeling about the County Championship however in T20 I do have high hopes.

When the time comes it may be worth having a different thread for The Hundred and using this one for the One Day Cup.

If anyone wants to know how the ticketing for Kent works this year: https://www.kentcricket.co.uk/2021-season-general-faqs/

Same here renewed my season ticket not sure how many matches me and me Mrs will be able to watch this season

Forgot about that 100 question

I am genuinely looking forward to that and if it had the potential to knock 20/20 off it’s perch

What sort of crowds will they allow at the oval while covid is still an issue

I have heard half the stadium being filled in and imagine families would be allowed to sit together


Edit: done a Google and found this

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.e...3fplatform=amp

Think that is an old article from last summer - my understanding re the Oval is:

- first 2 county championship games will be without spectators

- the next two county championship games are after the 17th May and so if Step 3 occurs then there will c25% spectators allowed. Members are currently able to reserve a place for those games and if there remains capacity they may be sold to non-members from 5th April. There are 3 T20 games following these which I guess are likely to be on the same basis.

- all the other games are after 21st June when there is scheduled to be the removal of all restrictions and 100% of capacity permitted. It is possible proof of vaccination or a recent negative covid test may be required to gain entry.

Received my 2021Surrey membership card a while ago, but still awaiting membership pack. Anyone else got theirs yet?

No, I've not received my pack either but a mail, received from the club on Friday, stated '....we can confirm that 2021 Membership Packs have started being distributed and these will arrive with you in the next two weeks'

Cheers, I obviously didn't see that, but I note that if you apply for non-members' tickets for May, that you need the guest vouchers to produce as well, but that leaves plenty of time before then.

Yeah, exactly. I plan to nab a couple of Guest tix tomorrow & I'm fully confident that the vouchers will arrive by then :p

As I live in Gloucester I have a choice of Glos Worcester or Glamorgan for a season ticket
Bristol isn't much of a ground and aw kward to get to and new road is ok but gone for Sophia gardens this year
Easy to get to Cardiff by train great pub s and nice ground
Yes Glamorgan aren't that good but Sophia gardens is a good day out season ticket cost me £150
Let's hope I get to see some cricket

And we don't have to reserve seats as the ground is barely a third full

Got my Surrey membership for this season and got tickets for the Middlesex and Gloucestershire games in May :lux:

Cool, same here. See you there!

Received mine this morning :p

Yep, just received mine as well.

Yearbook etc arrived today,not long now :lux:

Got mines this morning but have lost track of what's going on. What's all this with the Middlesex and Glouc games. Have you got to apply for tickets for yourself if you are a member? So a member can't go without one,?

Correct. Due to the limited capacity, Members need to apply for tix (at a cost of £0). There was a Members’ Only window which has just passed, and, because there was still spare capacity, Members can now apply for tix for Guests (as well as for themselves).

If I try to buy tickets for either game I get rejected. Strange I had no communication from Surrey on the availibity. No emails. Best send them a mail

A brief summary of how everything works this summer and some key dates:

County Championship
A new format for this year. The counties have initially been put into three groups of six which is seeded based on performances in the 2019 County Championship and last year’s Bob Willis Trophy. Each side will play the others in the group home and away.

Group 1: Derbyshire, Durham, Essex, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire
Group 2: Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Leicestershire, Middlesex, Somerset, Surrey
Group 3: Glamorgan, Kent, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Sussex, Yorkshire

Once the first group stage is over the top two sides in each group will go into Division One, third and forth in Division Two and the last two sides in Division Three. In the division stage the points earned against the team you go into the second group with are carried forward and then play the other four sides once. The winners of Division One will be the County Championship winners while they join the team in second in the final of the Bob Willis Trophy as an additional trophy to win.

The first group runs from 8th April until 6th June and 4th July until 14th July. The Division stage runs from 30th August until 24th September. The Bob Willis Trophy final is between 27th September and 1st October at Lord’s.

In a change to 2019 team will get eight points for a draw. Somerset start the season on minus 8 points because the pitch penalty at the end of the 2019 season.

Counties are now allowed two overseas players in all competitions.

T20 Blast
Back to the format of two groups of nine.
The group stage begins on 9th June and ends on the 18th July.
The quarter finals are between the 24th and 27th August.
Finals day is the 18th September at Edgbaston.

One Day Cup
The counties are in two groups of nine. I believe they have been drawn by random.
Group A: Durham, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Sussex, Worcestershire
Group B: Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey, Warwickshire, Yorkshire

Before the group stage begins each side will play a minimum of one game against a National (formerly minor) County.
The group stage begins on 22nd July and the final round of games are on 12th August.
The top side in each group will reach the semi final to be played at home. The teams in second and third will go into the play off round.
The play off games are on August 14th and the semi finals on August 17th.
The final is on Thursday 19th August at Trent Bridge.

Happy opening day to the season everyone : may all your rain delays be short.

And the snow delays :D

Strong start from Surrey. 12/2.

:wallbash:

A bit surprised that Will Jacks was not named in the line-up.

Yeah, me too.

I struggle to see Overton, Clark, Topley & Atkinson getting many wickets but we'll see....

Haines sat at 79% of Sussex runs at lunch on day 1.

A duck for the new Durham skipper this morning.

:eek:

:D

We could be a bowler short but on paper it does not look bad. Amla to the rescue. Where is the West Indian lad. Too early maybe?

Stoneman is stealing a living.

Burns, Stoneman, Amla, Pope, Foakes, Clark, Smith, Overton, Atkinson, Virdi & Topley

No: Roy, Evans, Jacks, Moriarty, Curran or Curran

Roach was always going to be unlikely to play this match, Somerset is a more likely appearance.

No Clarke either. Even at the age of 142, I'll wager he'll still take more wickets than any of Clark, Overton, Atkinson & Topley.

Amla gone - 118/4 as I type.

Will we make 200?

144/6

We've lost more wickets than anyone else today. I assume that with a Top 5 of of Burns, Stoneman, Amla, Pope & Foakes, the conditions are very much helping the Glocs bowlers....... :rolleyes:

The daily score at the moment is 1492 runs for 42 wickets - that is an average of 35.5 runs per wicket in 9 games. Only one batting team has made it beyond 200 so far.

But only two are 8 down. And only one of those has 5 Test batsmen in their Top 5........

I mean if you are going to use facts against my attempts at silver linings Olympian2... :D

James Vince 121 no.(20x4, 3x6) Three attractive 40s for the price of one!

:p

It's been a good first day for Kent.

Three wickets were lost early but Kent have since reached 300. Cox, Leaning and Robinson scored half centuries.

And the usual old cobblers from Surrey.

Stevo sets himself up for a double ton tomorrow, at the ripe old age off 44

Surrey all out for 220 - second lowest score of the opening innings, only in-front of Derbyshire's 189 which was greatly helped by 3 of their top 5 getting Ducks.

And Glocs rocking along at 5/over, 100-0........

Can't wait to hear what 'Stewie' has to say about this one.......

Looks as if you made a correct prediction at present.

Ha! I could even have replaced 'many' with 'any'...... :supergrin:

Well he's halfway there :p

******* hell, that fella really is something :p

Looks like an early battle between Surrey and Somerset as to who is going to be worse with the bat this season.

Stevo is like a fine wine :D

Mrs Stevens should run a television cookery programme teaching middle aged men how to stay healthy for longer.

Kudos to Kents Darren Stevens. 45 years old. 35 career tons now and yesterday made him the oldest to score ton for over 30 years. What a player hes been. Most people stop club cricket nevr mind pro stuff by his age

Yep, massive kudos to him. In this day & age of white ball cricket with its innovative shots & amazing relay-boundary-catches, I love a good, honest reliable red ball county cricketer. See also Tim Murtagh.

Great knock from Foakes. Looks like it will end in a draw now. Did we give Stoneman another contract?

Think I spoke too soon. A quick 3 wicket loss puts us back in it with 70 overs left.

ps Our last 4 batsmen get 3 runs between them. Pathetic. We will lose now.

Players are so used to chases of 250 these days. Expect Glocs to see this off.

If it was 250 it would not be too bad but 228? 36/2 So not all over yet.

Surrey lost five for 15.

I hope we lose. This lot have no bottle.

Quite, Wolfie. Glocs put on 139 for the 1st wicket inside 28 overs on Day 2 & are now 182-2 off 33 overs right now.

Recent signings Overton & Clark have taken 0-166 but I bet they're on nice wages in Jolly Old London Town.

Shades of the Rory Hamilton-Brown era I fear, but unfortunately 'Stewie' is untouchable & Gould is literally counting Membership numbers & £££££...

Yup.

Great win for Somerset at Lords after conceding a 140 run 1st innings deficit.

I said last Sept, that Overton leaving the top team in the Bob Willis Trophy to join the worst team, when he was Somerset's leading wicket taker, was strange.

As you say, it can only be for the £££££s and he's hardly taken a wicket for us, since he's arrived.

Yeah, I remember that 'conversation' - I think I questioned whether you meant Craig but you were spot on :p

Just watching some of it now - Jordan Clark's bowling is atrocious. No wonder Gould needed to keep as much Members' fees as possible - Clark & The Lesser Spotted Plunkett can't have come cheap...

Overton and Clark 13 Overs for 93 runs

Stewie - 'Tough day at the office, need to execute our skills better, good opportunity to put it right quickly'

Gould - 'Kerching, kerching, kerching'

The Cricketing equivalent of Roy and Parish.

Back on it today

Derbyshire vs Worcs
Essex vs Durham
Notts vs Warks
Hants vs Middx
Somerset vs Glocs
Surrey vs Leics
Glamorgan vs Sussex
Kent vs Yorks
Lancs vs Northants

Last time Surrey placed Leics was when KP scored 355. I went to Day 1 & left the ground at stumps with KP & Sanga both 35* thinking ‘It might be a decent watch tomorrow’...

In other news, Stevo has become the oldest person since 1933 to be named as one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year. Fair play to him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/56750141

I'm taking the positives already.

Good to see Surrey going well again. The might of Leicester have just lost their first wicket, having already scored 130 runs.

Surrey executing their skills better today especially pie thrower Matt Dunn

I switched on for 5 minutes today, watched him go for 3 x leg-side 4s in one over & switched off again...

A disapointing day for Kent as Yorkshire are 358-8. Yorkshire (particularly Lyth) started very well but Kent did get back into it before Yorkshire had some good partnerships later on in the day.

Weather permitting it's 100 overs tomorrow and 88 overs on Saturday.

I watch a Sky interview with Gould yesterday. Having been soundly beaten by Glocs the week before & with Leics 75-0 at lunch (now 240-3), he said we had had a 'slow start'.

He's a spin doctor & a shit one at that.

**** me, Mohammad Abbas has got 5-6 for Hants vs Middx this morning.....

I'm a Middlesex fan and the batting has been this bad for a good few years now.

Fraser has his pet players and the captain Eskinazi is barely 2nd XI standard. Most supporters thought he should have been released five years ago but Gus loves him.

Swap you Gus for Stewie?

Surrey manage to keep Leicester's first innings total under 400

Pie thrower Matt Dunn 0 for 86, the usual par return for a mediocre 'pace' bowler

I wonder if there's a team in world sport that offers less value per player salary than Surrey's four-day offering?

Nice end to the day from Foakes & Pope, though :p

Pope has averaged 50 for Surrey in 50 matches. A great achievement Surely the best English batsman behind Joe Root. Great partnership from the two.
Let's hope they can go on today as we saw from the first innings the tail is grim.

Surrey are awful and terrible. (I'm hoping another moan from me might elicit a 150 lead on 1st Inns :p)

Delighted to see Pope continue his good form at the Oval. Before this innings he's averaged over 90, some achievement.

Is the match going to be put on hold due to the funeral? What better way to honour our landlord's dad than to knock up a 100 run lead and declare on the way in to watch?

Yeah, there’s a considerably extended tea break - I think it’s between 2:50 & 4:10...

Ollie Pope 203*

Jamie Smith going at a fair lick too...

245- It's a shame in some ways, as this is an innings which should have been witnessed by a crowd.

672-8dec, almost 300 ahead

Well played Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith a 234 run partnership

Three of the Leicestershire bowlers conceded 100 runs or more. One of them has figures of 1 for 172 and I thought Matt Dunn was a pie thrower

Can you pls come on here tomorrow morning and tell us, The Wicket must be an absolute road and there is no chance of Surrey bowling them out, in a day:D

Always found county cricket a bit naff in that they don't have a day 5 when many matches could do with it. Oval best not be a road for the next one.

I agree, when test cricket is a five day game. True most test matches don't go five days, but 5 day county cricket would alter the mindset and reduce the draws in county cricket.

He is. 0-145 at >4/over in the match.....

Amazing comeback from Essex, showing why they are the best county side at the moment, though it helps when you’ve got Simon Harmer bowling on Day 4.
Ollie Robinson( Sussex version) took 13 wickets in their victory over Glamorgan. Apparently pretty rapid, so maybe there or thereabouts for the New Zealand tests.

Yeah, quite. They must always believe they can take 10 wickets on any given day.