So true... Anyway, nice century for Foster today. And I saw him score a brilliant double century last year. In the same match in which Chris Read also scored a double ton. It was a statto's delight, and probably unique.

Foster looked like he was the England future a few years ago. He was picked too young, and has needed the time to develop. And Read has been hard done by. Presumably he must have offended someone in the ECB set-up.

Read is, allegedly, 'not chatty enough' behind the stumps

It's astonishing how much difference the constant repetition of "Aww, nice one" after each delivery obviously makes.

Maybe England's slips are just miserable?

there was an article in wisden that looked at all the england wicketkeepers since stewart in terms of runs scored, byes conceeded, the cost of missed chances etc etc.

read came out statistically the best in that.

anyway, fuck the wicketkeeper conundrum, that hamish marshall eh?

Saw him at Chelmsford earlier this season. He didn't do much, but my daughters thought he was kind of cute, in a dinky sort of way.

Blimey..................31 from 12 balls

I see Gloucester have go rid of the ex-Yorkshire spinner Fisher ... so to keep up their ex-Yorkshire quota thay've signed Richard Dawson who played for England before being capped for Yorks

Just spent 6 days watching cricket at Sunny Scarborough. Yorks won 2 Pro 40 games& scaped a draw (last pair at the wicket) in a game they looked like winning easily after the first 3 days .... we'll be playing Gloc & Glammy next season at this rate

So the all-powerful and all-knowing Peter Moores has decided which players can play for their counties in the final crucial part of the county season: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7592516.stm

And in the process may have had a significant effect on championship/relegation/promotion issues, as some of the England players are allowed back to their counties, while others are given time to recover from their "gruelling" summer before a "hectic" winter -- although of course they now will have the time off when they thought they'd be going to the Champions Trophy. I suppose they may need the time to consult their accountants before the Stanford Moneyfest.

It all seems totally arbitrary who's allowed to play in what. Essex's Ali Cook, who hasn't played at all during the one-day international series (and rightly so, as he shouldn't get anywhere near the England ODI team) isn't allowed to play any CC cricket for the rest of the season, but has been released to play in a couple of pretty meaningless one-day county matches. Despite the fact that he really could do with some time in the middle in a proper cricket match or two. It all makes no sense at all.

no wonder we're fucking bottom of everything

Most Yorkies would be more than glad to take Steve 'Mad Dog' Kirby back off you ... even if he's a Lancastrian released by Leicester before we resurected his career

have him, the cunt can't stay fit for longer than a week.

looks like we'll lose hardinges, which will be a loss.

Hmmmmm, rain, in Cardiff, in September.

Who'd have thought it ?

it rains every day in wales. FACT. that's why they spend all afternoon eating coal.

It's rained everywhere in England today ... even at Sunny Scarborough ... boy amI glad I haven't gone to the game

There's a rumour on trhe net that a certain Mr Giles is trying to get Vaughan as his team's captain .... although tonight Lancs have also been mentioned as being interested.

I've been trying to work out why anyone would want to go to a "day-night" cricket match anywhere in England (or indeed Wales) in September for non-masochistic reasons.

Provided the weather looks fine I'll probably be attending the Yorks vs Warwick floodlit game next week. It may be the last time this year that I'll see the some people. I only see all but a couple of my 'cricket friends' at games & some may not be going to the last match at Scarborough the week after. Now that game could be cold. I remember Dickie Bird receiving a round of applause for offering the light in a late September game at Scarborough. It was around 6pm & absolutely freezing ... the fielding side (Yorks) would have lynched the batsmen if they'd have refused

Fair enough. Actually I've seen some great cricket in September over the years, and if the weather's fine it's good to treat yourself to a last little taste of summer before the dark post-season months. It's just that it can be so cold when the sun goes down...

...though come to think of it, I have frozen at cricket matches in August, July, June, May... not to mention the April snow... Mind you, you Northerners are of course made of harder stuff.

(I've only been to the cricket at Scarborough once, back in the early 80s. I remember getting sunburnt and being frozen at the same time.)

Us Yorkies aren't as northern as Durham .... we moan like everyone else about the sub zero temperatures at Chester Le Street ... although the talk tends to be more about warm days we've had up there as they are in the minority

Today Yorks did well in the field turining Sussex's 203-4 into 265 all out ... unfortunately the wickets kept falling. At 133-7 (there was rain) Yroks had better hope that the rain saves us .... but as we need points to get out of the bottom 2 it looks more & more like we'll be visiting Moster & learning Welsh for the 2009 season.

Four Nott's players named in the starting fifteen for the Stanford series

Of which one (Patel) came through the Notts Accademy route ... the others were lured away from Leicester, Northants & Yorks

Today I was rather lucky. As there was a 4:15 inspection I decided not to travel for the Pro40 day/night game between Yorks & Warwick. They eventually started at 5:50 but were rained off after only 6 overs. As a result Yorks are now 3rd in Div 2. If the Northants/Yorks & the Kent/Essex games are both rained off Essex (champions) & Yorks will be promoted with Kent playing the 3rd bottom team in the 1st division.

If the games are played it will be more complicated .... with Glamorgan (who aren't playing) coming into the frame if either Yorks or Kent lose.

More complicated it will be indeed. There's a lot of confusion about it on the ECCC website this morning. I think it's right to say that if Essex beat Kent, then Essex and the Yorkies are promoted, with Glammy in the play-offs. If anything else happens, it'll all come down to run-rate, head-to-head results, and possibly eventually a wrestling match between club mascots.

I've actually sat down & worked things out. Basically Yorks hope that Essex win as the worst we'd be in the play off !!
The ordering of teams with the same points is most wins, head to head & finally run rate.

Essex have 12 points, 5 wins & run rate of 1.72 . They have beaten Yorks.
Glammy have 10 points & 5 wins. So they will be above Yorks or Kent if either/both stay on 10 points
Yorks have 10 points, 4 wins & a run rate of 0.28. They have beaten Kent.
Kent have 10 points, 4 wins & a run rate of 2.02

The winner of the Kent/Essex game will be champions (see below for an explanation).

If that game is a draw Essex will be champions.

The only way that Essex wont automatically be promoted is for them to lose really badly & Yorks to win by a massive margin.

I posted the following on a Yorkshire cricket forum so 'we' refers to Yorkshire

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The laugh is that the only way we are certain of being promoted is for it to throw it down over Southern England on Saturday. If both Yorks & Kent/Essex draw Essex are champions & Yorks are promoted as we beat Kent.

btw The winner of the Kent/Essex game will be champions with Essex being champs if there's a draw/tie

If Yorks WIN.
We'd probably be in the play off. If Kent also win there will be 3 teams on 12 points with 5 wins & who've each beaten each other. So it will go on run rate. Kent's run rate is already better than Essex so they'd be champions. For us to pass Essex we'd have to really hammer Northants.
If Kent draw/tie we'd be promoted with Kent in the play off.
If Kent lose we'd be promoted with Glammy in the play off

If Yorks DRAW/TIE
If Kent win we'd be in the play off.
If Kent draw/tie we'd be promoted with Kent in the play off
If Kent lose we'd be promoted with Glammy in the play off

If Yorks Lose
If Kent win or draw/tie we'd be 4th with Glammy in the play off
If Kent lose we'd be in the play off with Glammy promoted

Blimey, it is complex. I understand they've started some big computer thingy up in Switzerland today just to make the calculations about who's going up. Hope we can beat Kent Kolpaks again and simplify things.

Current forecast for Canterbury on Saturday is for rain. Though as Kent need to win, I guess they'll make a big effort to make sure the ground's playable. And Sky will be there too...

There have been Sky games completely washed out ... so we can hope If not I really hope Essex win ... as that means Yorks are in the playoff at worst

I'm sure we will do our best to help you out. I think we'd prefer you Yorkies (or even Glammy) to be promoted rather than Kent... Weather permitting, you should be able to beat Northants Stealboks, as they haven't won a match in the Pro40 this season.

Can't remember whether the ECB are graciously allowing Ali Cook to play for us in this match. I've a feeling not. Though whether he should be in the one-day XI anyway is another matter.

We are off to Wantage Raod to see the game. I've a feeling there will be quite a few Yorkies doing the same. Something that wont happen in the 20/20

I still dont know how Yorks won yesterday & I was at the game.

Yorks made 182-8.

After 29 overs Northants were 156-6 ... so the home team needed 27 off 11 overs with 6 wickets remaining. Somehow Yorks took the 6 wickets for 22 to win.

So thanks to Essex for winning which means Yorks get automatic promotion.

Yorkshire's chief exec (Colin Graves) is especially happy. If Kent had won Yorks would have been in the play off. The rule is that the division 2 team have home advantage. The 'problem' for Mr Graves would have been that Headingley is being dug up & Sky we reputed to be refusing to televise the game from Scarborough. This would have resulted in Yorks having to play their 'home' game at an opposition ground. This would have gone down like a lead balloon with the Yorkshire 'failthul' who would have reacted by inindating everyone (esp our chief exec) with letters & emails.

Comiserations to Aqua .... But Notts have really bottled it big time.

The Outlaws should really have beaten Lancs in the week (lost by 1 wicket).

I'm still not sure how Notts managed to let Sussex get the total to win today. For those who didn't see thre game Sussex were 130-8 chasing 227 to win, then required 16 off the last over & needed a 4 off the last ball which Goodwin hit for 6.

...........If we continue in this vein there's still a chance, small but tangible, of relegation from the LV first division after being top for most of the season.

No chance. Its far more likely to be Yorks or Lancs. Yorks realistically need a win to stay up but I cant work out how we can do it. I'm off to Scarborough this week though (Somerset are the opposition)

I really thought for a lot of that match that Yorks were going to blow it... and for a while it could have been that that caused trouble for Essex. It's a good thing that Northants Stealboks are so completely hopeless. Well done, Yorks, glad you made it. See you in Division 1 next season.

Anyway, in the end an excellent win against Kent, in a really good match. A great day, with a trophy at the end of it, and the added bonus of Kent not even getting into the play-offs. And I think we actually deserved the title this season, Essex have been in great one-day form and haven't lost a match in the Pro40. Now we just have to get better at proper cricket...

...in which the end of the season in the top division is really exciting, even from an outsider's point of view. Not sure who I want to win and lose. Apart, of course, from enjoying the demise of Surrey (again)...

It will soon be squeeky bum time part 99. Tomorrow Yorks take on Somerset at Scarborough in the championship. As Yorks are currently 8th (as we've less wins than Lancs who are on the same points) this is a game we have to win. Next week Yorks last game is at Hove & we always do badly down there.

There's 2 worries. Firstly Hoggard is doubtful due to injury. Secondly D*rr*n G**gh is down to play as captain. If the Somerset game was an end of season doesn't matter game I'd agree that G**gh should have his last hurrah in Yorkshire. But we need our stongest team & 'The D*zzl*r' simply isn't up to 4 day cricket. The captain's body only realistically allows hin to bowl on spell a day, he's a liability in the field & other senior members of the team often set the field for bowlers.

It's going to be tight. After the first day of this round of matches, it looks more and more like Lancs are doomed, together with Surrey of course.

Durham need to beat Sussex to keep up their title hopes, and I'd think that if weather permits then Durham will win that match.

In the end it'll probably come down to the last match, and Yorks will probably need to beat Sussex to stay up. Anything is possible...

Oh, and I see the ECB have graciously allowed Vaughan to play. Is he available for the rest of the season then? And if so, is this a good thing?

Though with Kent currently having collapsed to 29/4 needing another 130-odd to win against them, I may of course be entirely mistaken.

Lanc's maybe not doomed.............

Good win for Nott's today..........if they can play as well next week they've a chance of having been promoted to the first division and winning it in the same season.

Bl**dy Kent ... the fight back against us (Yorks) at Scarborough then collapse like a pack of cards against Lancs to make Yorks favourites for the drop.

Down to the Glammy,
we're going down to the Glammy.
down to the Glammy,
we're going down to the Glammy

p.s. Vaughan was off the field for most of yesterday afternoon, injured bowling spin. 'Virgil' got out cheaply trying to pull a short one which didn't come on as quickly as he expected. McGrath had a similar problem soon after he came in but the ball didn't just go upwards & so fell into space. Lyth (a young lad) got out to the same shot after scoring 60odd

Looks like Warks are going to gain promotion from Div 2, go Bears!

Though given that K*nt have to play Durham in their last match, and Durham will be desperate for the win to give them a chance of the Championship if Notts slip up, then it also opens up the prospect that a "high-scoring" draw between Yorks and Sussex could lead to Kent being relegated themselves. Which would be a tad comical.



In fact you are definitely going up. Congratulations.

Only Worcs in either of the two divisions have won more CC matches than Essex this year. But no team in either division has lost more either. I don't think Captain Pettini has quite worked out the business of playing tactically for a draw yet.

I think we've won just four matches this season and we're up. On the flip side we've remained undefeated with one game left so we've done something right. Will be quite funny if we pip our neighbours to the title tho seeing as I predicted a bottom of the table finish for the Bears this season on this very forum.

Sneaky Hampshire buggers !!

Tahir has come back from South Africa !


Edited to add......

Luckily it would seem that the Notts Chairman is not as gullible as I am.
I've just listened to an interview that he gave yesterday where he said that he was 'not at all convinced that Tahir would not be playing.'

Of course Yorkshire acting captain Anthony McGrath has lost the toss at Hove & we're batting after losing an hour for rain

Down the the Glammy
We're going down to the Glammy
Down the the Glammy
We're going down to the Glammy

Thing is, sneaky Hampshire will have to score enough runs to give him a chance to affect the result. And I can't see that happening.

Zummerzet seem to have decided to prepare a greentop, and then made the mistake of losing the toss.

Looks like the title is Notts' to lose.

And down at the bottom...

that was a bad toss for Yorks to lose. But if they can pick up a few points, Kent aren't out of trouble yet.

can the shire actually win a game this season? can they fuck. worse than that they have allowed essex's opener to score his first 100 in over 2 years. his last century, in fact his only other century also came against us. bunch of fucktards.

You'll win a game next season as Glouc are one of Yorks bogey teams .... & at 84-6 we are doomed .. but then how do we expect to get a decent score with only 4 front line batsmen.

'Twas nice of Glorse to let young Chopra play himself into form, he's hardly scored a run all season. Should set him up for the rest of the season now. Ah.

Hmm.........just got home from work to find that Nott's are doing their level best to avoid winning.

FIVE players out for a 'duck'

*Wanders away chewing nervously on fingernails*

pull yer bloody fingers out then. you must NOT let scumerset anywhere near the title, not in a year when we are worse than glabastardmorgan.

Probably Yorkshire's best day of the season. At the start we were 84-6. At the end Sussex were 25-3 with Yorkshire declaring on 400-9. Yes that is Four Hundred for Nine. One mate actually texted me to confirm the score as he didnt believe the person who was passing the scores onto him !! Well batted Adil (111), Auntie (Wainwright) (100+ no) & of course Hoggy (20no).

If Yorks could somehow bowl Sussex out for under 200 they'd have one more point than Sussex & would be in the first division next year provided they dont lose. As this is as unlikely as Yorks declaring on 400-9 today & lightning rarely strikes twice I'm spending more & more time thinking about those 4 missed batting points early in the season

YOU BEARS!!!!!




Pipped Worcestershire to the second division title, Ashley Giles you are a legend son, same goes for Alan Donald. They've worked miracles.