Willoughby/Mongia

[glyn]

It looks like the county have given up on a decent finish to the first-class season, with Willoughby having missed 2 out of last 3 championship games and Mongia missing this one with 'flu'. I'm sure they'll be back for the one-day promotion push.

If my guess is right then it makes sense to me, I don't expect either to be with Leics next season so why not give the youngsters a go.

Although the rain in the past two games has meant nobody has had much action anyway!

 

[CM]

Willoughby started today

I really don't rate the guy. Hes put in a few decent one day performances but hes been awful in the important competition, the county championship. I haven't seen Cummins play but hes returned some impressive figures. I would play him until the end of the season at the very least.

Mongia should go too. One good score all season. I think we've missed a big trick in not getting Chris Rogers, hes signed for Northants.

John Maunders got a big century today but I would still get rid of him. One swallow doesn't make a summer. Its sad that he can only get a big score because he knows his future in cricket is on the line. We're not a friggin Gravy train.

 

[glyn]

Willoughby only came in for Ottis Gibson so I guess they wanted one international to lead the line. And Masters has done very well recently. But I agree, why not go for broke and give Cummins a go alongside Masters and Broad.

Maunders has started bowling a bit, so I would give him one more season as a squad player. But set him some tough targets - 3 tons or 800+ runs at least.

Shame that Sadler has had injury problems recently. He was coming along nicely, especially in the onedayers.

 

[CM]

Aye, I saw Sadler in a few one day games and he looked like he had come along way since last season. Shame he doesn't play the Brett Lee bouncer that well!

Despite being 2nd bottom, I think we could do well next season. We have some good county players here but perhaps we are missing those special players that can win you close matches. Mongia and Willoughby out. I don't think t'aussies are playing next summer. MacGill and Martyn would do nicely

On a side note, any players you would want to leave this summer? Henderson has done poorly here in my book and should move on. I'd also let Nixon go, he hasn't done that poorly this season but I think New will be a key member of our side for a long time and now that he has proven he is good enough, he should come in. I don't really know much about the contract situation though, all I know is that Defreitas is retiring.

 

[glyn]

To be honest I think if we'd have had a consistent runscorer instead of Mongia and a paceman who could actually take wickets instead of Willougby we'd have done well this year. Last few matches - since Masters started taking wickets and our batsmen actually scored tons - we have done alright but the weather has been unkind. We've had maximum bonus pts three games in a row.

So get rid of the two overseas players and I think Ottis as well (although he'll probably stay as a coach). Keep Snape for a one-day contract only (otherwise he's being paid too much) as he should be nowhere near the first-class side.

I wouldn't be too disappointed if Nixon left - thanks for everything but time to move on. Hasn't scored a ton in years. New looks like he can score runs at this level (45* so far today) - if a little slow for opening in one-day cricket!

Henderson? Only if we get a spinner who can get 40+ wickets otherwise he's as good as any and can score runs. What happened to that young leg-spinner who went for coaching with Terry Jenner a couple of years ago?

 

[PONTUS KAAMARK]

Willoughby and Mongia havent up rooted any trees but I cant see us improving on ether of them too much but I agree both should go. I think I would get rid of Gibson as well.

I will still keep Nixon but agree New should get as much of a chance as possible. Nixon will probably be good coach as well, he was quality when he used to coach me (this was a long time ago!).

Blood the bowlers though defo. The only way they will ever become regular wicket takers is by bowling overs in the first team.

 

[CM]

I wouldn't mind if Ottis had another season. Hes done well in the past two seasons with 60 wickets last year and now 42 this year. He is also a very good coach. I heard Broad praising him a few weeks ago when the England U19 side were on TV.

As I was hinting at earlier, I would be tempted to go with an overseas spinner like Macgill (preferably Kumble) and get rid of Henderson. I don't think a pace attack of Gibson, Broad, Cummins, Dagnall, Masters, Maddy is that bad.

If we had a better spinner this year then we could have arguably won another 4 games. We let Yorkshire chase 400 in the final innings twice, We couldn't dismiss Somerset on the final day after they were following on and then against Worcestershire in our last game, we had them 5 down with a lot of time left. Our seamers were blocked and Henderson had no answers.

 

[glyn]

Great end to the season today with a fantastic win against a good batting side. Got to say I have been impressed with the county side for the last few championship matches. Decent batting, but most importantly a good pace attack led by Masters and Broad. Even Willoughy chipped in (but still think he should not be back). Ottis has taken hardly any wickets since June, so I wouldn't be bothered to see him give up the first-class game.

An attack of Masters, Broad, Cummins, a.n.other (overseas) would do a job next year I think. Chuffed to see Broad in the Academy. He won't be far down the list of full England call-ups at this rate, after all Tremlett is still fairly raw as well. I think they want to get them in young to the England camp.

I still think if we'd had Hodge or Rodgers instead of Mongia (averaged less than 40 - that's an absolute disgrace) and anyone else aside from Willoughby we would have competed in this division.

 

[CM]

We've played well towards the back end of the season. Beat Lancashire and we were in competitive positions against Derbyshire, Durham, Worcs and Northants. Rain probably stopped us from winning all 4!

Too bad we couldn't beat Derbyshire in that totesport match, otherwise we would have got promoted!

I think your assessment is pretty good Glyn. We need a top quality batsman and strike bowler. If we could pick up another good county batsmen (I hear Mike Carberry is available) then we could be challenging.

Any idea when we hear about the released players?

 

[Hazzman]

I hear a Surrey batsman mentioned could be joining.

 

[glyn]

Any idea when we hear about the released players?

not sure about that - it won't be long because some counties have already done it.

Heard that Alan Mullally is retiring. Never really made it as a test player but was a class act in our championship wins.

 

[glyn]

Released players are:
Dagnall (too many injuries - shame he was a decent one-day player. Good bloke, will probably carry on commentating for sky,
Nick Ferraby (can't comment really)
and
Brignull (never quite fast or accurate enough from what I saw)

BBC story

 

[Leesoh]

Released players are:
Dagnall (too many injuries - shame he was a decent one-day player. Good bloke, will probably carry on commentating for sky,

Shame, he's a legend after last year's Twenty20.