Essex County Cricket 2011 Season

[yogi bear up the cagire]

WE'VE GOTTA LEAD!..........................123-2..........effectively 13-2. We are going to have to apply ourselves exceptionally well in batting in order to get a total anywhere near defendable......................350 comes to mind.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Surprisingly..........going quit well..........now 231-3. Mickleburgh actually scored some runs, eventually out for 64. Bopara still there on 91 and there is a second annoying stoppage due to rain. Just heard that there are even more showers forecast for tomorrow, so a draw starting to look favourite.
Bopara century.......................... 103 no

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Ton up for the Ravster

*applauds*

I think the weather may have done for this game - given the relatively slow scoring rate (and my namesake is partly to blame for that - talk about batting oneself into a rut), it's hard to see how we've got enough time to (a) make the game safe; (b) then set a competitive target and then (c) bowl them out.

Still, having been bowled out ourselves for 170-odd, I'd have taken a draw after the first innings...

Matt

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

This game is far from over. We're 150 ahead and there's an hour and a half left tonight.

Our best chance of winning is probably to be bowled out. Derby's a low-scoring ground and a weak batting line-up. Get some cloudcover and if it stays dry it's very much game on.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Looks finely balanced, we lost three quick wickets (finished 282-6) and we have a lead, I think, (maths not my strong point) of 173. We'll need to bat for most of the morning and add at least another eighty to make it relatively safe as even more showers are expected tomorrow. Pity about the weather, which could well deny us an exciting finish.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

If Fozzie is feeling brave, he may flash the willow tomorrow morning and then put them in for about 20 mins before lunch. Maybe. But it will require some puncy batting from him in particular. Let's see!

And YB - you appear to have forgotten that we may be operating with one Lopsyded end. We'll need 250 to make this interesting.

 

[canveyshrimper]

If Fozzie is feeling brave, he may flash the willow tomorrow morning and then put them in for about 20 mins before lunch. Maybe. But it will require some puncy batting from him in particular. Let's see!

And YB - you appear to have forgotten that we may be operating with one Lopsyded end. We'll need 250 to make this interesting.

Pun of the week. :clap:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

If Fozzie is feeling brave, he may flash the willow tomorrow morning and then put them in for about 20 mins before lunch. Maybe. But it will require some puncy batting from him in particular. Let's see!

And YB - you appear to have forgotten that we may be operating with one Lopsyded end. We'll need 250 to make this interesting.

Lopsy is our most likely matchwinner. I'm working on the basis that he can't possibly continue to be as bad as he's been so far and is due a good performance.

Anyway, a 250 lead is only 70 odd runs away with arguably our best batsman so far this season still to come.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

I admire your optimism re Lopsy; but you're bang on re Fozzie. Best form he's been in for years.

Shame we've got Lopsy, not Topley, to cotton on to their tail...

:winking:

PS how many 10 wicket matches has Masters had for Essex? Any? I'd love him to follow up his five-fer in the second innings...

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Essex 330/9, a lead of 221. If we can eke out another 10-15 runs, I fancy us to win this on a 4th day pitch.

Fossie continues his good form with 36*

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Essex 330/9, a lead of 221. If we can eke out another 10-15 runs, I fancy us to win this on a 4th day pitch.

Fossie continues his good form with 36*

No, sadly, we can't 331 all out ..........feeble tail-ender performance. That's probably thirty or so runs too short............now where are those predicted showers????

 

[canveyshrimper]

Sadly the only eked out another single. Derbys need 223 to win.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Masters strikes in the 3rd over, Derbys 9/1 :happy:

 

[canveyshrimper]

Wright opens the bowling with Masters.

 

[number11]

And sadly Wright is not proving much less expensive than Lopsy! Looks like we might need the golden arm of Ravi if we are to win this game.

Why did we not re-sign Danish by the way? Too much suspicion over the match fixing? He wasn't so great last year, but having a quality spinner allows you to use the other bowlers from one end rather than chopping and changing from both ends.

 

[canveyshrimper]

And sadly Wright is not proving much less expensive than Lopsy! Looks like we might need the golden arm of Ravi if we are to win this game.

Why did we not re-sign Danish by the way? Too much suspicion over the match fixing? He wasn't so great last year, but having a quality spinner allows you to use the other bowlers from one end rather than chopping and changing from both ends.

Alarmingly we've already conceded 6 no balls :stunned:
I'm not sure about Danish, he wasn't the same bowler last season, particularly after he was released from the Pakistan squad. Whether the betting / fixing allegations have a bearing I don't know. I've an idea that we may see Bryce McGain later in the summer.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

And sadly Wright is not proving much less expensive than Lopsy! Looks like we might need the golden arm of Ravi if we are to win this game.

Why did we not re-sign Danish by the way? Too much suspicion over the match fixing? He wasn't so great last year, but having a quality spinner allows you to use the other bowlers from one end rather than chopping and changing from both ends.

I understand that the official line is that we didn't sign him for financial reasons.

You are of course completely free to form your own opinion as to whether any other factors may have also played a part in that decision.

In unrelated news he's apparently still to be cleared by the Pakistan integrity committee although the police charges over here were dropped and nothing has been proved against him.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Bloody Hell!!! 26-3........................... Masters all of them! Madsen out.......he was their top scorer in the first innings.

 

[number11]

Bloody Hell!!! 26-3........................... Masters all of them! Madsen out.......he was their top scorer in the first innings.

Masters 7 overs, 3 wickets 8 runs conceded. Quite exceptional.

 

[MrB]

Derbyshire recovering at 79/3. 79/4 as I type, nice!

On a non Essex note, as at today, at the age of 40, Dominic Cork has 9,992 runs and 978 wickets in first class cricket. Will be quite an achievement to pass both landmarks this season for a player who appears to be a thoroughly nice bloke and was a solid player for England in the 90s.