Start of County Championship season

[Yorkshire Blue]

Time to forget about England's world cup woes and concentrate on the mighty Essex's promotion campaign*

First up is Derbyshire, who have won the toss and elected to bat on the road that is known as Chelmsford.

Essex line-up as follows: Danish Kaneria, RC Irani, ML Pettini, MS Westfield, TJ Phillips, V Chopra, JS Foster, AJ Tudor, AN Cook, RN ten Doeschate, JD Middlebrook

Me thinks that won't be the batting order!

*or laugh at Statski's sorry Surrey.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Just realised that we have picked THREE spinners in April and seem to have forgotten to pick any batsmen.

What's happened to Andy Flower?

I think we'll line-up as follows:
1. Cook
2. Chopra
3. Pettini
4. Irani
5. Foster
6. ten Doeschate
7. Middlebrook
8. Phillips
9. Tudor
10. Westfield
11. Kaneria

 

[Uncle Leo]

What's happened to Andy Flower?

He's got a hip injury.

We were 9/4 favourites to win Division Two. This will be the first year since 2001 that I haven't bet on Essex to win their division (2002 being the only time I had a winner) hopefully not having the weight of my £25 won't drag them down again, but I'm not overly confident.

 

[The General]

Shame we wont see Nel for a while ...

We are lacking a real wicket taking quickie there! Napier has never really been the same since his injury, cant see G.Flower playing too much, need A.Flower to get back quick and the obvious return of Ravi!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

He's got a hip injury.

We were 9/4 favourites to win Division Two. This will be the first year since 2001 that I haven't bet on Essex to win their division (2002 being the only time I had a winner) hopefully not having the weight of my £25 won't drag them down again, but I'm not overly confident.

Cheers. How long is he likely to be out for?

I'm disappointed that we opted to play another all-rounder instead of giving young Westley a chance.

9/4 sounds very tempting to lay. I think a team with a more lively pitch will win the title.

 

[The General]

Danish Kaneria 3.0 2 3 1

He's off already but the poor bloke is going to be getting alot of over's under his belt this season i feel!

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Where's Bichel ??

 

[The General]

Where's Bichel ??

I thought it was gunna be Nel for the majority of the year (with Bichel replacing him for a while) this season!?!

 

[Uncle Leo]

Danish Kaneria 3.0 2 3 1

He's off already but the poor bloke is going to be getting alot of over's under his belt this season i feel!

I have a feeling that a condition of his contract is that we will be obliged to limit the number of overs he bowls in the Championship this year - something the PCB have imposed.

Remember a couple of years ago when he sent down well over 100 in a game vs Lancashire?

In answer to YB's question re Flower, no idea I'm afraid :(

 

[MrB]

TD strikes, 62-2.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Shame we wont see Nel for a while ...

We are lacking a real wicket taking quickie there! Napier has never really been the same since his injury, cant see G.Flower playing too much, need A.Flower to get back quick and the obvious return of Ravi!

I'm hoping that Westfield comes good this season, but I expect it will be him who makes way once Nel (or Bichel) arrives.

That Derbyshire line-up looks proper cack, but I expect Katich will fill his boots and give them enough runs to put us under pressure. Only two players average over 35 with the bat, and whilst Dean is a useful left-arm seam bowler that attack shouldn't frighten anyone.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

I thought it was gunna be Nel for the majority of the year (with Bichel replacing him for a while) this season!?!

Ah, wasn't sure which way round it was :thump:

 

[canveyshrimper]

I thought it was gunna be Nel for the majority of the year (with Bichel replacing him for a while) this season!?!

Nel won't be available until after the World Cup, and then only until June. Bichel will join then, although I thought he was available until Nel arrives.

3 spinners in April at Chelmsford are they expect it to be a bunsen?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I have a feeling that a condition of his contract is that we will be obliged to limit the number of overs he bowls in the Championship this year - something the PCB have imposed.

Remember a couple of years ago when he sent down well over 100 in a game vs Lancashire?

In answer to YB's question re Flower, no idea I'm afraid :(

http://www.ecb.co.uk/stats/fixtures/lancashire-v-essex-21-7-05,1763,FF.html

70.2 overs and he didn't even pick up a wicket!!!!

 

[The General]

Taken from website and posted last Friday!

Andy Flower
Andy has an osteochondral defect on his left femoral head in his hip. This is damage to the articular cartilage at the end of the bone. He is expected to return to play in 3-6 weeks.

Tony Palladino
Ultrasound scans have shown a small abdominal strain which is healing. Expected to return in 2-3 weeks.

( did well at back end of last season, and also a quickie)

Graham Napier
Graham has been experiencing right elbow pain which is emanating from his back. He is training and starting to bowl again at about 75% effort in the nets with a view to building up, providing there are no problems. Expected to return to play in 2-3 weeks.

Darren Thomas
Darren has a small tear in his right shoulder which appears not to be clinically significant. He also has a bursitis at the front of his shoulder which has been injected. Rehab is going well and he will progress to bowling in the nets next week. Expected to return to play in 1-3 weeks.

( that the ex Glamorgan one?! )

Jahid Ahmed
Jahid continues to work extremely hard to strengthen his core stability in order to overcome his bone abnormality in his lower back. Rehab is going very well and he is back bowling but not yet flat out. Hopefully he will be fully fit in 3-4 weeks.


So 4 bowlers out injured isn't helping our case, with our most classiest batter out too as well as being 1 foreign star down and without Ravi too!

 

[The General]

Right, by the looks of it, Nel is with us after the WC until mid-June and then Bichel will replace him from then until September time! ( which could also be extended)

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Taken from website and posted last Friday!

Andy Flower
Andy has an osteochondral defect on his left femoral head in his hip. This is damage to the articular cartilage at the end of the bone. He is expected to return to play in 3-6 weeks.

I've tried putting it into babelfish but still can't make sense of that, other than he'll be back in 3-6 weeks!

Don't think losing Thomas, Palladino, Ahmed and Napier is really that much of a loss.

 

[MrB]

Aka 'hip knack'.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Derbys 123-2 at lunch.

Katich 50* at nearly a run a ball seems good value for the first double hundred of the season....

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Get in there Dani.

Katich clean bowled for 50.