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Sods

Leicestershire County Cricket Club

By Sods, in General Football and Sport

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MaidstoneFox

MaidstoneFox

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 18/05/2025 at 20:24, LBTufty said:

For those who might enjoy a good roll around in the nostalgia ball pen...... https://cricketarchive.com/Middlesex/Scorecards/40/40512.html

We hammered them, though they were missing Gatting, Emburey and Edmonds, and were playing 47 year old Fred Titmus!

 

Fans of Half Man Half Biscuit will like that reference.

Edited by MaidstoneFox
  • Like 2
Graceroad

Graceroad

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, MaidstoneFox said:

We hammered them, though they were missing Gatting, Emburey and Edmonds, and were playing 47 year old Fred Titmus!

 

Fans of Half Man Half Biscuit will like that reference.

Quite common for spinners to play at that age in the 70s and 80s Jack Simmons Eddie Hemmings Norman Gifford  etc think Ray Illingworth played at 51

Graceroad

Graceroad

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, CrawlingFox said:

Need to target Blast attendances. Somerset sell out 8.5k seats for every game or near enough and their catchment area is small.

In some ways I think the T20 crowds  are more dissapointing  then the championship.Not that expensive Friday night games and crowds around 2k surprised we don't get more football fans attending

Graceroad

Graceroad

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, CrawlingFox said:

Perhaps, but it's a huge geographical area with abysmal transport links and Bristol on it's front door and Exeter at it's back door, both far better connected than Taunton and with well supported rugby teams as well as football clubs.

 

If Somerset can sell out a T20 then we should be aiming to do the same in the future.

 

Not being shite is the starting point to growing some interest and we seem well on the way to that.

Never heard Exeter being called a well supported football club before

CrawlingFox

CrawlingFox

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Graceroad said:

In some ways I think the T20 crowds  are more dissapointing  then the championship.Not that expensive Friday night games and crowds around 2k surprised we don't get more football fans attending

Agree 100%. Should be doing stuff like offering rugby or football season ticket holders t20 tickets for a fiver or something. Most people who like one sport generally like others and the Blast could be ideal as the football season finishes to watch some sport with a beer in the sun.

Guest worth_the_wait

Guest worth_the_wait

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, CrawlingFox said:

Agree 100%. Should be doing stuff like offering rugby or football season ticket holders t20 tickets for a fiver or something. Most people who like one sport generally like others and the Blast could be ideal as the football season finishes to watch some sport with a beer in the sun.

Definitely.   Lots of us football fans love a day out at the cricket.

 

Witness the scenes at Trent Bridge a couple of years ago for that One Day Cup win.  Absolutely brilliant day out.

SemperEadem

SemperEadem

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, MaidstoneFox said:

Managing his workload after 10 months without a game. Not injured, but probably quite sore and stiff.

The pull of Grace Road will be too much. He will play.

  • Like 1
LBTufty

LBTufty

Posted
Posted

The Cricketer links are appreciated however as everything is behind a pay wall, can the main points be shared each time for the benefit of others?

  • Like 1
  • Popular Post
MaidstoneFox

MaidstoneFox

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, LBTufty said:

The Cricketer links are appreciated however as everything is behind a pay wall, can the main points be shared each time for the benefit of others?

The Thomas interview:

Shortly after Leicestershire's three-day victory at Middlesex was confirmed, the lyrics to Hot Chocolate's You Sexy Thing blared out from the away dressing room. But there is no sense that anyone actively involved – be it players or coaching staff – view their current ascent as any sort of miracle. Instead, insisted Alfonso Thomas afterwards, this is merely the second stage of a reboot that began in earnest last summer, when he set his stall out in his first season as permanent head coach to make his side difficult to beat.

They lost three times last season, won once and drew the other 10 games. They were the seeds, and these are the fruits.

"The next phase for us was trying to win games of cricket," Thomas told The Cricketer on Sunday evening. "We had a good chat about how we were going to go about it; I can assure you that it is a very simple process, and it speaks for itself when you see this team perform. We keep on challenging this group to open their minds up, to challenge them to see how good they can be. They are certainly rising to that challenge at the moment."

Leicestershire, 40 points clear of Gloucestershire and Glamorgan – both tied for third place in Division Two – are unbeaten in six games, having won four of them. No one else in the country has that record, nor does anyone have more than their 35 bonus points. They couldn't have dreamed of a better start under Peter Handscomb, who replaced Lewis Hill as captain over the winter.

There is an efficiency to his leadership: unafraid to change struggling bowlers, seeking control of the run rate, maximising the versatility of one of the circuit's more interesting teams.

"Taking the results aside," he told The Cricketer, "what has been really pleasing is that we've played the brand of cricket that we wanted to play. At the start of the season and during pre-season, we talked about plans and processes and what we wanted to do and how we wanted to play. Regardless of results, if we did that, that was going to be okay and what we were going to judge ourselves on. Judging ourselves on that alone, it has been a really, really good season. The results have just been a bonus."

Those results have been record-breaking and hoodoo-ending. Sunday's win marked the first time that the county has won three first-class games consecutively since 1998, and it doubled up as a first victory at Lord's since 1980.

Thomas had used his pre-match team-talk to remind his players of where they were playing. After chasing down 102 to complete the job, Thomas looked up at the honours board in the away changing room to see who'd made a century at the Home of Cricket in 1980. It was Viv Richards, one of his favourite players. "That just shows how long ago it has been," added Thomas, who went into the Long Room and took a photograph as a souvenir of the iconic portrait in Richards' honour.

This latest win was secured much like the second, against Gloucestershire, when Thomas' bowlers used the third morning to blow open an even contest by rolling their hosts in the third innings. Gloucestershire were all out for 152, Middlesex for 143. Each time, it left Leicestershire facing tantalising, sub-150 run-chases.

"They have been very good," sad Thomas. "But to me, we've not even played our best cricket yet. That is a good sign. We've all made a contribution, which has been the pattern all the way through the season."

Only Kyle Abbott has more Championship wickets than Ian Holland, the veteran Australian-American allrounder, who has found a home at Grace Road via Hampshire, while Ben Green's 21 wickets are already a career-best for a first-class season, and Logan van Beek's 19 justify his overseas signing. Handscomb's 87 at Lord's – a ground where he found batting desperately difficult during two years with Middlesex – was match-defining.

"They are both keeping it really simple, not trying to try too much," said the Australian, reflecting in particular on the contributions of Green and Holland. "Just keep repeating, being better for longer, being second to change – making sure that the batter changes their plans before we change ours."

The wildcards in the Leicestershire ranks – Rehan Ahmed and Josh Hull – have been used more sparingly but have contributed when called upon. The pair have only taken 13 wickets between them, but Leicestershire's use of allrounders has allowed Hull to be used in short bursts as a luxury option, while Rehan has bowled just 47.1 overs in six matches. He was thrown the ball to clean up the Middlesex tail on Sunday and promptly completed the job, before wandering out to bat at No.3.

"He is still working away to make sure that his bowling is ready to go when we need it," explained Handscomb, who also praised Hull's continuing development.

"He looks strong, his rhythm looks really good, his accuracy is getting better and better with each spell. Really, really happy with what Josh is doing. We are so lucky to have someone like him to come in and offer us something different: left-arm, pace, height – all lovely attributes for a fast bowler."

Those might come to the fore next month, with the two Championship rounds breaking up the T20 Blast group stage both Kookaburra matches. It is not yet certain whether Somerset will release Green for those games, given he is a key part of the T20 setup at Taunton, and there is an acceptance too that the different ball might just require an alternative skillset.

By then, Shan Masood will also be part of the equation. There had been a possibility of the Pakistan Test captain arriving in time for next week's clash with Lancashire, only for the PSL's situation to take that out of Leicestershire's hands. They expect, though, to have him in time for the Blast, at which point Handscomb will take a break. "And then," added Thomas, "we will have a really good headache going into the Championship.

"I have a guy with almost 600 first-class wickets chomping at the bit, I have a left-arm spinner, Liam  Trevaskis, looking at me who wants a go. I have Ben Mike, another world-class allrounder, who could come in. I have a really good squad, and we will pick whatever we believe for that particular game is going to win the game for us.

"We have a team at the moment where they have each other's backs, and that is the sign of a really good team, where there is always going to be somebody who is going to pick up the pieces for somebody who might not be having a good day.

"We could have won all six games, but we are just taking them game by game."

Leicester City's title win was a miracle, as Jamie Vardy signs off. This, though, has just been incremental, well-planned improvement. There is plenty still to unfold, but this has been some start.

Edited by MaidstoneFox
  • Like 4
  • Thanks 6
Lionator

Lionator

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, MaidstoneFox said:

The Thomas interview:

Shortly after Leicestershire's three-day victory at Middlesex was confirmed, the lyrics to Hot Chocolate's You Sexy Thing blared out from the away dressing room. But there is no sense that anyone actively involved – be it players or coaching staff – view their current ascent as any sort of miracle. Instead, insisted Alfonso Thomas afterwards, this is merely the second stage of a reboot that began in earnest last summer, when he set his stall out in his first season as permanent head coach to make his side difficult to beat.

They lost three times last season, won once and drew the other 10 games. They were the seeds, and these are the fruits.

"The next phase for us was trying to win games of cricket," Thomas told The Cricketer on Sunday evening. "We had a good chat about how we were going to go about it; I can assure you that it is a very simple process, and it speaks for itself when you see this team perform. We keep on challenging this group to open their minds up, to challenge them to see how good they can be. They are certainly rising to that challenge at the moment."

Leicestershire, 40 points clear of Gloucestershire and Glamorgan – both tied for third place in Division Two – are unbeaten in six games, having won four of them. No one else in the country has that record, nor does anyone have more than their 35 bonus points. They couldn't have dreamed of a better start under Peter Handscomb, who replaced Lewis Hill as captain over the winter.

There is an efficiency to his leadership: unafraid to change struggling bowlers, seeking control of the run rate, maximising the versatility of one of the circuit's more interesting teams.

"Taking the results aside," he told The Cricketer, "what has been really pleasing is that we've played the brand of cricket that we wanted to play. At the start of the season and during pre-season, we talked about plans and processes and what we wanted to do and how we wanted to play. Regardless of results, if we did that, that was going to be okay and what we were going to judge ourselves on. Judging ourselves on that alone, it has been a really, really good season. The results have just been a bonus."

Those results have been record-breaking and hoodoo-ending. Sunday's win marked the first time that the county has won three first-class games consecutively since 1998, and it doubled up as a first victory at Lord's since 1980.

Thomas had used his pre-match team-talk to remind his players of where they were playing. After chasing down 102 to complete the job, Thomas looked up at the honours board in the away changing room to see who'd made a century at the Home of Cricket in 1980. It was Viv Richards, one of his favourite players. "That just shows how long ago it has been," added Thomas, who went into the Long Room and took a photograph as a souvenir of the iconic portrait in Richards' honour.

This latest win was secured much like the second, against Gloucestershire, when Thomas' bowlers used the third morning to blow open an even contest by rolling their hosts in the third innings. Gloucestershire were all out for 152, Middlesex for 143. Each time, it left Leicestershire facing tantalising, sub-150 run-chases.

"They have been very good," sad Thomas. "But to me, we've not even played our best cricket yet. That is a good sign. We've all made a contribution, which has been the pattern all the way through the season."

Only Kyle Abbott has more Championship wickets than Ian Holland, the veteran Australian-American allrounder, who has found a home at Grace Road via Hampshire, while Ben Green's 21 wickets are already a career-best for a first-class season, and Logan van Beek's 19 justify his overseas signing. Handscomb's 87 at Lord's – a ground where he found batting desperately difficult during two years with Middlesex – was match-defining.

"They are both keeping it really simple, not trying to try too much," said the Australian, reflecting in particular on the contributions of Green and Holland. "Just keep repeating, being better for longer, being second to change – making sure that the batter changes their plans before we change ours."

The wildcards in the Leicestershire ranks – Rehan Ahmed and Josh Hull – have been used more sparingly but have contributed when called upon. The pair have only taken 13 wickets between them, but Leicestershire's use of allrounders has allowed Hull to be used in short bursts as a luxury option, while Rehan has bowled just 47.1 overs in six matches. He was thrown the ball to clean up the Middlesex tail on Sunday and promptly completed the job, before wandering out to bat at No.3.

"He is still working away to make sure that his bowling is ready to go when we need it," explained Handscomb, who also praised Hull's continuing development.

"He looks strong, his rhythm looks really good, his accuracy is getting better and better with each spell. Really, really happy with what Josh is doing. We are so lucky to have someone like him to come in and offer us something different: left-arm, pace, height – all lovely attributes for a fast bowler."

Those might come to the fore next month, with the two Championship rounds breaking up the T20 Blast group stage both Kookaburra matches. It is not yet certain whether Somerset will release Green for those games, given he is a key part of the T20 setup at Taunton, and there is an acceptance too that the different ball might just require an alternative skillset.

By then, Shan Masood will also be part of the equation. There had been a possibility of the Pakistan Test captain arriving in time for next week's clash with Lancashire, only for the PSL's situation to take that out of Leicestershire's hands. They expect, though, to have him in time for the Blast, at which point Handscomb will take a break. "And then," added Thomas, "we will have a really good headache going into the Championship.

"I have a guy with almost 600 first-class wickets chomping at the bit, I have a left-arm spinner, Liam  Trevaskis, looking at me who wants a go. I have Ben Mike, another world-class allrounder, who could come in. I have a really good squad, and we will pick whatever we believe for that particular game is going to win the game for us.

"We have a team at the moment where they have each other's backs, and that is the sign of a really good team, where there is always going to be somebody who is going to pick up the pieces for somebody who might not be having a good day.

"We could have won all six games, but we are just taking them game by game."

Leicester City's title win was a miracle, as Jamie Vardy signs off. This, though, has just been incremental, well-planned improvement. There is plenty still to unfold, but this has been some start.

Thomas warrants a lot of credit, the immediate one day cup win followed by gradual improvements across the other formats. Clearly despite a few fans having vocal grievances, he’s improving players and he’s got the team playing as a unit. 

  • Like 4
Beagle

Beagle

Posted
Posted

I see that Louis Kimber has gone big this morning for the second eleven in Blackpool v Lancashire getting 153 off 75 balls out of a total of 222 in the first of two T20s today. Bodes well?

  • Like 1
Walshy5

Walshy5

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, when_you're_smiling said:

I see Ahmed and Hull been called up for England Lions, so they miss the first five Blast games. Ahmed was missing a few anyone due to his call up for the main T20 series.

We can cover Hull but we need another spinner on loan now id say.

  • Like 1
Voll Blau

Voll Blau

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Walshy5 said:

We can cover Hull but we need another spinner on loan now id say.

They'll just bank on Kimber and maybe even Budinger to back up Trevaskis, surely?

  • Like 1
Beagle

Beagle

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Beagle said:

I see that Louis Kimber has gone big this morning for the second eleven in Blackpool v Lancashire getting 153 off 75 balls out of a total of 222 in the first of two T20s today. Bodes well?

It turns out that this is the highest score in second eleven T20 history!! 

  • Like 1
Walshy5

Walshy5

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Voll Blau said:

They'll just bank on Kimber and maybe even Budinger to back up Trevaskis, surely?

That doesn't inspire me with much confidence. Kimber averages about 9 an over and doesn't take wickets and I've never known Budinger to bowl.

Guest WarehamFox

Guest WarehamFox

Posted
Posted

No Anderson for Lancs, coyf 

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