Here begins a weekly blog on the English county cricket circuit.
The much-maligned county season has begun in the traditional manner but in an unfamiliar environment. It's the MCC vs Champions match, usually played at Lord's but this time there's a difference. The match is being played in Abu Dhabi in a day/night environment, the first first-class match to do so. A pink ball is also being trialled, with the intention that it is visible under floodlights but doesn't discolour like the white ball in one-day games, so that it can last the full 80 overs. This could be a step in the right direction for Test cricket, as the night time element makes the game more accessible for those who have a job to attend! Fingers crossed that this trial is successful.
As I write, Durham have won the toss and batted and are 31/0. Steve Harmison plays and will be looking to prove a point to the England selectors who snubbed him in the winter, when an out-and-out pace bowler was what they really needed. The MCC are not as strong as they have been in previous years, mainly because a couple of players toured Bangladesh with the national squad and so have been rested. They are captained by Alex Gidman of Gloucestershire, with international experience from the likes of Mark Ramprakash, James Foster and Chris Tremlett
The winter was reasonably busy, simmering under as is standard for the county scene! Matthew Hoggard was cruelly cut by Yorkshire, only to be given the captain by Leicestershire - how will he marshall a young bunch led by the PCA Young Cricketer of the Year James Taylor? Monty Panesar, looking to rediscover his mojo, moved down to Sussex, former home of the gre
at Mushtaq Ahmed. Another former resident at Hove, Chris Adams, has slowly been building a new side in his role of director of cricket at Surrey - Steve Davies, Gareth Batty and Rory Hamilton-Brown have all been lured to the Oval. They will be wanting to put a couple of disappointing years behind them and start a new era.
The new season is upon us! I for one cannot wait!
RM
Next week: Reports from the match in Abu Dhabi and the opening university games of the season. Also a preview of the Championship, including my traditionally woeful predictions.
The much-maligned county season has begun in the traditional manner but in an unfamiliar environment. It's the MCC vs Champions match, usually played at Lord's but this time there's a difference. The match is being played in Abu Dhabi in a day/night environment, the first first-class match to do so. A pink ball is also being trialled, with the intention that it is visible under floodlights but doesn't discolour like the white ball in one-day games, so that it can last the full 80 overs. This could be a step in the right direction for Test cricket, as the night time element makes the game more accessible for those who have a job to attend! Fingers crossed that this trial is successful.
As I write, Durham have won the toss and batted and are 31/0. Steve Harmison plays and will be looking to prove a point to the England selectors who snubbed him in the winter, when an out-and-out pace bowler was what they really needed. The MCC are not as strong as they have been in previous years, mainly because a couple of players toured Bangladesh with the national squad and so have been rested. They are captained by Alex Gidman of Gloucestershire, with international experience from the likes of Mark Ramprakash, James Foster and Chris Tremlett
The winter was reasonably busy, simmering under as is standard for the county scene! Matthew Hoggard was cruelly cut by Yorkshire, only to be given the captain by Leicestershire - how will he marshall a young bunch led by the PCA Young Cricketer of the Year James Taylor? Monty Panesar, looking to rediscover his mojo, moved down to Sussex, former home of the gre
at Mushtaq Ahmed. Another former resident at Hove, Chris Adams, has slowly been building a new side in his role of director of cricket at Surrey - Steve Davies, Gareth Batty and Rory Hamilton-Brown have all been lured to the Oval. They will be wanting to put a couple of disappointing years behind them and start a new era.The new season is upon us! I for one cannot wait!
RM
Next week: Reports from the match in Abu Dhabi and the opening university games of the season. Also a preview of the Championship, including my traditionally woeful predictions.
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