County Cricket Matters

[Jester]

More support for Zak.....

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[Magic]

Zak.....

Sure.... if "nailing it" means being crap

[Jester]

Perspective.jpg

[Jester]

Zak.....

Sure.... if "nailing it" means being crap

[Magic]

Zak.....

Sure.... if "nailing it" means being crap

[Jester]

IMG_2731.jpeg

[Moon Knight]

Watch out Bradman!

[Jester]

Told you his average is over 30!




Already taken more catches than Bradman too

[Jester]

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[bluelionman]

I digress forgot about this thread but T20 Blast Finals Day was my first one a few weekends ago and maybe it did not help my mood Surrey choking but my ticket at £127 (£125 + £2 admin fee) and the fact I had a second one and could not find any takers for it even for around half the cost (£65) did not help my mood before getting in. Everyone around me seemed to be on a freebie all players or coaches or knew a CEO from one of the teams, someone at ECB etc., said they go every year to - lucky them on a freebie. Think I was the only one who had paid full price for my seat.

Furthermore, Edgbaston being cashless only now, really hacked me off as I don't like using my cards willy nilly especially places with no receipts given and then the £1 deposit on plastic cups system failed for me - end of day no matter what card I tried the transaction was declined by the refund till and they seemed to have no contingency for this - I was holding up the queue and after 5 minutes with crowds streaming out and my worrying about the queues for busses back to town centre and I had a NE coach to make back south had to leave the cups losing out on a £5 refund. Wouldn't have these issues with cash. I've a good mind send them a complaint as my last visit to Edgbaston in 2019 for the World Cup Semi Final am sure I used cash fine. So they don't let you bring alcohol in to force you to buy the £7.50 a pint (are the plastic cups even really a pint) and then by not taking cash you can easily lose track of ya spending and it becomes a very costly day. Even more so when the refund system fails!

Will only go again next year if either tickets are cheaper, can find someone go with me and or Surrey make finals day again.

[forestfan]

You’re supposed to bring your cup back each time, rather than storing them up, and they just knock it off the price of the next drink… if you’re left with one at the end just take it home as a handy picnic pint glass!

Not sure how venues can get away with a fully cashless policy though, the last I heard physical coins and notes were still legal tender so sellers should be bound to accept them?

[Jester]

First year being cashless - I assume they can do it because they state in advance that's how it is. Their place, their rules?
£1 deposit per cup a bargain in my experience - used to paying £2! Always get the one and refill it, then take it home. Have a cupboard full!!

I sit in the same seat every year (less than £100, so guess not in the lavish surroundings BLM paid for?!!) - they do a 24hr presale thing right after the final for anyone attending. Usually sell out straight away these days, so you may pay more later to make money for a middle man?

#BLM - let me know if you're there next year and we can have a pint together!


Fifty Over Cup starting next week - a few games at Radlett so I'll likely be there, and Kent at The Oval on Aug 11th of course!

[bluelionman]

First year being cashless - I assume they can do it because they state in advance that's how it is. Their place, their rules?
£1 deposit per cup a bargain in my experience - used to paying £2! Always get the one and refill it, then take it home. Have a cupboard full!!

Be nice to know what rules are - sich as if there is a law on having to accept cash - I very much fear the government would not make such a law, as I get the feeling they would want to do away with cash, save all that money making it, protecting it, distributing it and it would prevent any kind of physical theft, armed robbery etc., as it would all be moot. Robbers would in future be hackers etc., not in ya face thugs. Furthermore making it all digital and card payments only it would clamp down on anyone working under the table, on tax avoidance, cash in hand work all them delivery drivers or immigrants working when not supposed to, benefits claimants doing sly cash in hand work etc., and give the powers that be so much control - at the tap of a button could cut you off, literally. A HUGE STICK INDEED to beat us the masses with if not being compliant.

I sit in the same seat every year (less than £100, so guess not in the lavish surroundings BLM paid for?!!) - they do a 24hr presale thing right after the final for anyone attending. Usually sell out straight away these days, so you may pay more later to make money for a middle man?

#BLM - let me know if you're there next year and we can have a pint together!

I wanted to buy the same seat again + plus one or two next to mine I had this year but could not. During that 24hr window which opened up I tried to buy, but the whole stand was off sale / sold out - I think it belongs to the ECB and they block buy/get all the seats in it from Edgbaston. This year they must have put some tickets back on sale nearer the day on the Edgbaston resale platform at extortionate prices to make back some money for the tickets they give to players and that on freebies as everyone around me was telling me they go every year but get tickets through this CEO or ex-player etc., or work for a county in some capacity. I actually had players a few seats away from me who seemed to be there with friends, partners etc. and throughout the day had there mates / acquaintances popping up to stand to say hello over course of the day and catch up, when teams got knocked out semis I definitely see more coaches or whatever coming up as had attire (jacket, shorts etc) on with county logos (Surrey) etc. Gentleman next to me said he knew CEO of Somerset and he had gave him his ticket - later during change of innings in first match said CEO turned up and had brought that guy a lanyard pass sneak him in to another hospitality area so after first match he was gone and never came back. Older guys behind me (I mean in 70's or 80's I think) said they had been to every finals day since start and were good friends with some old retired player - forget name now and they said he sorted them out tickets every year, gratis. They also pointed out a few young lads - as I was bemoaning how everyone all seemed to be on a jolly and not really following the games. That's when these guys informed me one of those young lads I was referring to near me a few rows forward was in fact James Rew (Somerset) 3rd highest run scorer in the County Championship. Later when I came back from a loo break some lad was seating in my seat with his friends sitting next to my setas in the departed somerset guys seat etc., he apologised and said they was just catching up with friends and moved off - seemed a bit worse for drink. Turns out (apparently) one of the three was the brother of a Surrey player (according to his) who came back much later still rather drunk and gave me a signed programme - though you would not know from the signatures on it who they are but it was a nice gesture. Forgive me, as I have gone off on a tangent - but seems the sale price for that same stand early doors despite being off sale during that window was showing as £95 + £2 admin fee - so £30 less than what I paid late on (just a week before game) for a ticket in it.

Vitality Blast Finals Day 2023 - ticket.jpg

Certainly if I end up going next year - I'll let you know, and we can meet over a beer. I wish I thought about FISO when I couldn't find any one to take my second ticket. I panic booked online after Surrey qualified from the Quarters while I was away in Manchester as had attended that game (that I also wasted a second ticket for) and just jumped on two tickets when I found two for sale near one another (alas one in front of the other not side by side, so different rows). Like you said I thought finals days was always a sell out so when I found two tickets for sale on the Edgbaston resale site I just bought them thinking I'd easy find someone go with but I got burned - no one wanted to go at that price and said there stay home watch on TV - also the weather forecast some said was bad and would be no play so that didn't help my cause. Even outside ground at half-price I found no takers so after missing about 10 overs of first match I cut my losses and went in myself, wasting my spare. I did actually get box office print tickets out for me as I thought it would make a nice souvenir but their crappy ticket does not even say the county names competing on the ticket - at least in world cup back in 2019 them tickets are almost works of art. Look really nice and colourful showing who was playing who. Think at the cost they could stretch to a nice looking physical ticket for those that want one.

Fifty Over Cup starting next week - a few games at Radlett so I'll likely be there, and Kent at The Oval on Aug 11th of course!

Not sure if I'm gonna go to any 50 over games live - might do. However I am setting up a couple of (£5 entry / Winner Takes All) fantasy leagues (1 x Classic & 1 x Head to Head) on the tournament due to popular request among my fantasy cricket liking players. I will post deets later today on TFP forum. Might try cross posting on FISO to - anyone's welcome to join - be great have some new blood in the leagues actually.

[Guppings]

Real cricket fans will be pleased the 100's are over

Somerset had just 4 days of cricket this month & tbh, I dont know how the counties are compensated for their players playing in the 100's

The players do alright, the only losers are the members from what I can 'see'

[Jester]

Real cricket fans will be pleased the 100's are over

Somerset had just 4 days of cricket this month & tbh, I dont know how the counties are compensated for their players playing in the 100's

The players do alright, the only losers are the members from what I can 'see'

I've watched a lot of the Hundred this year - first time as I thought just like you and boycotted it. Have to say I've really enjoyed it. I love cricket so likely any was better than none, but even so I was hooked. Could be that not giving a toss who won meant I enjoyed the cricket more than I usually would?
I was further surprised at how much I liked watching the womens as much as the mens games - it is unrecognisable compared to the games I watched just a few years ago. The only issue for me is that it is still on the 'undercard' of the mens game - the play-off game on Saturday for instance was called off after just 30mins rain as the mens game had to be fitted in later.
I'll be following it again in the next years.

[Guppings]

Real cricket fans will be pleased the 100's are over

Somerset had just 4 days of cricket this month & tbh, I dont know how the counties are compensated for their players playing in the 100's

The players do alright, the only losers are the members from what I can 'see'

I've watched a lot of the Hundred this year - first time as I thought just like you and boycotted it. Have to say I've really enjoyed it. I love cricket so likely any was better than none, but even so I was hooked. Could be that not giving a toss who won meant I enjoyed the cricket more than I usually would?
I was further surprised at how much I liked watching the womens as much as the mens games - it is unrecognisable compared to the games I watched just a few years ago. The only issue for me is that it is still on the 'undercard' of the mens game - the play-off game on Saturday for instance was called off after just 30mins rain as the mens game had to be fitted in later.
I'll be following it again in the next years.

I've never actually boycotted the 100's. I've always had 'Couldn't give a toss' about who won, primarily because i didn't have a dog in the race

I think there's a good sound financial reason why woman's cricket is an under-card. Its a reasonable assumption that they'd sell more tickets with a mens match on after? A womans stand alone game I suspect would get even close to the numbers that watched when both played.. Cant prove that obviously.

[Bob Newhart]

Somerset had just 4 days of cricket this month

And on one of them I watched Prithvi Shaw score a month's worth of runs against us in a single innings

Helluva player.

[Guppings]

Somerset had just 4 days of cricket this month

And on one of them I watched Prithvi Shaw score a month's worth of runs against us in a single innings

Helluva player.

I'm going to assume yer a 'member' Bob, based on, only a member would go to watch that game knowing we'd be putting out such a team

No, I'm not a member, I know several who are, slight difference in option, 1 or 2 say it gives lesser lights experience & a chance to shine, majority aren't impressed with the situation. August really should be a bumper time for members imho.

[Jester]

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[Jester]

A quite brilliant last day of the season!
Kent manage to stay in Div 1 by seven points with Notts beating Middlesex with a couple of overs and just two wickets remaining!

Bring on next season - after the world cup of course!!

[Guppings]

This will possibly only interest 1 or 2.

The County Ground at Taunton 1962, widely thought at the time it was the revenue for renting it out for greyhound racing kept the county afloat?

[Jester]

I couldn't be bothered with a new thread so thought I'd drag up an old one!

Anyone enjoying the season so far?
As follower of Kent I am a happy man - third in the County table and won the first two games of the 'new' T20 comp. Incidentally, noticed Zak Crawley top scored with 75 @182 against Sussex today. I had to check that it was Zak as he hasn't started the season that well - six sixes and only a couple of fours... Taking it out on the shorter version of the game!

I am off to Northampton in two weeks, against The Pears I think. My first cricket of the season apart from minor counties and local games. Then T20 Finals Day in JULY!



Hopefully some others following the leather on willow with me?

[Dr. Giggles]

Hopefully some others following the leather on willow with me?

Somerset is my team.

As usual, they'll flatter to deceive and fall short in the County Championship, but should do OK in the shorter forms of the game.

[Jester]

Hopefully some others following the leather on willow with me?

Somerset is my team.

As usual, they'll flatter to deceive and fall short in the County Championship, but should do OK in the shorter forms of the game.

I love watching Somerset - always exciting in the short game. Wish I lived closer in fact. Fully expect to see them at Edgbaston in July.
Do you go to watch them much?

[Dr. Giggles]

Hopefully some others following the leather on willow with me?

Somerset is my team.

As usual, they'll flatter to deceive and fall short in the County Championship, but should do OK in the shorter forms of the game.

I love watching Somerset - always exciting in the short game. Wish I lived closer in fact. Fully expect to see them at Edgbaston in July. Do you go to watch them much?

Not as much as I'd like, though I did get to see them win the T20 last season.

Get down for the odd day of Championship and a smattering of T20/One Day games, and some away games in London/Midlands, but it's a challenge, living 3hrs + away from 'home' base.

[sportsmeister]

Hopefully some others following the leather on willow with me?

Somerset is my team.

As usual, they'll flatter to deceive and fall short in the County Championship, but should do OK in the shorter forms of the game.

I love watching Somerset - always exciting in the short game. Wish I lived closer in fact. Fully expect to see them at Edgbaston in July. Do you go to watch them much?

Not as much as I'd like, though I did get to see them win the T20 last season.

Get down for the odd day of Championship and a smattering of T20/One Day games, and some away games in London/Midlands, but it's a challenge, living 3hrs + away from 'home' base.

Off to see Glamorgan vs Somerset tomorrow evening

Did catch first day of championship match earlier in May - Somerset on top on day 1 but Glamorgan won by 2 wickets on day 4

[Dr. Giggles]

Off to see Glamorgan vs Somerset tomorrow evening Did catch first day of championship match earlier in May - Somerset on top on day 1 but Glamorgan won by 2 wickets on day 4

Nice.

Was gutted to lose that CC match - it was then it became clear after a really good start that this was going to be another fruitless season in the longer form of the game. We shouldn't be losing games like that.

[forestfan]

Notts ahead in the table early on, looking for first ever back-to-back titles, but it’s tightly packed.

Unwelcome defeat to the sheepy lot in T20 last night

[Jester]

My boys lost the battle of the bridge big time - in front of a capacity crowd expecting three wins in three…..

Slurry next up

[Dr. Giggles]

Unwelcome defeat... in T20 last night

Tell me about it.

Beginning to dislike daffodils quite a lot.