The Reverse Sweep

County Championship XI of the week #12

Neil McKenzie (Hampshire) - Whilst his former South African team mates ground England into the dust at The Oval, the Hampshire opener took 139 runs off the Essex attack at Chelmsford. 

Sam Northeast (Kent) - Hit a stylish hundred - the fourth of his first-class career - as the game with Glamorgan petered out to a draw.

Nick Compton (Somerset) - Kept his side in the game against Warwickshire with an unbeaten 73 in the first innings and then provided sterling support to Kieswetter as Somerset pulled off a remarkable turnaround at Taunton. 

Jim Troughton (Warwickshire) - The captain's hundred looked to have set up a decisive advantage for the title challengers at Taunton before Somerset turned the tables in the second innings.

Craig Kieswetter (Somerset) - Bludgeoned Somerset to a narrow one wicket victory against the Division 1 leaders with 152 from just 170 balls at Taunton.

Moeen Ali (Worcestershire) - Won the battle of the part-time bowlers with 12 wickets to Steven Croft's nine as Lancashire were humbled at Old Trafford.  

David Wheater (Essex) - Nearly pulled off a remarkable heist at Chelmsford, but with his score on 98 and Essex just three runs short of their 360 run target, the keeper holed out to Sean Ervine on the long-on boundary

Ben Scott (Worcestershire) - A week for keepers - as well as Kieswetter and Wheater, Mark Wallace hit a hundred and Chris Read 98, but Scott's 1st innings hundred proved decisive in a low-scoring contest at Old Trafford.

Alfonso Thomas (Somerset) - Demonstrated that he isn't just a limited overs specialist with nine wickets as Somerset beat previously unbeaten Warwickshire at Taunton. 

Steve Magoffin (Sussex) - Was the difference between the sides at Arundel with match figures of nine for 50 (off 34.4 overs) and then hit the winning runs after Sussex had stumbled in their pursuit of 94 against basement side Durham.

James Tomlinson (Hampshire) - Grabbed five for 86 including the final wicket of Wheater as Hampshire narrowly defeated Essex at Chelmsford.

Where next?

Read our previous County Championship XI's of the week

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

The Holy Grail, Nick Compton, Indiana Jones and the dastardly Graeme Hick

So in the end God’s only way of preventing Nick Compton from drinking from the Holy Grail of 1,000 first-class runs by the end of May was to send the rain clouds to Worcester. Compton was playing himself in and had reached nine not out – just 50 runs short of the landmark – when the deluge arrived and play was abandoned for the day.

We’re pretty sure Graeme Hick had an influence somewhere. The last man to sup nectar from the legendary grail accomplished his feat at his beloved New Road in 1988. God and Hick obviously decided between them that for Compton to have the temerity to try and emulate the former Worcestershire batsman at the same ground was too much.

So Nick Compton is no Indiana Jones after all then.

Where next?

Nick Compton and the Holy Grail

Kevin Pietersen's retirement from limited-overs cricket: the case for the defence

Nick Compton: runs and jokes at Kevin Pietersen's expense

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Nick Compton and the Holy Grail

Last year we got momentarily excited when Marcus Trescothick nearly secured the Holy Grail of 1,000 first-class runs by the end of May.

Trescothick would have been the first batsman to achieve the feat since 1988 when Graeme Hick set expectations of the international career he would be eligible to start for England three summers later.

This time it is the turn of Trescothick's Somerset team mate who has enjoyed a relevatory start to the season and with the game at Worcester starting tomorrow probably has one chance to the 59 runs he needs to become the ninth batsman to emulate Indiana Jones and sup the elixir of life from the Grail.

WG Grace was the first to achieve the feat in 1895 and was followed by Tom Hayward (1900), Wally Hammond (1927), Charles Hallows (1928), Don Bradman (1930 and 1938), Bill Edrich (1938) and Glenn Turner (1973) before Hick (1988). Even Compton's illustrious grandfather didn't manage to achieve this milestone.

If the season continues to start earlier and earlier each year, the chances are that this exclusive club could increase its membership on a far more regular basis. But that shouldn't detract from Compton's sublime performances this year.

Hick was helped in no small measure by the 405 he scored at Taunton for Worcestershire, so it would be rather apt if Somerset's Compton emulated him at Worcester tomorrow or Thursday.

Where next?

Nick Compton: runs and jokes at Kevin Pietersen's expense

Kevin Pietersen is innocent (and right about Nick Knight)

Hedley Verity - a proper hero with 'no breaking point'

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #3

Arul Suppiah (Somerset) – Stepped up in the absence of his skipper and usual opening partner to prove that a top order batsman can flourish at the bowling mecca of Trent Bridge.

Phil Jacques (Yorkshire) – Looked a class apart (along with our number four) as he eased to an effortless hundred at Headingley. How the Australian selectors saw fit to give him just 11 Test caps - despite an average over 47 - defies belief.

Nick Compton (Somerset) – Grandad Denis’ 1947 haul of 3816 first-class runs for the season is still some way off, but Compton is in the form of his life and took his tally to 685 (and we’re still in April) with his second double ton of the season against Notts. Alas, rain prevented Somerset recording a deserved win.

Ravi Bopara (Essex) – After a winter mostly serving drinks and twiddling his thumbs, the unluckiest batsman in the country gave the selectors something to think about with a brilliant unbeaten 117 out of an Essex total of 199 at Headingley.

Sean Ervine (Hampshire) – He may not have reached three figures like Ben Wright did in the same match, but the Zimbabwean’s 75 off 92 balls helped Hampshire chase down a tricky target in the nick of time at Cardiff.

Chris Read (Nottinghamshire) – Baled out his red-faced batsmen with a superb unbeaten 104 (out of a total of 162) against Somerset and now averages in the high forties since the start of 2009. Indeed, he has saved Nottinghamshire’s skin so many times, that Marvel Comics are reportedly developing a super hero in the diminutive Read’s image.

Darren Maddy (Warwickshire) – The veteran had a game to remember at Aigburth with four Lancashire wickets in the first innings followed by a courageous hundred made mostly in partnership with Rikki Clarke that saw Warwickshire turn likely defeat into victory against the team that pipped them for the title last season.

Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire) – Strode to the crease with his side in desperate trouble at 81/7 against the Champions but was unafraid to play his shots in a stand of 224 with Maddy, duly collected 140 runs and promptly turned the match on its head.

Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire) – There weren’t many pickings for spinners on a dismal weekend of weather, but a week after blasting his side to victory with the bat against Somerset, Patel took five Lancashire second innings wickets to help his side to a second win out of two.

Graham Onions (Durham) – Got the first ten-wicket match haul of his career, took the England captain’s scalp in both innings and was the best bowler on show from either side at Lord’s. That's not nudging the selectors that is giving them an almighty shove.

Alan Richardson (Worcestershire) – Some have questioned his inclusion as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year – as if almost single-handedly keeping his county in Division 1 last season wasn’t enough. Ten wickets at The Oval should quieten the doubters for now.

Where next?

Naughty boy nets - 2012 style

County Championship XI of the week #2

County Championship XI of the week #1

County Championship preview: Our XI to watch in 2012

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship 2012 Preview: Division 1 - Worcestershire

Odds-on favourites to go down even before they lost their first six games last season, Worcestershire somehow defied history and circumstance to escape the relegation trap-door and temporarily at least lose their yo-yo tag. Can they survive again in 2012?

Strengths

The knowledge that they can compete at this level ought to embolden a threadbare squad. If (and it's a big if) Phil Hughes can regain the form and confidence of his sojourn with Middlesex in 2009 then he will prove to be an inspired acquisition as overseas player. His fellow countryman Michael Klinger is a good choice until Hughes arrives. The seam attack is led by the experienced Alan Richardson - last season's leading wicket taker in Division 1. 

Weaknesses

If Hughes doesn't fire then big runs will be required from Vikram Solanki and Moeen Ali in what looks a slightly brittle and inexperienced batting order. The injury to Gareth Andrew will rule him out for the first couple of months, which means even more responsibility falls onto Richardson's shoulders - in fact he may as well change his name to Atlas. Unfortunately, Saeed Ajmal is only available for the T20.

Main man

If Alan Richardson can get close to the 73 wickets he managed in 2011, a sequel to the Great Escape could be on.

Look out for

Any adjustments Hughes has made to his game following his dismal exit from the Australian Test side. Dinner dates with Martin Guptill, who is playing for Derbyshire, are unlikely.

Prediction

9th - We got it wrong last year, but surely Worcestershire don't have enough to stay up again? Our reputation as tipsters is already shot so we'd be delighted if they proved us wrong.

Where next? 

Read our Division 1 previews: Durham, Lancashire, Middlesex, Notts, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Division 2 previews: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northants and Yorkshire

2011 County Cricket Review: including Heroes of the Season, Best and Worst XIs, and a whole host of other nonsense

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Worcestershire

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Cricket Heroes: Graham Dilley R.I.P

 

You know that you are getting old when your childhood heroes start to die and that’s exactly how we felt at The Reverse Sweep yesterday when we heard the deeply sad news that former England, Kent and Worcestershire great Graham Dilley had passed away at the age of just 52.

Dilley starred in perhaps the most famous Test match of them all at Headingley in 1981 when his 117 run partnership with Ian Botham started the most improbable of comebacks. We will remember that innings – where Dilley was as much the aggressor as Botham - with fondness until we are grey and old.

If that wasn’t enough then Dilley also caught a difficult skier off Bob Willis the next day to dismiss Rodney Marsh and help confirm Australia’s humiliation.

However, it was Dilley’s classical elegant bowling action that we remember most from our childhood – in many senses his elegant run-up and leap was the bowling equivalent of David Gower’s batting.

But for injury, Dilley could well have staked a claim to be one of England’s best fast bowlers since the War, but in the end had to be content with 138 Test wickets from his 41 Tests at an average of 29.78 – still a decent enough return.

His bad luck with injuries extended to his win bonuses for England, which he only enjoyed twice in his 41 Tests (making his overall figures even more impressive) – the aforementioned Headingley Test of 1981 and Brisbane 1986, where his first-innings five for 68 went a long way to propelling Australia to defeat.

Where next?

Ashes 100-1: 81 - Botham's Ashes

10 reasons why Ian Botham may have worn sunglasses at the premiere of 'From the Ashes'

Sir Alec Bedser R.I.P

Trevor Bailey R.I.P

The 25 Greatest Ashes Tests - Part 1/3

The 25 Greatest Ashes Tests - Part 2/3

The 25 Greatest Ashes Tests - Part 3/3

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

The Reverse Sweep's County Cricket 2011 Awards

 
The last post of our 2011 County Cricket Review sees the prizes (and wooden spoons) handed out:

Best Team

Surrey won promotion to Division 1 and lifted the CB40, whilst Worcestershire defied the odds and the loss of their first six games to stay up - ditching the yo-yo tag into the process, but Lancashire have to take this for finally breaking their 77 year duck. They may have not had the strongest side on paper, but they did where it counted - on the pitch.

See also: 10 reasons why neutrals should be glad Lancashire won the County Championship

Worst Team

Leicestershire may have finished bottom of Division 2 by some distance, but they did give Paul Nixon a fitting send-off by lifting the FLt20, so this award has to go to Yorkshire, who in the words of their own chairman were 'a bloody disgrace'.

See also: Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves gets straight to the point

Best Player

With due deference to Glen Chapple and Marcus Trescothick, this award has to go to the unheralded Will Gidman for becoming the first English qualified player since David Capel in 1989 to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 50 wickets. So why didn't he receive a call-up to any of England's winter performance squads? No, we don't know either.  

Best Batsman

Marcus Trescothick, who scored nearly 300 Championship runs more than any other batsman despite missing his side's last three matches. Tres ought to almost receive a handicap such is his total dominance of county bowlers.

See also County Cricket 2011 Heroes: Marcus Trescothick

Best Bowler

93 Championship wickets is impossible to argue with even with the supposed advantage of having a Tiflex cricket ball in your hand, so David Masters pips Alan Richardson (Worcestershire's saviour), Chapple, Kyle Hogg and Tim Murtagh for this honour.

Best Spinner

Gary Keedy may not have received as many plaudits as old Long John Silver himself, Glen Chapple, but his contribution of 61 wickets at under 24 was just as crucial to Lancashire's title success, and enables him to pip Monty Panesar and team-mate Simon Kerrigan for this prize.

Best Cameo

Shivnarine Chanderpaul looked to have this one sown up until Warwickshire failed to secure victory at the Rose Bowl on the final day, so Pragyan Ojha steals this prize for a stunning four match cameo with Surrey. Four wins, 24 wickets at 13 and promotion back to Division 2. And the Indian selectors picked Amit Mishra above him?

Worst Player

South African bowlers didn't exactly cover themselves in glory with Friedel de Wet and Wayne Parnell struggling for Hampshire and Sussex respectively, but Lonwabo Tsotsobe took the biscuit here. Five wickets in three first-clas matches at 77 and a broadside via Twitter prompted Essex coach Paul Grayson to describe him as 'downright rude'. Thanks to @ianashworth for reminding us about this one.

Best Temporary Home

Unquestionably Aigburth. How many times have Lancashire been foiled by the Manchester weather and Old Trafford pitch? A temporary move along the M62 to the sunshine coast of Liverpool and voila, a first title for 77 years. Liverpool 1 Manchester 0.

Let them catch the next bouquet

Surely it's time perenniel bridesmaids Somerset got hitched? Runners-up finishes in the FLt20 and CB40 meant it five second places out of the last six domestic prizes to be awarded leads one to speculate that Somerset would probably finish second in a one horse race.

The Devon Loch honorary Award

At one time it looked like this would go to one of the four title chasing protagonists in Division 1, but by the end of the season there was only one candidate for this award. Northamptonshire looked absolute certainties for promotion to Division 1, but only managed to win one of their last seven matches. They fared no better in the CB40 where despite winning their first five matches, they failed to reach the semi-finals. Did Andrew Hall's South African background obviously had an unexpected choking effect on his charges?

Best Youngster

Mentions to Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes and Alex Hales, but this one has to go to Jonathan Bairstow. He stood tall in the manure that was Yorkshire's season and his blistering one day debut innings was the delicious cherry on the top.

Best Resurrection

Only one possible winner here - Michael Carberry, whose return from a debilitating illness was the most uplifting story of the summer.

See County Cricket 2011 Heroes: Michael Carberry

Biggest Moan

The demise of the Tiflex was disappointing, but the ridiculous fixture schedule has to take the wooden spoon here. For example, Leicestershire finished a championship match on the Thursday, won the FLt20 on the Saturday, played the Indian tourists on the Monday and then started another Championship game against Middlesex on the Tuesday. It is hardly surprising that Middlesex ended the first day on 370 for 1.

Biggest Anti-Climax

Sachin Tendulkar's hundredth international hundred anyone?

Where next?

A Year To Forget: County Championship Flops XI of the season

County Cricket 2011 Heroes: The Tiflex cricket ball

County Championship Division 1 XI of the season

County Championship Division 2 XI of the season

Read all of our County Cricket coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Predicting the County Championship and a bucket load of rotten tomatoes

Back at the outset of the 2011 County Cricket season, we made what has turned out to have been a disastrous set of predictions (see links at the bottom of this piece), which at the weekend (as the picture above depicts) resulted in public humilation and more rotten tomatoes coming our way than the Yorkshire squad has had from its irate members and chairman.

What we got right

Not much actually. We did correctly predict that Middlesex and Surrey would challenge for promotion to Division 1, but there again we tipped Kent to go up as Champions, so we can hardly sing from the rooftops about that one.

What we got wrong

Pretty much everything else actually. We predicted that Warwickshire and Lancashire would be embroiled in a relegation battle and that the former and Worcestershire would be the two to go down.

We also prophesised that perennial bridesmaids Somerset would emerge as Champions with Durham, Yorkshire and Hampshire (in that order) making up the rest of the top four – it’s not just Colin Graves who thinks that Yorkshire’s performances this season were disgraceful.

Supporters of Northamptonshire and Derbyshire amongst others will also doubtless be happy to remind us of our woeful predictions for their team’s fortunes too.

What does this say?

Apart from  the fact that we are clearly the most dreadful of tipsters, it also highlights how open the County Championship is – a fact that we believe makes it the best league competition in the world in any sport. Well that’s our excuse anyway.

Now where’s that cilice gone...

Where next?

County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire,  Kent,  Leicestershire,  Middlesex,  Northamptonshire,  Surrey

County Championship Previews - Division 1:  Yorkshire,  Worcestershire,  Warwickshire, Sussex,  Somerset,  Nottinghamshire,  Lancashire,  Hampshire,  Durham

County Cricket 2011 Heroes: Michael Carberry

10 reasons why neutrals should be glad Lancashire won the County Championship

Read all our County Cricket coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

 

 

County Championship Division 1 XI of the season

 
Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) - 1673 runs at 79.66: Scored 300 runs more than any other batsman despite missing his side's last three games and has once and for all usurped Mark Ramprakash as the premier batsman in domestic cricket. Agonisingly fell just 22 runs short of achieving the Holy Grail of a 1,000 runs before the end of May. Smashed six hundreds including one in each innings against Yorkshire in May.

Stephen Moore (Lancashire) - 1013 runs at 40.52: Others scored more runs (principally Alex Hales with 1023 runs at 51.15 from just 12 Championship matches), but Moore's knack of making vital contributions at critical times played a leading role in Lancashire's title success. His unbeaten 124 anchored his side in a stiff run chase at Trent Bridge, his 169 not out against Hampshire set up a crucial last gasp win in the penultimate round of matches and the former Worcestershire batsman finished off with 71 from 55 to spur the charge to victory on a tumultuous final day at Taunton.

Michael Carberry (Hampshire) - 793 runs at 56.64: His successful comeback from a life-threatening debilitating illness was one of the feelgood stories of the summer. Three splendid hundreds in nine games included a career best 300 not out against Yorkshire and a hundred on the final day of the season to help deny Warwickshire the title. Carberry's return coincided with Hampshire's revival but came too late to save them from relegation.

Murray Goodwin (Sussex) - 1372 runs at 52.76: Zimbabwe's loss was yet again Sussex's gain as Goodwin anchored a steady return to Division 1 for the county he helped inspire to three titles in the noughties. Four hundreds were topped by his 274 against Division 1 whipping boys Yorkshire. Gets into our XI ahead of Vikram Solanki (1148 runs at 42.51) who performed a similar role as Worcestershire defied the odds to stay up with Sussex. 

Dale Benkenstein (Durham) - 1353 runs at 61.50: Durham's title charge may have spluttered, but Benkenstein was consistency personified with 13 scores of 50 (including four hundreds) or more from 26 innings to once again prove that he is definitely not a mercenary.

Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire) - 1015 runs at 46.13: Having finally removed the monkey from his back in reaching his maiden ton in his 59th first-class innings (and promptly turning it into a double), the sublime Bairstow didn't look back. An impressive season culminated in a stunning ODI debut at Cardiff and Bairstow should clearly be exonerated from the ire heaped on his team-mates by Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves after their ignominious relegation. Scores his runs quickly as a Championship strike rate of a touch under 70 ably demonstrates and looks to have the talent and nerve to forge an international career as a specialist batsman. 

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) - 56 wickets at 21.78; 579 runs at 48.25: Injury may have restricted him to 11 matches, but that did not lessen the impact he made with both bat and ball, as well as the huge influence he had on Warwickshire's title challenge. His performance with the ball was particularly telling and a strike rate of 43.5 is indicative of the regularity with which he struck. Pips team-mate Rikki Clarke as well as Samit Patel, Ben Stokes and Ian Blackwell to the all-rounder's spot in our XI.

Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire) - 67 wickets at 22.61; 551 runs at 23.95: Last year's champions may have faltered badly in their attempt to retain their crown, but that wasn't down to 2010's leading wicket-taker Adams who was once again outstanding and pips Alan Richardson (the leading wicket-taker in Division 1 with 73 wickets at 24.42), Boyd Rankin and Ryan Sidebottom as the third seamer in our XI. Adams also added vital ballast to the lower order with five fifties and a strike rate of 100.

Glen Chapple (Lancashire, Captain) - 55 wickets at 19.81; 365 runs at 19.21: Despite battling leg problems all season, the lion-hearted Chapple battled on to inspire his troops and write his name in Lancashire folklore. Delivered time and time again with the ball - no more so than in the final game at Taunton where he took three 2nd innings wickets despite a bad hamstring tear - and also added useful late order runs. Clearly, a man you would want in the trenches with you, Chapple epitomised the spirit and togetherness that took Lancashire to the promised land after 77 long years in the Championship wilderness. And Yorkshire fans, he was born in Skipton...

Kyle Hogg (Lancashire) - 50 wickets at 18.80; 365 runs at 21.47: Started the season late but immediately made up for lost time with an 11 wicket haul at the Rose Bowl and ended up with a half-century of wickets at a phenomenal strike rate of a wicket every 37 balls - the best by far of anyone with more than 10 wickets. Also contributed several useful cameos with the bat.

Gary Keedy (Lancashire) - 61 wickets at 23.63: With Chapple and Hogg plundering wickets at one end, the experienced Keedy waded in at the other with 61 priceless wickets. His success rubbed off on his spin twin and likely successor Simon Kerrigan. Keedy is the slow bowling option in our XI ahead of Monty Panesar who may have taken more wickets (69), but did so at a higher average and ten balls more per wicket.

Where next?

10 reasons why neutrals should be glad Lancashire won the County Championship

Ten to watch in 2011: Half-Term report - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

County Championship XI of the week: Division 1 Half-Term XI

County Championship XI of the week: Division 2 Half-Term XI

Read our 2011 County Championship XIs of the week

Read all our County Cricket coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

The most exciting league in the world

Forget the massively over-hyped Premier League, Serie A or even the two-horse race that is the Primera Liga, by far the most exciting league competition in the world is the English County Championship.

Any lingering doubts as to the merits of splitting a hitherto single 18 team (17 before Durham's entry in the early 1990s) Championship into two divisions must surely now be dispelled by what has once again been a fascinating and close fought battle.

With just two rounds of matches to go, every county in Division 1 bar the reigning champions Nottinghamshire are either embroiled in the fight for the title or desperately battling to avoid the relegation trap door.

Will it be Durham, Warwickshire, Lancashire or rank outsiders Somerset for the title? And which two of Sussex, Worcestershire, Yorkshire and Hampshire will suffer the ignominy of demotion to Division 2? 

Whilst in Division 2, there is a four-way battle for the two promotion spots. Middlesex look to have sown up one of these and in all realism it is now between season-long pacesetters Northamptonshire and fast-finishing Surrey for the second spot. Gloucestershire are waiting in the wings should both of these suffer a monumental slip over the next ten days.

Last week we asked if anyone actually wanted to win the County Championship this season such have been the twists and turns of an entirely unpredictable competition. But it's time to stick our necks out and whilst (as a neutral Sussex fan) we'd love to see Lancashire finally end their title famine and rate Durham as the strongest side, we feel that Warwickshire will prevail - the presence of Chris Woakes (strangely ignored by England) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will (in our opinion) tip the scales their way.

As for relegation, Yorkshire look doomed having only one game left to play and Hampshire have probably left it too late - that at least leaves Sussex safe. They will be replaced by Middlesex and Northants - it would be just too cruel for them not to go up now.

So forget the Premier League, give me the County Championship anyday.

Where next?

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Cricket XIs: Cricketing Criminals

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #17

Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) - A daddy hundred - a career best 241 not out - for the England skipper on his return to county cricket. A case of anything Cook can do ...?

Jimmy Adams (Hampshire) - Compiled a second career double hundred to leave Somerset's title hopes in ruins at Taunton.

James Cameron (Worcestershire) - Defiant 98 was worth at least a hundred runs more in a game where no one else reached 50. Its value to his side was priceless as it could yet preserve their Division 1 status.

Michael Carberry (Hampshire) - The inspirational feegood story of the summer is Carberry's successful return from a life threatening illness. His 182 at Taunton increased his tally to 639 runs from just seven Championship matches.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Warwickshire) - Second Championhip hundred in a week against Yorkshire and an unbeaten fifty to secure the draw for his side in the second innings. 

Gary Ballance (Yorkshire) - First hundred for Yorkshire saved his side's bacon at Edgbaston and provides some hope in what appears to be a forlorn battle to escape the relegation trap door.

Steven Davies (Surrey) - England's forgotten man has run into form at just the right time. His 81 and 156 helped Surrey to a big win over promotion rivals Northamptonshire and guaranteed his place in our XI for the second successive week.

Stuart Meaker (Surrey) - Devastating four wicket burst changed shaped of crunch match with Northamptonshire. Another fast bowler to add to long list of England hopefuls - and as he was born in Durban, Meaker ought to be at the head of the queue!

Pragyan Ojha (Surrey) - Recorded second innings figures of six for eight from 18.1 overs at Wantage Road to leave one bemused that the impotent Mishra was picked ahead of him in India's Test squad this summer.

Alan Richardson (Worcestershire) - Derailed Lancashire's title aspirations with a second innings six for 22 to take his season tally to 62 Championship wickets. Effigies of the 36 year old veteran are probably being burnt all over the Red Rose county.

David Balcombe (Kent) - How did Hampshire let such a fearsome fast bowler go out on loan? Balcombe destroyed Essex with a ten wicket match haul to outshine the country's leading wicket taker David Masters at Canterbury. 

Where next?

Does anyone actually want to win the County Championship?

Cricket XIs: Cricketing Criminals

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

 

 

County Championship XI of the week #16

Circumstances have dictated that we haven't been able to post a County XI of the week for the last few rounds of games, so without further ado...

Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire) - A great week for one of our ten to watch in 2011. In a tight match with Durham, his 115 (only one other player from either side passed 50 in the 1st innings) set up a win for the reigning champions - much to the delight of Lancashire supporters. A good week for Hales was capped off with a call-up to the England T20 squad for next week's match with India.

Rob Newton (Northamptonshire) - The young opener struck a composed century against title rivals Middlesex at Wantage Road.

Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire) - On a treacherous Rose Bowl surface where only one other batsman scored a fifty, Solanki's patient 79 not out looked to have given his side a decisive advantage in the basement battle until the rain gods and some suspect covers cruelly intervened on the final day.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Warwickshire) - Memories of his lacklustre debut against Hampshire the week before were quickly forgotten as a typically epic seven hour and twenty minute 193 set up the title challengers for an emphatic win over Yorkshire.

Dawid Malan (Middlesex) - Stroked a brilliant ton to put Middlesex in control of the top of the table clash with Northamptonshire - alas rain washed out the final day.

Steve Davies (Surrey) - England's forgotten man opened the batting and helped Surrey to a comfortable win at Grace Road with a 1st innings 121.

Keith Barker (Warwickshire) - Put in a fine all-round performance with four wickets in each innings and 85 with the bat to ensure that even with the absence of Woakes, Clarke and Rankin Warwickshire's title charge continued.

Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire) - Another to enjoy success with bat and ball as three wickets in each innings and a characteristically agressive second innings fifty helped derail Durham's title hopes at Trent Bridge.

Tim Linley (Surrey) - Excellent season continued with career best match figures of nine for 79 to help Surrey storm back into contention for promotion from Division 2.

Imran Tahir (Hampshire) - The pitch at the Rose Bowl may have offered him considerable assistance but there was no doubting Tahir's quality as he ripped through Worcestershire with five for 29.

Chris Wright (Warwickshire) - He can't get a game with Essex in Division 2, but the on-loan seamer starred for Warwickshire to take seven wickets against Yorkshire including a second innings five for 31.

Where next?

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #12

 
The ECB seem to have played pin the tail on the donkey with the fixture list, so inexplicable was the sudden reappearance of the County Championship this week. Nevertheless, we are duty bound to select our XI of the week, so here goes:

Ian Westwood (Warwickshire) – With not even a 50 to his name in 2011, it didn’t need director of cricket Ashley Giles to warn that his former captain’s season had reached a “crossroads”. So by featuring in a 202 opening stand and going on to score his first Championship ton since 2009, Westwood will have hoped to have turned a very important corner.

Stephen Moore (Lancashire) – His first hundred since July 2009 and his maiden one for Lancashire couldn’t have come at a more critical time as his unbeaten 124 steered his side to a tricky victory target of 240 at Trent Bridge.

Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire) – Victories at New Road have proved to be like London buses for the home side and it was Solanki who set up their nine wicket win and second successive home triumph (and only their second in Division 1 since 2004) with a sparkling 173 against basement side Hampshire.

Paul Collingwood (Durham) – Whilst his omission from the England ODI and T20 squads confirmed the end of the international career of England’s working class hero, it was typical of the man to hit a defiant hundred in his first Championship outing of the season. Colly took a couple of wickets too for good measure.

Alex Gidman (Gloucestershire) – In the battle of the captains for the last batting slot in our XI, it is Andrew Gale who has to give way despite his unbeaten 101 steering Yorkshire to safety at the Riverside. Gidman followed up his 1st innings 43 with an unbeaten 76 to lead his side to their target of 161 at The Oval having slipped to a precarious 54/5.

Shakib Al Hasan (Worcestershire) – One of the driving forces behind Worcestershire’s promotion last season came back for a one-off Championship guest appearance. And what a cameo it was, with seven wickets and a quickfire 54 to help lift his side out of the relegation places.

Phil Mustard (Durham) – Made the most of a charmed innings against Yorkshire to crash 70 off just 67 balls to hand Durham the initiative. Now has 436 Championship runs in 2011 at an average of 109 and a strike rate just a touch under 80 as his side lead the way in Division 1.

David Lucas (Northamptonshire) – A stunning match for the left-arm seamer at Grace Road saw him follow up a haul of 4/55 with a career best 60 as nightwatchman, before taking 5/20 as Leicestershire were skittled second time around for 48.

Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire) – A feature of Lancashire’s season is the collective effort of the squad. Even the sometime malfunctioning and misfiring Mahmood stepped up at Trent Bridge with match figures of 10/186 – albeit at over five runs an over - and a handy knock of 46 to help defeat the reigning champs.

Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire) – Alan Richardson and Tim Murtagh may have bagged nine wicket hauls, but it is Rankin who gets into our XI for being acknowledged as the catalyst behind his side’s triumph over Somerset. Rankin’s pace, hostility, bounce and movement hauled his opponents back on a pristine batting wicket with his burst of three wickets for four runs being the decisive act of the game. "Rankin just blew us away," Marcus Trescothick admitted afterwards.

Ian Saxelby (Gloucestershire) – The 22 year old grabbed career best figures of 6/69 and the first ten wicket match haul of his career as Gloucestershire surprised Surrey sans walk-on girls at The Oval.

Where next?

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Strauss’s Somerset stint is a sad indictment of county cricket

Gideon Haigh eulogises Test cricket and compares it to The Pixies

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Division 1 victories are like London buses for Worcestershire

 
Those of us that have had the misfortune to wait for a bus in London will be familiar with the usual tediously long wait followed by the arrival of two identically numbered buses at the same time.

The same is true for Worcestershire in securing wins in Division 1 of the County Championship.

Until they beat Nottinghamshire at the end of May, Worcestershire hadn’t won a Division 1 match at New Road since 2004.

But just like those infuriating red buses, you wait seven years for one home victory and then another comes along in your very next home fixture.

Incredibly after starting the season with six straight defeats, Worcestershire now find themselves above Yorkshire and Hampshire - the team they comprehensively beat yesterday - in the table.

That win was also the first time that Worcestershire had ever won two consecutive matches in Division 1.

If they continue like this they may even defy their status as the ultimate yo-yo county forever being relegated from and then immediately promoted back to Division 1.

At the start of the season that outcome would have been as likely as two British tennis players making it to the second week of Wimbledon, or indeed the bus you need to catch to be waiting at the bus stop for your arrival fully equipped with a red carpet and plush seat next to a fawning Scarlett Johansson.

We like an underdog at the Reverse Sweep, so hope that Worcestershire can perform the minor miracle of walking on water and avoid sinking once again to Division 2.

Where next?

Read all our County cricket coverage

See if you agree with our County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Half-Term report - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #9

 
Joe Denly (Kent) – Ended a nightmare run of just 82 runs from eight Championship innings in 2011 to record his first hundred since 2009. Added 74 for good measure in the 2nd innings to help Kent to their first win in Division 2 since the season opener against Essex.

Luke Wells (Sussex) – Promoted to open in the absence of Ed Joyce and proceeded to rack up 174 – the third ton of his rookie Championship season – as part of a 304 run partnership with Goodwin.

Moeen Ali (Worcestershire) – Rob White can count himself unlucky, but Ali's crucial role in his side’s first Division 1 win since 2007 and their first at New Road since 2004 gets him the nod. He top-scored in the 1st innings with 84 and then finished off the run chase with an unbeaten 35 off just 25 balls.

Murray Goodwin (Sussex) – His 274 against Yorkshire was the eighth time in 11 years with Sussex that Goodwin has registered a double hundred.

Ben Stokes (Durham) – First the ecstasy as a career best 185 – his third ton of the season – helped Durham leapfrog Lancashire at the top of Division 1. Then the agony, as a badly dislocated finger puts him out of action for six to eight weeks - robbing Stokes of a possible call-up to the England ODI squad against Sri Lanka. One of our ten to watch in 2011.

Gary Ballance (Yorkshire) – Earns a place in the XI ahead of Dale Benkenstein after his four-hour vigil for 73 not out saved Yorkshire’s bacon on the final day at Hove.

Chris Read (Nottinghamshire) – Once again played a crucial innings when it was most needed to seemingly put Notts in the driving seat at New Road. Alas for Read, on this occasion (unlike against Yorkshire earlier in the season) his unbeaten 120 proved not to be enough for the faltering holders.

Chaminda Vaas (Northamptonshire) – Showed Sri Lanka just what they are missing with a brilliant bowling display in the Division 2 summit meeting with Glamorgan. His ten for 82 simply blew the Welshmen away.

Tim Linley (Surrey) – Surrey may have been without Tremlett, Meaker and (for half of the match Dernbach), but Linley ensured they weren’t missed with ten for 107 in an excellent win at Derby.

Monty Panesar (Sussex) – Just shades Ian Blackwell for a spot in the XI for his sustained excellence against Yorkshire. Monty’s figures in the match 63.3-20-148-7 ensured he easily won the spin duel with Rashid, even if they weren't quite enough to get Sussex over the winning line.

Matt Dunn (Surrey) – Pitched into his first Championship outing when Dernbach received a call from England half-way through the game, the 19 year old didn’t let anyone down. On the contrary, he proved to be a match-winning super-sub with five for 56 to help bowl out Derbyshire for just 99.

Where next?

County Championship XI of the week #8

County Championship XI of the week #7

County Championship XI of the week #6

County Championship XI of the week #5

County Championship XI of the week #4

County Championship XI of the week #3

County Championship XI of the week #2

County Championship XI of the week #1

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #4

 
Having been accused on Twitter of being a liar by Alviro Petersen, it's time to get back to more mundane posts such as naming our County Championship XI of the week. Suffice, to say that Petersen is not amongst its number:

Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) - Looked to be captain of a sinking ship when his pre-season favourites were hammered by an innings in their first two matches, which makes his 227 at The Rose Bowl all the more impressive. The start of a Somerset resurgence?

Liam Dawson (Hampshire) - His side may have lost in the end to Somerset, but the makeshift opener sweated blood to prevent it from happening. A 1st innings 91 was followed up with a career best 169 as he battled alone to keep Somerset at bay on the final day. Alas, for Dawson his heroics proved in vain.

Ed Joyce(Sussex) - Sussex were deep in the mire after following on 300 runs behind Lancashire at Hove, but Joyce batted 98 overs for his 140 and painstakingly built the escape tunnel from which Naved Arif led an impressive Sussex breakout.

Ravi Bopara(Essex) - Whilst Eoin Morgan flops in the IPL, Ravi Bopara is making a concerted attempt to deprive him of the vacancy in the England Test XI caused by Paul Collingwood's retirement. A battling 1st innings knock of 61 and 39 tidy overs with the ball was good enough, before Bopara applied the coup de grace with an unbeaten 136 as Essex chased down 360 against Glamorgan.

Neil Dexter (Middlesex) - His 145 on day 1 against Surrey was a real captain's innings coming as it did when his side were in early trouble at Lord's. In the end his 254 run partnership with John Simpson saw his side trounce the opposition and win their third game on the trot.

Ian Blackwell(Durham) - Came to the crease with his side five wickets down and still over 200 runs behind Warwickshire's first innings total. By the time he departed for 125 carefully constructed runs, Durham had the narrow lead from which they turned the rest of the match into a rout. 

John Simpson(Middlesex) - In a good week for wicketkeeper-batsmen, it is Simpson who takes the honours over Lancashire's Gareth Cross for his magnificent and stylish 143 at Lord's against Surrey. England seem to have a very long list of talented young wicketkeeper-batsmen and Simpson would appear to be amongst their number.

Scott Borthwick (Durham) - the young leggie was one of our 12 to watch in 2010, and his quickfire three wicket burst on the third evening against Warwickshire turned a tight match irrefutably Durham's way. Borthwick then opened the batting and scored 48 not out to help his side to the win.

Andre Adams(Nottinghamshire) - Last year's leading wicket taker in Division 1 has started well again and took match figures of seven for 140 as the reigning champions won their third successive match in defence of their crown.

Alan Richardson (Worcestershire) - The grizzled old pro took nine wickets to help his side make a real game of it at Trent Bridge. Alas for Worcestershire fans, it wasn't quite enough. 

Graham Onions (Durham) - Onions' comeback from a serious back injury continues to be impressive, with his four second innings wickets against Warwickshire proving just as vital to Borthwick's four in turning likely draw into easy victory at Chester-le-Street.

Where next?

County Championship XI of the week #3

County Championship XI of the week #2

County Championship XI of the week #1

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire,  Kent,  Leicestershire,  Middlesex,  Northamptonshire,  Surrey

County Championship Previews - Division 1:  Yorkshire,  Worcestershire,  Warwickshire, Sussex,  Somerset,  Nottinghamshire,  Lancashire,  Hampshire,  Durham

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Worcestershire

 
Against all odds Worcestershire were promoted from Division 2 last summer despite having lost the likes of Gareth Batty, Steven Davies, Stephen Moore and Kabir Ali before the season even began.

Strengths

Vikram Solanki is a loyal servant and regular runs contributor and Saeed Ajmal looks a good choice of overseas star for the second half of the season, but the rest of the squad has a distinctly journeymen look about it.

Weaknesses

Worcester are very good at getting promoted, but very bad at not immediately getting relegated back to whence they came - in fact they are the ultimate yo-yo county. And this squad appears to be significantly weaker than the one that failed to escape the trap door last time.

Main man

Solanki apart, Moeen Ali appears to be a talented batsman and now has the stage in Division 1 to try and fulfil his promise.

Look out for…

The gap between Worcester and the rest at the bottom of the table. It should be significant.

Prediction

A distant 9th – Worcestershire have less chance of survival than Bob Willis has of being given a Mr Happy award.

Where next?

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Sussex

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Somerset

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Nottinghamshire

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Lancashire

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Hampshire

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Durham

2010 County XI of the season

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship - Division 2 preview: A quick return for Sussex?

Yesterday, we predicted that Durham will secure a third Division 1 crown in a row. Well it was supposed to be yesterday, but IT problems meant the delay of this the second part of our divisional preview. So today our attention moves to Division 2 where we look at the runners and riders and make our probably woefully wrong predictions of how the nine counties will fare this season.

 

Derbyshire (Prediction – 8^th)

Before the arrival of Fernando Torres, critics used to accuse Liverpool of being a one man team completely reliant on Steven Gerrard. They still managed to win trophies though, which Derbyshire won’t this season, despite the efforts of their one man team that is Chris Rogers.

 

Glamorgan (Prediction – 9^th)

James Harris is a talented youngster, but apart from him, Mark Wallace, Jamie Dalrymple and Mark Cosgrove, there’s not much to get excited about here. One of the many counties in Division 2 that show a visible gulf from their Division 1 counterparts.

 

Gloucestershire (Prediction – 3^rd)

John Bracewell has done well at Bristol before and with a canny captain in Alex Gidman, Gloucestershire are certainly well led. James Franklin, Jon Lewis and Steve Kirby should provide the wickets and Gidman, Jon Batty and Hamish Marshall the runs to sustain a promotion challenge.

 

Leicestershire (Prediction – 5^th)

It will be intriguing to see how Matthew Hoggard fares as captain. His natural exuberance could be just what is needed for the Foxes talented youngsters. Much will be expected of James Taylor, but he seems to have the talent and temperament to take it in his stride. The under-rated Andrew McDonald is an interesting choice as overseas player.

 

Middlesex (Prediction – 4^th)

Look good for a strong promotion challenge with Owais Shah, Eoin Morgan, Dawid Malan and Scott Newman all likely to provide runs. Middlesex will also benefit from six weeks of Andrew Strauss at the start of the season. England’s gain could be Middlesex’s loss in terms of Steven Finn, but Iain O’Brien is a shrewd acquisition and captain Shaun Udal is always good for a few wickets.

 

Northamptonshire (Prediction – 7^th)

Hopes for a good season cannot be high at Wantage Road. Deprived of Kolpak players Johann van der Wath and Riki Wessels and having lost Monty Panesar, the cupboard looks a bit bare. Mal Loye and David Sales will need to have run-laden seasons and overseas player Elton Chigumbura will have to surprise everyone if Northants are to have any chance of challenging for promotion.

 

Surrey (Prediction – runners-up, promoted)

It’s been a winter of upheaval at the Oval with Chris Adams operating more like a football manager in terms of the amount of new faces he has signed. Gareth Batty, Chris Tremlett and Steven Davies are all shrewd acquisitions and the choice of Rory Hamilton-Brown as skipper is a brave one. If the young captain starts well and if Mark Ramprakash produces his usual well of runs, then promotion beckons.

 

Sussex – (Prediction – Champions)

Champions three times in the last decade, it came as some surprise when Sussex were relegated last season. Monty Panesar will be looking to follow in Mushtaq Ahmed’s footsteps and promising youngsters like Joe Gatting, Olly Rayner and Will Beer will hope to earn their spurs. With runs likely from the reliable Murray Goodwin, Ed Joyce and Mike Yardy, this Sussex supporting writer predicts a quick return to Division 1.

 

Worcestershire (Prediction – 6^th)

The hole left by the losses of Batty, Davies and Kabir Ali will be hard to fill, but the incoming Shakib ul-Hasan is perhaps the most exciting choice of overseas player of any county. At least Shakib is used to playing in a struggling side because this is Worcestershire’s likely fate.