Posted by If bowlers didn’t require torsos, Sussex might have been all right. Side strains, pectoral injuries and dodgy spines meant that Chris Jordan played six matches, Ajmal Shahzad played five and Tymal Mills just two. It’s hard to win much without your pace attack and relegation has ensued.
If they can find a way of grafting bowling arms to hips in time for next season, Sussex might do okay. The skiddy trajectory may even result in a greater number of lbws. Otherwise, they’re probably in the right division – particularly as they’re now without Mike Yardy’s nurdlesome grit.
Meanwhile, Paul Edwards points out that Yorkshire’s winning margin in the first division, 68 points, is greater than the gap between runners-up Middlesex and bottom-placed Worcestershire.
With hindsight, it’s not entirely clear why anyone else even bothered taking part. In many ways they didn’t.
Ah, Chris Jordan. Just how long ago was it that he was in so many of our England Fantasy If-We-Were-The-Selectors XIs? Not so long ago, is it? Time flies, and careers fly by.
He was also in the England selectors’ fantasy If-We-Were-The-Selectors XI.
He stayed in many fantasy XIs longer than he did the actual XI.
He was the future once.
He’s just had his England contract chopped.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/13779565.Sussex_s_rebuilding_plans_will_have_to_change_after_Jordan_loses_his_central_contract/
Ain’t nothing wrong with them margins. The entire county circuit contrived to produce a points table that’s a Cauchy sequence – this is cause for celebration.
Sorry to see the demise of Sussex.
After our short break visiting my cousin in Brighton (Hove actually) last week, the plan was to visit again when Middlesex play Sussex in the County Championship. Might have to wait years for that one now.
Yorkshire really are that good at the moment; I have felt for years that they needed to get their act together, but if they did they could be formidable again.
Middlesex can take some pride in coming second to Yorkshire this season (albeit thanks to Hants after a shoddy performance last week) and being the only team to have beaten Yorkshire (twice, both times in unfeasible circumstances) since 2013.
The first division next year will comprise all eight English counties that play most of their cricket at grounds with test match status, plus Somerset. That says something, I’m sure.
Where do Glamorgan normally play, then?
Wales. Hence “all eight English counties” – chose my words carefully.
Test status for Somerset NOW
All the Welsh teams with a Test Ground will be in the 2nd Div next year. As Lancs have been promoted KC might be true to his word and never mention Div2 ever again.
Lancashire hasn’t been promoted to Division 1. Lancashire was always in Division 1, having just elected a couple of times recently to play against an entirely different set of Division 1 teams. This last season, for example, Yorkshire were lucky enough to win the Championship Not Including Lancashire title. Next season, Yorkshire will be playing in the Championship Including Lancashire division, which they must be thrilled about. It is, in that sense, a promotion for them.
I see the Cricket Writers Club have elected a batsman the Player of the Year, and same the Young Player of the Year. Will wonders never cease?
I wonder if Phil Simmons is regretting leaving the Ireland job yet?