Two Out Of Eleven.?>

[Ernest]

I have noticed that there is not that many bowling options at the moment other that the bowling attack England have on show.

Does anyone agree with me that part of this problem lies with the fact that most counties employ near a fifth of their players from overseas.

Lancashire have Gary Keedy not long ago won an award on this board, in fact he is answering a questionnare for us at the moment.
My point being Lancashire have signed Murali, another spin bowler, so what chance Keedy getting into the County side, never mind the England side.
This is happening all over the country, OK the big names are crowd pullers, well i don't know about that, county games are not that well supported.

Does anyone agree that signing these none England players, is stopping the decelopment of our own players, 2 players out of 11 is a lot, anyone think we should cut it to one for the sake of team England.

[Rachael]

If the English youngsters were good enough they would get a game no matter what: teams get in overseas players who best compliment the talent they have available.. and if they have an English player who is good enough in one area they just get in someone to cover another area.

If Keedy really IS that good then Lancs wil prepare a turning wicket from early season onwards and use Keedy and Murali in tandem to befuddle all comers....

Turn the question on its head: how many second rate English qualified bowlers who could never cut it at Test level are involved in county cricket? I think the answe is probably "stacks". That being the case... it's not the imprts that are blocking opportunities.. its the second rate natives.

[Ernest]

Well they might, we will have to see, but what incentive is there to bring player on, when you can buy them of the peg, like Murali.

[Occasional Fan]

Originally Posted by Rachael

It's not the imports that are blocking opportunities.. its the second rate natives.

Controversial, Rachael, but, if that's what the free market says, it's probably true. English bowlers do have a right to work outside England, as I've mentioned before: no-one can stop then joining Dutch teams if they're good enough. And of course they can apply for work permits elsewhere in the cricketing world, again if they're good enough.

[Mike_Hock]

Another issue with bringing on youngsters is that if they do become good enough for the national team and win a contract, they will play little county cricket.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Ernest

Well they might, we will have to see, but what incentive is there to bring player on, when you can buy them of the peg, like Murali.

Wage bils, availability: usual stuff.

[Pabs]

Originally Posted by Mike_Hock

Another issue with bringing on youngsters is that if they do become good enough for the national team and win a contract, they will play little county cricket.

Originally Posted by Ernest

Well they might, we will have to see, but what incentive is there to bring player on, when you can buy them of the peg, like Murali.

The ECB has a complex reward structure for counties which produce England players - it's a significant part of many counties' revenue.

More info here:
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/10-21-2004-60693.asp

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Rachael

Wage bils, availability: usual stuff.

Yes!

Originally Posted by Pabs 27376

The ECB has a complex reward structure for counties which produce England players - it's a significant part of many counties' revenue.

All I can say with respect, is that such a structure has not stopped the counties from signing 2 overseas players,if we had the extra 20% of very good players, then such as Lancs would not have to sign Murali, but by signing the 2 players it is depriving the up and coming players of places in their counties.

keedy one of the best spinners in the English game, will be lucky to get a place in the Lancs side with Murali there.
The system we have is an unbreakable circle IMHO.

[Maranello]

Ernest the two overseas players are not "depriving the up and coming players of places in their counties" as you say.

If the up and coming players were that up and coming, they would play in the County Championship, if not for their own team, then for another since there are eighteen teams in England. Keedy, if he is good as most Lancashire watchers say he is, should play alongside Murali at Lancs, as long as Lancs if faith in him and make some spinning tracks. Otherwise he should play at any of the other 17 counties; surely the "best up and coming spinner" in the whole of England should be good enough to get a game at any of the other 17 counties? There is only one Murali in the world, and if Warne is busy with the Ashes next year, that leaves 17 teams any one of which Keedy can go for.

Blaming the two overseas players is an easy cop-out for the counties and the players; its a free world, and English players, if they think they are good enough, can play their domestic cricket in other countries too. Two overseas players per county means that the county can still play nine up and coming players; does it? No, it plays 3 or 4 players of great potential, and the rest are county has-beens and never-weres, blokes who will never in their wildest dreams be good enough to play for England!

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Ernest the two overseas players are not "depriving the up and coming players of places in their counties" as you say.

If the up and coming players were that up and coming, they would play in the County Championship, if not for their own team, then for another since there are eighteen teams in England.
Well it would seem you are agreeing with me, were are the up and coming players,?.
Good question, but the counties will not worry that much, because they can just go and buy 2 players of the peg.

Originally Posted by Maranello

=Maranello]Blaming the two overseas players is an easy cop-out

No cop out, it is true, the counties only need 9 home grown players, no nearly 20% of England cricket is served by overseas players, thus the counties have 20% less incentive to produce them.
So in turn the England team suffers, because they have nearly 20% less players to choose from, it's OK for the counties they dont care, but England can't play say Murali like they can.

Originally Posted by Maranello

for the counties and the players; its a free world, and English players, if they think they are good enough, can play their domestic cricket in other countries too, and the rest are county has-beens and never-weres, blokes who will never in their wildest dreams be good enough to play for England!

Does not quite work like that,Who out of the England team could play anywhere else, they always seem to be playing for England, beats me how other countries national players seem to be available for out county cricket, Like Murali and Warne, but when would Harmison or Thorpe have the time to play elswhere.

Have you never thought Maranello, these has-beens, and never-weres, are the missing nearly 20%, of English county players.