Reggie is 34 and Raza and Craig are 36. They won't be around for 2027 but Reggie could be around for another 3-4 years and the other two for a couple of years.
I keep going back to Darren Stevens (45) and all things are possible
They need to do a study on this guy, he's a freak of nature. I see he hasn't been in the line up for the last couple of games which makes me bleak. I just love watching this man. He defies nature.
Realistically most guys knock it on the head by the age of 38-39, but everyone's abilities decline at different rates with age. It's not just their ability but I guess their desire, hence Cook retiring from International cricket yet remaining the best opener in England by a mile.
If/when they offer Reggie another role I'd think he will take it immediately. That's a stress free comfortable livelihood and he's probably itching for the day. You just have to look at Hammy in the green grass the other side of the fence and get all dreamy eyed. That will probably only happen when they find a suitable replacement. He will be rooting for a good keeper/batsman more than anyone I'd guess
Putting him in the side after he hasn't picked up a bat in 6 months is just plain weird. If you insist on picking local because thats their policy then surely this is a poor message? He needs to get back into the groove and the guys who have been playing should get a chance. It smacks of the selectors doing what they're told.
This English 4 day cricket is interesting to watch. Most of the top batters are clones of each other. They all focus on keeping the good balls out, don't make many mistakes, nudge it around and eventually they get a delivery with their name on it. There are very few guys that take the game to the bowlers.
Watch Bedingham, he's a South African, he's probably the most attacking batsman and he will get a call up the minute he is eligible I would think. He's damned good, has the most bizarre trigger, raises his toe to the seamers, but it works for him. Patel (Surrey) steps across to 4th and closes himself off completely and is currently a run machine. It's really bothering me that he doesn't go out every delivery as its all wrong
but he just doesn't miss the ball and the bowlers are terrified to bowl stump to stump because they know thats where he wants it, then they bowl 5th stump and hes already in position and bought himself half a second. Its vexing me
The big trick in this game is to not miss the ball.
Compton is suddenly struggling. This is a perplexing game, no wonder batsmen have mental health issues.
You're right about Byrom, Ireland would be a logical choice for him and his family are all in UK now. But you have to ask why they provide more stability and opportunity than Zim on a fraction of our budget. You ask any coach worth his salt and they will tell you what enormous ability Ed has, more than most of his peers. His inability to be consistent makes all of us scratch our heads. The one mistake he does make in red ball is score too slowly. I'd put him in the 50 over stuff to loosen him up a little as it would improve his 4 day game.
He's betwixt and between though because he plunders in Two's. It's a mental barrier he needs to get over.
If you're always 4 off 40 you're going to get a ball with your name on it whereas if you were 18 off 40 your innings is up and running. Somerset suddenly had some really good youngsters come through and they started giving them opportunities at Ed's expense, which is partly understandable as he wasn't performing consistently. It often comes down to a coach believing in you and sticking his neck out for you. You won't find that much in England. I know he much prefers the Glamorgan environment and is looking forward to playing there. One small thing can be career changing, good or bad.
I would think Raza will be around for as long as he can swing a bat. He comes and goes as he pleases and seems to genuinely enjoy his cricket. He's matured as a cricketer as well, bats a lot more sensibly. He also has other revenue streams so is not weighed down by the stresses of daily survival and doesn't have to dance to anyone's tune. I would think ZC treat him well.
Muyeye is going to have major stress to deal with getting that monkey off his back. He just cant get going in red ball. They made a mistake batting him at 3 and 4, he should be coming in at 6 until he finds his feet and he likes to feel bat on ball which makes 3 challenging. The fact that he got opportunity at 3-4 shows how excited Kent are about him though. All youngsters are like that. Hopefully he does well in the white ball. They took a chance trying to fast track him and its backfired and set him back a year basically. 6 good deliveries can set you back a year. One good delivery or a shit shot can end your career! What other sport offers this kind of stress?
He needs to relax because he's going to get way more leeway than anyone else ever because they're so desperate to prove they're not racist.
I can't wait to see how he goes in the T20. If he can do a quarter of what he did at the lower levels he will be sensational. Unfortunately these pro bowlers don't like being carted around
Possibly the main reason Welch hasn't had red ball exposure is because Leicestershire have had injuries amongst their bowlers so have had to pick guys that can bat and bowl which hasn't helped his cause. He used to be a reasonable leggie as a junior but lost the ability because he played up and never got the opportunity to continue bowling. Also not easy to be a front line batsman and a leggie. You can count those guys on two fingers. He was pulled out of the Middlesex game 20 minutes before the start because their seamer had a niggle and they were worried he wouldn't hold up. The all-rounder they put in his place got 99 not out
at Lords and has cemented his spot. Talk about taking your opportunities!! If they give him 4 red ball games on the trot he'll give you a big score, he knows how to construct an innings and make runs against quality bowling and he's one of the few guys that can really change gear with little risk.
I see Jayden Goodwin is out here on a family holiday. Somebody give him an NPL game, let's see the young man bat and bowl. He's unbelievably good.
Why can't ZC offer stability, decent packages and regular games? What is the issue exactly? Ireland can do it on the sniff of an oil rag. It would be simple to get some of these guys to consider a change. The guys here are not showing allegiance, they're trapped, big difference!!
I've thought long and hard about what you said about these guys not doing much in the UK and therefore what can they offer internationally. Its a good discussion.
What about Ballance? Forget the racial thing for this purpose. No doubting his pedigree, would ZC have offered him a deal? You'd have to think absolutely yes , yet he "failed" on the international stage. If they wouldn't then we are all wasting our time. If he had made himself available and ZC had turned him down then you'd have to seriously question their motives. He is leagues ahead of anyone here. Would he win us games regularly? No. He'd win the odd one, give us a fighting chance in others and turn massacres into acceptable losses and he'd bring huge experience and stability. Will anybody amongst out current batsmen ever be as good as Ballance? Anyone who thinks so is smoking something deadly poisonous.
If ZC wouldn't consider him, as I said, it goes to motive. You know immediately that
a) money may be a factor in that the bosses would have to take less to be within budget. They've worked out long back that they can treat everybody like shit and they just have to doff their caps and wiggle with delight.
b) colour may be an issue. Its much better but will forever unfortunately be a factor.
c) they believe in miracles with our current players. Anybody who thinks we can find a top order needs to buy lotto tickets (jury still out on Wes)
d) winning is not a priority. Winning a qualifier is, but after that it doesn't matter.
e)There's no stress that we can't get more than 200 spectators to an international. There are more people that attend impromptu braais. Cricket is now only for friends and family and regulars at the Keg because nobody expects a win. Cricket used to fill HSC ffs and not because we were winning regularly, but because the fans thought we stood a chance.
f) with Rajput still in the mix you know as a fact that ZC have not prioritised the game. They are juggling their own balls and they're not 156g leather ones. I wish someone would shed some light on what the real story is here.
If we want half a chance of putting out a team that will scrap, that gives the coaches (excluding Rajput) something to really work with what they are currently doing cannot work. Clearly they're going to try and prove that it can. The only way to hide the truth is to play as few games as possible. We just need a full international schedule and some A games and the utter futility of this will be exposed.
Ask anyone with knowledge if they'd like to have failures like Byrom, Muyeye and Welch in their squad
Man, I'd love these 3 guys to come out here for a season and put them in the same team. People would be shouting "get them in the team" and there would be much enthusiasm because that would be a tough side to beat . The irony of that. Do well here and you're a world beater, but don't go and fetch them because you wouldn't look like a mafia boss