seems a big con to me - at least county cricketers playing test cricket used to to go back for the occasional county game between tests

I hope the counties are well compensated for the loss of the england players ?

at Essex CCC - we used to lose the likes of Goochie,Fletcher & JK Lever etc etc but they always managed to turn out for county games through the season

Different world now though ain't it. And can anyone really argue that England's position in the world game in unrelated to central contracting? They're pretty well remunerated from those central contracts. I wouldn't care to guess what counties cough up.

Batsmen seem to play for their counties a lot more than bowlers.When Jimmy Anderson isn't playing for England he never plays for Lancs as he needs to rest inbetween test matches.The only time bowlers play for counties these days is if they're coming back from an injury.

Well looks like we're doing our best to join the list of those who have been relegated the year after winning the Championship.

Embrace it. Happens to the best of us.

last season was a fluke anyway !

Oh, ABD.... A t20 masterclass by the South African genius. 59* off 23 balls, a Stick Cricket-esque strike rate of 256. Put on 122 with Dilshan in 50 balls.

Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but if it was, then it was the most enjoyable fluke I've ever seen.

nah,it was great to see the Lancashire club having some success again - just wish my lot at Chelmsford would pull their fingers out !



what's the academy like at Lancs CCC nowadays ?

Essex still have Goochy running the batting side and Chris Silverwood (ex Yorks) doing the bowling as far as i'm aware

Gooch is full-time with England now. Much good as it did this winter. Mind, Gooch was rubbish against spin as well. Should have got Graham Thorpe in instead

wash your mouth out man !!!

Goochy was just brill.....Englands highest run scorer etc etc

Graham Thorpe - yes, quite agree - he would do an equally good job

The academy is quite active, we've had players selected for national representation at differing levels. The stiffs are usually there or there abouts in the Trophy and Championship, although they've got the Lancashire habit of losing at the last hurdle down to a 't'.

Something's going right somewhere, though, considering we won the title with a group of mainly home-grown players. Just a shame it doesn't look as right this year!

I'm hoping to get down to Chelmsford for the CB40 match, it's one of the 7 county HQs I need to tick off. If not I'll see you for the Championship match next season...

would love to mate but I haven't been to the uk since about 2006 (dads funeral) but I do miss the sporting events - although a native of Norfolk (the Edrich family & Parfitt fame) the closest First Class County was Essex and the pitch at Chelsmford used to be pretty decent - however,the occasional game at Southend was usually a farce ! I once saw about 25 wickets fall in one day on that track - Trevor Bailey was apoplectic !!!
Chelmsford is easy to get to nowadays with the multi storey carpark just opposite which makes life a lot easier

pity about the team though.....

I guess your location kinda gave that away, really.



I know the feeling about the team. Whilst Lancs had a lovely habit of winning trophies when I was a kid, in the ten years I've been a member there's been precious little to shout about apart from last season. It's almost comforting this year that things seem to be back to normal!

Apparently it's dry at Canterbury. Ain't holding my breath for play, but even if it does go ahead, we'll have played both games against Kent before April is out. Mental.

seems a weird game at Headingley - I thought it was covered with snow on the first day ?

extraordinary scoring as well ?

It snowed the day before, but it didn't hang around. Strange old game though with a number 9 making a ton for Kent.

Kent always were a pain in the rear,especially as the 'auld enemy' of Essex.....

how many brave souls made it to Headingley ? one man and his dog brrrhhhh! ?

52/2 last time I looked. Come friendly rains...

Mitchell Starc had better not be like that other Australian left-armer called Mitchell. We're going to need him to fire from the off to make up for the failings of the batters. 142/5

And in the IPL, Deccan are so desperate for a win that they've.... err.... dropped Dale Steyn. In favour of Rusty Theron. No, me neither.

Dale Steyn looks quality and will do the english batsmen some damage in the test series - definitely nippy ! Like his action too

Come on Kent

I'm sure our lads will try to do just that.




Metaphorically speaking, obviously.

are you a Man of Kent or a Kentish Man ?