Best of the County Cream

[Andy Mellon]

Sorry If you've read this on the BBC Board, but as it's not been working today, not very many replies. Either that or its a rubbish post.

Best of the County Cream Andy Mellon - 94th post - 28 May 2004 11:07
Mornin' All! I was just wondering who people think the best batters/bowlers for their respective counties are/were for the past, present and future. As I can only speak about Essex, I'll start with my appraisal of them



Past

Some illustrious names to choose from for batting and bowling

Batting: Graham Gooch (obvious choice really), Brian Hardie, Trevor Bailey

Bowling: W.Mead (don't know a thing about him - just took a stack of wickets in the early 20th century), Lever, Neil Foster

Present

Batting: Doing quite well with the batting line up, but the star man has to be Andy Flower.

Bowling: Not many options here. Darren Gough or Danish Kaneria. Though Graham Napier's coming through well

Future?

Batting: Will Jefferson, Alastair Cook and Jamie Foster have all moved on this season with host of fine performances. Particularly impressed with Foster. They are all still very young in cricket terms and can only improve. Bowling: Looking to see Adrian McCoubrey improve - seems to be getting the starts this season.

[Notts Exile]

I'll follow ...

Notts have a long and illustrious history and were very good in the late 1800's! I don't know too much about that though!

Past

Batting: Derek Randall, Tim Robinson (better Test average than Gatting, wonder why he played so few Tests comparatively??) , Clive Rice, Chris Broad

Bowling: Sir Richard Hadlee, Harold Larwood, Bill Voce, Eddie Hemmings

Keeping: Bruce French

Present

Batting: Kevin Pietersen and David Hussey (for this season anyway!)

Bowling: Paul Franks (getting that form back), Ryan Sidebottom

Keeping: Chris Read!

Future: is looking good at Trent Bridge with Bilal Shafayat and Samit Patel both looking to break through. Paul McMahon, another England U19 captain, should play when he's not at Oxford.

[Andy Mellon]

You've got some quality players who've played for you over the years! Essex could do with a Richard Hadlee at the moment.... Graham Napier will have to do it seems!!!!

[Notts Exile]

I grew up on Notts-Essex battles! Hadlee vs Gooch, Lever & Foster vs Broad & Robinson. The great NatWest final of 1985.

A batting line up of Broad, Robinson, Randall, Johnson, Rice, Hadlee is a very hard act to follow. Difficult times since then!

That Essex side of the early eighties was powerful too.

[Andy Mellon]

Yes. Those were the heydays for Essex too. Gooch, Hardie and McEwan at the top of the order. Pringle and Foster were handy with bat and ball. There was always an Essex player to root for during England matches. In fact, it was a pretty decent time for county cricket in general. A lot of characters were still involved - Viv Richards, David Gower, Ian Botham, Mike Gatting etc. County cricket does generally seem a lot more professional these days (excepting some in-fighting in recent years, particularly in Yorks and Derbys - although Essex has been a victim too with the Stuart Law affair)

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon

Yes. Those were the heydays for Essex too. Gooch, Hardie and McEwan at the top of the order. Pringle and Foster were handy with bat and ball. There was always an Essex player to root for during England matches. In fact, it was a pretty decent time for county cricket in general. A lot of characters were still involved - Viv Richards, David Gower, Ian Botham, Mike Gatting etc. County cricket does generally seem a lot more professional these days (excepting some in-fighting in recent years, particularly in Yorks and Derbys - although Essex has been a victim too with the Stuart Law affair)

Notts were the best (or worst) example of in-flighting last year, culminating with the skipper chucking Pietersen's kit off the balcony! Apparently things are now better, my mole tells me that Pietersen's even enjoying himself again (though not too much on the pitch yet!)

[Andy Mellon]

Actually. We seem to have proved my argument of greater professionalism in the County game wrong! At least you got Pietersen to stay (although it hasn't really done you as much good as you hoped) - we didn't see Law for the dust!

Is there a good youth development system at Notts? I think Essex has a decent one - we seem to get at least one new prospect per season. Last year we had Rav Bopara, this year Ali Cook and the year before last we had Will Jefferson - not all Essex developed but we can spot 'em!

Our problem is that we've dumped Ilford as a festival ground. It was our way into the London market - and I reckon there's a lot of potential in the East end that will go to Middlesex or Surrey instead due to the proximity of their grounds. Dumping Ilford was a mistake in my opinion.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon

Is there a good youth development system at Notts? I think Essex has a decent one - we seem to get at least one new prospect per season. Last year we had Rav Bopara, this year Ali Cook and the year before last we had Will Jefferson - not all Essex developed but we can spot 'em!

We've had our fair share of England U19s. Bilal Shafayat came through but seems to have gone backwards, there are still high hopes for him. Samit Patel played with Ali Cook in the winter. Paul McMahon captained them too, he's now at Oxford Uni. Nadeem Malik's gone to Worcestershire and seems to be doing well.

We've got too many "imports" from other counties for my liking but the Youth Policy does seem to bring through the odd cracker.

[Andy Mellon]

I haven't heard much about Samit Patel. What's he excel in? I heard a lot about Shafayat a couple of years back, but the rumour mill's dried up on him a little!

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon

I haven't heard much about Samit Patel. What's he excel in? I heard a lot about Shafayat a couple of years back, but the rumour mill's dried up on him a little!

Samit bowls slow left arm and bats in the middle order. He scores very quickly. Was second to Ali Cook in the U19 World Cup in terms of run scoring.