The curious case of Nick Welch

[zimfan1]

I saw Montgomery made his debut for Germany today.

Really interesting post Googly. One slight correction though, Ackerman has joined Durham not Derbyshire.

[Pat_Bee]

Leicestershire need chopping with the axe. Controversial perhaps but the future is built around the 8 franchises in The Hundred. There’s some counties and a lot of players who are passengers basically. The ultimate goal for any board has to be a pathway to the national side.

You’ve got two extremes, you’ve got our franchise circuit with maybe 100 blokes maximum in the whole thing where you’re kind of limited in who you can keep an eye on with a view to the national side or you’ve got the pom set up at the other extreme where the quality is no doubt watered down so the step up is massive.

[Googly]

The county system works in that the big counties regularly poach good players from lesser counties. Guys who probably wouldn't have originally got a look in with big counties but just needed opportunity.
If they reduced the number this would fall away and its one of the reasons England is so strong.

[Pat_Bee]

I see your point and agree with it to an extent. If you’ve got Leicestershire celebrating their first win in 4 seasons or whatever though, then their existence solely as a feeder county to the bigger ones seems pretty pointless.

I just massively have it in for anything England Twenty years they’ve ducked and dived us for now, then harp on about the spirit of the game, what spirit?!

[Googly]

Well it's not just England ducking us. We are mostly to blame though. What we have to do is get back on track and when we occasionally get to play the big boys we have to fight like hell.
ICC are the main culprits, we all know that.

[Pat_Bee]

Nah blame England

Fits the narrative of colonial oppressor. Poaching our players and not giving us a game.

Think their 50 over cup starts soon, will be interesting to see if Welch goes back to play in that.

[ZIMDOGGY]

The county system works in that the big counties regularly poach good players from lesser counties. Guys who probably wouldn't have originally got a look in with big counties but just needed opportunity.
If they reduced the number this would fall away and its one of the reasons England is so strong.

England are strong because they are a high population first world country with an established cricketing culture.
The county size hasnt contribute to this really. It used to cause a lot of isssues when players stepped up to international.

Australia have the opposite approach.
The last 40 years Australia has probably been the stronger one for about 33 of those and they 1/4 the population.

[Pat_Bee]

Shades got himself a run out in a random 50 over game for Nottinghamshire against a minor county (Norfolk) today.

Made a 25 ball 41* and picked up a catch and a stumping.

[secretzimbo]

Ben Curran has found himself dropped out of that Norfolk team as well. Not going well for him is it.

[Crastle_cog]

Byrom with another contract extension.