Potential Player Interviews

[Andy Mellon]

After our votes in the close season for the best players in county cricket, I am currently trying to arrange interviews with the winners of the following votes

Best Batsman - Owais Shah
Best Bowler - Mark Davies (sorry FF! )
Best All-rounder - Mark Ealham
Best Keeper - Chris Read
Most Improved - Alan Richardson
Best Young Player - Alastair Cook

Please could you let me know if you have any questions that you'd like to ask any of these players. Please post your proposed questions to this thread.

For those wanting to set questions to Shane Warne, winner of best Overseas player, please could you hold fire on proposing any questions for him. Obviously, arranging an interview with Warney may be considerably more difficult and so if we do manage to get him to answer any of our questions, it will not be for a fair time

[Teatime FatCat]

For Owais Shah -

How is the knee now?
Where will Middlesex's spin threat come from next year?
What he thinks of this year's overseas signings?

[Andy Mellon]

UPDATE: I have an interview arranged by phone with Mark Davies - I will be speaking to him tomorrow evening. I know this is short notice, but any questions that anyone would like to ask him, please post them here ASAP!

[Rachael]

If you could track down the famous quote to the effect that England's selectors would overlook Shaun Pollock as "too slow" (I think it came from Bicknell) you could frame a nice question of what he makes of England's tendency to go with raw pace instead of with bowlers who can actually do something with the ball.

One thing I'd really like his views on, however, is the link between medium pace bowling and wicket-keeping. More specifically, I'd like to know whether (particularly following Jack Russell's late-career focus on being more aggressive and looking for stumpings off pretty nippy medium pace bowlers) he thinks medium pace bowling only really comes into it's own when it's done in partnership with a great 'keeper (in the manner of Bedser, who could apparently bowl at Bicknell's sort of pace, and Evans, who by all accounts never stood back to him).

[admin]

It wouldn't hurt to mention that he made the WAT England A team this year.
Does he rely on seam movement to get the majority of his wickets? What other ways does he look to take wickets? Swing? Change of pace? Exploit uneven bounce?
What County grounds favour his bowling?
What overseas grounds would he like to bowl on?
Has he been involved in cricket during the off-season?
Does he have asperations to represent England?
Would he benefit from a tour with the Academy?
Last year, what gave him most pleasure: his 6/32 in the 1st innings against Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street or his near record partnership of 124 for the ninth wicket batting with Liam Plunkett against Somerset?
Does he think he can play a full season without injury in 2006?
Is he aiming to be an all-rounder or just a bowler who can bat a bit?
Played for England Under 19s against Sri Lanka Under 19s in 2000. Was that an important series in terms of his cricket development?
Has he modelled his bowling on anyone in particular?
Is he looking forward to playing in the 1st Division next year?
Does he have a nickname?
Graham Onions and Phil Mustard - do they enjoy a good barbecue?

From feverpitch via PM:

Originally Posted by feverpitch

I see you have an interview with Mark Davies arranged - fantastic! As for questions, you could ask him about whether he views county cricket as a grind, what he does in the off-season, his views on Liam Plunkett, Twenty20 and if he thinks too much county cricket is being played.

[Collyisamackem]

I'd like to hear his assessment of the best players he played with and against? Also, who does he rate most in the Durham youth setup?

[Teatime FatCat]

I'd like to know what some of the rest of the Durham squad are doing in the winter?

Also, what are his views on the county's spin attack for the coming season?

[Collyisamackem]

Gary Breese is evergreen and performing fairly well, though it's safe to say we could probably do with a young spinner coming through soonish! It will be interesting to see whether Graeme Bridge can develop further.

[Teatime FatCat]

Hey Andy, how did it go and when can we read it?

[Andy Mellon]

The interview with Mark Davies is already on-line! Go to the main forum homepage, and its in the A Teams forum. Alternatively, in the description of the A Team forum on the home page, a link to the interview should be there, cunningly titled "Mark Davies"