As much as I hold the County

[darren cook]

Championship in contempt. And consider it to be one of the reasons why we struggle to produce a steady string of world class players rather than the average players we produce now. Well I think we play to much weak cricket. The whole point of the County game should be to produce world class players who can compete %100 over 5 days. I have just checked and found that Durham will have played 15 DAYS OUT OF 18 SOON. I mean can anyone of you County Championship fans please tell me how this can produce Test match cricketers who are used to tough cricket rather than knackered blokes who find cricket a grind.

[Essex Eagle]

Well it cant can it ?

You only have to look at the Middx vs Lancs game - good quality game because the standard of players was high

What we need is 3 divisions of 6 teams but make sure the best players filter through to the top division. The current way is ridiculous with as strong a teams in div2 as 1.

That means 12 games per season.

But because of the weather allocate 5 days for play ( 4 match days - 1 in reserve)



Chances of this happening is Zero, because Turkeys dont vote for xmas

[darren cook]

Yes I heard about the idea of a reserve day which with the great British weather is a fantastic idea . I think we have some very good players here in England (British born I mean)Well not the EU Passport lot anyway.If only they could be harneshed right the 1st class game in this country could be great .Yes as you say some of the teams Lancs etc are full of high class players .

[Notts Exile]

Afternoon Darren,

(Off the subject slightly)
What would you think if you were a Frenchman? With your all conquering World Cup, Euro Championship winning team being full of African Frenchmen? Patrick Vieira? Zinedine Zidane? Claude Makalele? Thierry Henry?

[darren cook]

Notts I would rather England come 2nd to France if we were full of ENGLISH players rather than 1st because we were full of overseas players .I would rather Ian Bell than K Pieterson play for England even if Pieterson would be the better player .I would rather Richard Johnson Bowl for England than Andy Caddick . Call me xenophobic if you wish but I am pround to be English .

[Notts Exile]

No Darren, I wouldn't call you xenophobic. You have an opinion and are entitled to it. I just believe we're benefitting from having had an Empire many years ago and see nothing wrong with using those players we have available because of that - as long as they are really the best.

[darren cook]

I suppose I don't mind players like A Flower & K Pieterson laying for Counties but not for England . But just look at Derby it's silly how many of there players are from lands afar and aren't even that good .

[Statto]

do you think part of the problem is that there are more county places than quality english players and quality overseas players or just that the counties see it as an easier way to get players than with academies etc?

[darren cook]

A bit of both I suppose . I do think we have to many Counties .Although I think the gaps in standard From Club to Minor County to 2nd teams to Countys then to Tests is too great . Players develop flaws in there technique by playing aganst players of a lesser standard . 1st class players also don't get enough rest aand time to practice on the Techniques . We need to get only the best players into the top league .

[Statto]

i think one problem is that its too hard to get into county academies as juniors, it always seems to be about who you know not what you can do so many of the best juniors are missed