Sunbury Fox

Switzerland showcasing prime Martin ball. 

Yet again losing a wicket just before a key break but what an effort from Hilly to bat for so long. At least we’ve made Essex sweat a bit but I’d expect them to wrap this up fairly comfortably.

Complete non event. Watching the Dutch knock it around endlessly going nowhere in front of a massed defence is probably indicative of what it will be like watching us under Martin in L1 next season. 

47 minutes ago, Walshy5 said:

Think we needed to go into tomorrow with Cox and Green still in to stand half a chance of grinding out a draw.

Yeah. Good rearguard effort but we always seem to lose wickets at key points eg Green getting out 2 overs from the end. Will be pretty much a miracle if we don't lose the game from here. 

1 hour ago, Mark 'expert' Lawrenson said:

I’d very much doubt it and Henderson has said he will be important in the second half of the season. 

Could be useful in the couple of CC games in August when you'd expect pitches to be hard but in the final 4 games in September, it's hard to see a left arm spinner being more effective than a good pace bowler. 

Don't mean to be rude but this elderly commentator from Essex is unbelievably bad! 

51 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

If you have the attack to exploit that, fine. Only B. Green had them in any trouble though.

 

Looking at the forecast and our recent record, we should have backed ourselves to bat. We keep putting all our chips on having sides 50 for 7 within an hour but that just ain't gonna in Div 1.

That's my take on it, especially as the forecast was for the clouds to clear, which they duly did. 

I don't get our obsession with putting teams into bat. 

5 minutes ago, DezFox said:

What starters are we missing?  

Holland, Eskinazi, Tattersall and arguably Budinger too, now that Weatherald has left. Only playing 1 overseas player doesn't help either, though I guess that's by choice. 

Sadly, we're just not at the level in the CC, especially with so many starters missing. 

If Rehan is back, can't we drop Ajaz and play Turner as the second overseas player, given we're missing several batsmen? Or is Turner only contracted for the one day stuff?

Maybe the way forward is to produce slow, stodgy wickets for T20s at GR. In a low scoring game, it gives the underdog a better chance of winning, I think. If yesterday's pitch had been a road, it's very unlikely we would have outscored their batting line up. 

4 minutes ago, Bert said:

You are responsible for the win. 

Yes, definitely 12th man today!

Another embarrassingly heavy defeat incoming.

Yorkshire just too strong. 5 or 6 international class players. 

Irrespective of whether Martin is any good (the evidence suggests he's not great), the biggest worry is that the club are going to appoint another manager who the fans are so opposed to. This is the last thing we need right now, given how crucial it is for the club to get the fans back onside and connected. 

Getting Big Nige vibes about Challinor. Would definitely support his appointment.

3 hours ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

PSV and Roma are a whole different level to Fiorentina (had a really poor season) and Shakhtar (effected by the war).  

 

Rennes also finished 4th in the French league which despite people calling it a farmers league, is stronger than the Cypriot league.

Agree strongly. Playing the second leg of a semi in a full Stadio Olympico against a team managed by Mourinho can hardly be compared to Palace beating a team unable to play at their home ground and denuded of their star players by an ongoing war. 

The ending summed up our performance today. Appalling. 

This bloke didn't even bowl in their two previous matches and gets 6 wickets tonight! 

6 minutes ago, Bert said:

Another game lost winning the toss with the wrong decision to bat 2nd. 

I'm not sure batting first would have made much difference to the result. We'd have got about 160 and they'd have knocked them off in about 15 overs. We are just way off the level required. The batting lacks reliable power hitters, the bowling is inaccurate and the fielding unreliable. Losing to these so heavily is unacceptable. Bloke who has 4 wickets for them is basically a part time bowler. 

I really am the kiss of death this year.  Stopped watching and we get about 85 off 6 overs. Start watching again and we lose both batsmen immediately!

3 minutes ago, SMX11 said:

I expect a near 100 run defeat 

Optimistic