The Official 2019 County Cricket Season Thread

[Lou Grant]

The very definition of 'squeaky bum time' - wickets falling everywhere, two games running at the same time and big shifts in both. Good weather too - all brewing up nicely in the best of all sports.

Just praying for it to go the last match of the season - and then let the best team win. Home advantage would favour Somerset for sure.

[Holden Mcgroyne]

Lancy win the 2nd division.

[JW90]

"Aggers" wants to cut the number of county teams to 12. Also says we need a new audience for the game.

Clearly depriving a third of the clubs' fans the chance to watch their team is the best way to do it.

[Lou Grant]

Presumably teams like Middlesex and Surrey would survive while the likes of Essex and Somerset would be expected to merge themselves into their larger neighbouring counties. I mean what do these smaller clubs offer to the domestic game after all?

Also aren't the new audience getting the 100 ball competition? Goodness me, you can't go expecting all these women and young children to understand anything as complex as the 4 day game.

[JW90]

He wants to reduce it to 12. Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Northants, Sussex, Worcestershire and Kent would go, I reckon. Most are second division, none host international games, all are close proximity to Test counties and you still have the wider spread geographically.

I could see a sitation where the Championship is reduced and the rest play the limited overs stuff, almost as part-time teams.

[Lou Grant]

Well those may be mostly second division - but so were Essex until three years ago and now they are in with a chance of winning two out of the last 3 titles. The difference between the two divisions is much less than people make out. Cutting teams would be so arbitrary, because the case to retain Kent and lose Essex would have been stronger 3 years ago and may well be again when (if) such a thing comes to pass.

Next season will be a watershed for sure - 100 ball nonsense, 50 over contest downgraded, more hit and giggle cricket and less 4 day games. The county championship seems to have developed a good niche lately - close, competitive finishes to several recent seasons, rising audiences through live streaming of matches, and a growing older population that have the time to follow longer form cricket. It should be celebrated and nurtured -- the recent Ashes series showed that those that had been playing regular championship cricket (of either division) were often far more capable of performing in the test matches than those who hadn't. (Burns, Siddle, Broad, Labuschagne etc.)

[Holden Mcgroyne]

Looks like Somerset have bottled it yet again.

[subsub]

Looks like Somerset have bottled it yet again.

Not necessarily. If they win at home next week, they win the league.

Weather forecast not looking great, though… [-o<

[Lou Grant]

Ha, 'bottled it'. Abbot had the best match figures since Jim Laker.

Somerset need to produce a result wicket at Taunton, but they won't want the usual Cidarabad conditions against Harmer. I suspect a rare seam friendly green top might be in order.

[Jonathan]

Great weather for the T20 finals day. Should be a few decent games.

I’m sure the “Home of Cricket” are giving it their best coverage. Oh......

Edit : the first game looking a bit one sided so far.

[subsub]

Essex are champions!!!



The first team to win the championship and the T20 in the same season

[JW90]

Congrats to sub and Lou, brilliant season for you boys.

Another nondescipt season and wooden spoon in all three formats for Leicestershire. The club is in real strife on and off the pitch.

[Carlos J]

Poor old Somerset. Seems a bit harsh: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/50466256