Cricket County Championship

[Junior]

What a last day. 3 teams in with a shout of winning and 2 teams battling relegation. Went down to the last 5 overs of the season and a hat trick to finish it off.

Anyone think ink the declaration was generous ????

Feel for Yorkshire. Bairstowe wanted to play but wasn't allowed. Rashid wanted a rest apparently ?? Don't know about Root or Plunkett.

 

[DCB]

Cracking finish, what a time e for a hat trick. A whole season down to three balls. Excellent stuff.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Don't think Root was made available. Plunkett was but Yorks chose not to pick him.

I am just glad that, in the end, my lot didn't miss Chris Woakes too much. Another one denied to his county by England.

Congratulations to Middlesex, thought the declaration was too generous but how wrong was I?

 

[Hobbit]

What a last day. 3 teams in with a shout of winning and 2 teams battling relegation. Went down to the last 5 overs of the season and a hat trick to finish it off.

Anyone think ink the declaration was generous ????

Feel for Yorkshire. Bairstowe wanted to play but wasn't allowed. Rashid wanted a rest apparently ?? Don't know about Root or Plunkett.

Disappointed for Yorkshire, and well done to Middlesex. For me, it's a bit tainted. Yorkshire couldn't play some of their top players, thanks ECB, but Middlesex could pick Finn. Is that fair?

 

[TheDiablo]

Although he plays for the other side in London, delighted for a good mate of mine in Toby, unbelievable hat trick.

Great performance from him, how he hasn't played a test match yet I'm not sure. Would be perfectly suited to the Indian pitches but I'm not sure we will take him.

Great to have 3 teams in with a shout of winning in the last hour of the season!

 

[Junior]

Disappointed for Yorkshire, and well done to Middlesex. For me, it's a bit tainted. Yorkshire couldn't play some of their top players, thanks ECB, but Middlesex could pick Finn. Is that fair?

Thats what I didn't understand ...... Why let Finn (who is injury prone) play but not Bairstowe who openely said he wanted too.

 

[Junior]

Although he plays for the other side in London, delighted for a good mate of mine in Toby, unbelievable hat trick.

Great performance from him, how he hasn't played a test match yet I'm not sure. Would be perfectly suited to the Indian pitches but I'm not sure we will take him.

Great to have 3 teams in with a shout of winning in the last hour of the season!

He was very impressive. Proper fast bowler type build aswell. Don't think he'll get a look in whilst Woakes and Wood are fit but he is certainly deserves a place in the England camp.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

As a Somerset fan I'm obviously very disappointed.

But that spell after lunch where Yorkshire were just throwing puddings and then not bothering to field etc doesn't sit right with me - turned the season into a final T20 match , poor ending

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Thats what I didn't understand ...... Why let Finn (who is injury prone) play but not Bairstowe who openely said he wanted too.

Have to feel for the Yorkshire side and fans with Bairstow not being allowed to play and Rashid "needing a rest" in the biggest game of the season. Not a bad way to finish it for the neutral though

 

[louise_a]

As a Somerset fan I'm obviously very disappointed.

But that spell after lunch where Yorkshire were just throwing puddings and then not bothering to field etc doesn't sit right with me - turned the season into a final T20 match , poor ending

Contrived endings have happened for years, I remember years ago when Lancashire's Steve O'Shaughnessy scored the fastest ever 1st class 100 off rubbish bowling. Just a shame that it had a hand in decided the Championship today though.

On the subject of Lancs, glad to see we just managed to avoid relegation, a disappointing season after winning 3 matches early in the season.

 

[Hobbit]

As a Somerset fan I'm obviously very disappointed.

But that spell after lunch where Yorkshire were just throwing puddings and then not bothering to field etc doesn't sit right with me - turned the season into a final T20 match , poor ending

Or maybe Yorkshire wanted Middlesex to get a score they were comfortable on declaring with to give Yorkshire a chance to bat and win...

 

[Junior]

As a Somerset fan I'm obviously very disappointed.

But that spell after lunch where Yorkshire were just throwing puddings and then not bothering to field etc doesn't sit right with me - turned the season into a final T20 match , poor ending

Captains agreeing targets etc have always been part of the game, some think it's right, some don't. 240 off 40 overs was a tough ask on a final day pitch with no fielding restrictions. The damage was done by Malan and Gubbins playing so well in Middlesex 2nd innings and leaving Yorkshire no option but to chuck up some declaration stuff. Thought it was fascinating finish. Best for years.

 

[Fyldewhite]

To make a game of it between two sides is one thing but with another team still in and effectively eliminated by the "contrived" ending then sorry, that doesn't sit right with me. Not a cricket fan tbh but I suppose similar things happen in most sports when teams know exactly what they need to do.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Captains agreeing targets etc have always been part of the game, some think it's right, some don't. 240 off 40 overs was a tough ask on a final day pitch with no fielding restrictions. The damage was done by Malan and Gubbins playing so well in Middlesex 2nd innings and leaving Yorkshire no option but to chuck up some declaration stuff. Thought it was fascinating finish. Best for years.

That's fair enough if it's just those two teams involved - but another team was involved and they were manufactured out of the title by the way they went about it all and it just doesn't seem right to me

 

[Deleted member 18588]

To make a game of it between two sides is one thing but with another team still in and effectively eliminated by the "contrived" ending then sorry, that doesn't sit right with me. Not a cricket fan tbh but I suppose similar things happen in most sports when teams know exactly what they need to do.

It's all about timing.

If the two captains had contrived in this way to achieve a result in a mid-season game then they would probably have been praised for it.

However, to do so on the last day of the season where their actions would directly impinge upon the season's outcome for another team is perhaps rather unpleasant.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Slight left field thought, do you think the declaration was influenced by it being on telly?

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Slight left field thought, do you think the declaration was influenced by it being on telly?

Why??

A positive result would give the winner the title. With Somerset having already won a draw was no use to either side.

 

[Hobbit]

That's fair enough if it's just those two teams involved - but another team was involved and they were manufactured out of the title by the way they went about it all and it just doesn't seem right to me

What's not right about it? Both Yorkshire and Middlesex were in with a shout of winning the championship. Why would either give any consideration to Zummerzet?

 

[Junior]

That's fair enough if it's just those two teams involved - but another team was involved and they were manufactured out of the title by the way they went about it all and it just doesn't seem right to me

Good point. I wonder what would happen if say 3 teams were battling relegation and two teams of the three were playing each other and contrived a result to relegate the 3rd. That would be awful.

I didnt mind mind this one as they both had to win the match to become champion. What else could they do ? They couldn't exactly play out a boring draw with both teams needing a win.m

 

[Deleted member 15344]

What's not right about it? Both Yorkshire and Middlesex were in with a shout of winning the championship. Why would either give any consideration to Zummerzet?

Sorry but that bit of action for an hour or so wasn't cricket - they might as well had thrown under arm and had all the fielders sat down. It wasn't the "best effort" of the players. Both teams should have been made to earn the win instead of manufacturing a T20 run chase. Cheapened it all IMO