Warwickshire sign Irish fast bowler Rankin

[engssmoothcriminal]

News - 19/10/07 - LOUDON SEEKS CHANGE OF CAREER

Sadly it doesn't come as that much of a surprise as for the second half of the season he at times really didn't look like he wanted to be out there but I'd really hoped Gilo would have been able to talk him round. I wish Alex all the best in his future career but it's heartbreaking to think that we will never get the chance to see if he could finally do full justice to his enormous natural talent and I hope in 10 years time he's not plagued by thoughts of what could have been if I'd given it a go at Middlesex away from the shambles at Edgebaston. Unfortunately the Greatbatch/Povey regime claims another victim and another exciting cricketer and good guy leaves the club .

[Speedboy Salesman]

At least he's not going to go to another county and become amazing a taken a five for when he next plays Warwickshire!

Looks it's Botha in the spin department so far.......

[engssmoothcriminal]

Just shoot me now

News - 15/11/07 - BEARS SIGN SALISBURY

Well using Povey logic replacing someone who took 8 championship wickets at 83.37 with a 38 year old who managed the just awesome stats of 11 wickets at 67.72 does technically count as strengthening the attack .

Still at least he's not one of those evil kolpaks and Gilo's long term vision of an all English eutopia at Edgebaston hasn't been compromised . One can only imagine the benefits young Nick James will get from playing 2nd XI cricket and working with Salisbury on a day to day basis and to be fair it's not as if we have another former England spinner (a fellow SLA with 50 plus tests would be the ideal) already on the coaching staff who could be mentoring him.............oh wait

Too early to say I told you we should have gone for Moles?

[Notts Exile]

Unfortunately Middlesex don't share Giles' opinion re Kolpakers. They are signing up Friedel de Wet, a very promising fast bowler, from the Lions side in Gauteng. Good to see them providing support for South Africa's up and coming players!

Giles decision is a bit late though, his county have been among the worst offenders when it comes to playing Saffers as non foreigners! I see Northants will have FOUR ex South African international players next season. How can that be right???

[engssmoothcriminal]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

Unfortunately Middlesex don't share Giles' opinion re Kolpakers. They are signing up Friedel de Wet, a very promising fast bowler, from the Lions side in Gauteng. Good to see them providing support for South Africa's up and coming players!

Giles decision is a bit late though, his county have been among the worst offenders when it comes to playing Saffers as non foreigners! I see Northants will have FOUR ex South African international players next season. How can that be right???

Well according to their coach they do;
Cricinfo - Radford wants Middlesex to nurture home-grown talent

And given we are frantically pursuing Pollock on a kolpak (and Jayasuria for the 20/20) I suppose you could say Middlesex are following Gilo to the letter. So worst case scenario it could be 5 Saffers (if you include England international Trott) plus an O/S, plus Ireland's Boyd Rankin, plus Salisbury in the first team next season. All very well Gilo making all these big public statements about giving the homegrown players an opportunity and no longer going down the quick fix route favoured by Greatbatch but until he starts actually making some major changes in the playing staff it's all a load of hot air.

[darksideofthemoon]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

Unfortunately Middlesex don't share Giles' opinion re Kolpakers. They are signing up Friedel de Wet, a very promising fast bowler, from the Lions side in Gauteng. Good to see them providing support for South Africa's up and coming players!

Giles decision is a bit late though, his county have been among the worst offenders when it comes to playing Saffers as non foreigners! I see Northants will have FOUR ex South African international players next season. How can that be right???

What about the very promising Finn?

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by darksideofthemoon

What about the very promising Finn?

I assume he'll start behind de Wet in the pecking order. Looks like Toby Radford and Ashley Giles had better be careful what they're saying!

[Speedboy Salesman]

Apparently we've signed this new Scottish player MacLeod, anybody fill me in on this man? Or is he another worthless signing?

[engssmoothcriminal]

Originally Posted by Speedboy Salesman

Apparently we've signed this new Scottish player MacLeod, anybody fill me in on this man? Or is he another worthless signing?

To be fair to the guy he turned in some pretty decent displays in the 2nds last season so fully deserves the contract but from all accounts he's yet another tidy medium pacer who will lack the cutting edge to make the step up. Still I don't begrudge him being given the opportunity but if we are going to add yet another player to our bloated staff then it's time some of the dross got removed otherwise he'll just spend the next 3-4 years rotting in the 2nd XI before drifting out the game.

Richard Johnson though (who is a fellow 19 year old also given a 2 year contract) is a fine prospect and if Ambrose does get the international call up then I'm delighted that we offloaded the useless Barnes and Johnson will be first in line to take over the gloves. Definitely one to watch.