Going, Going ….
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February 20, 2018, 5:44 pm
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Filed under: Uncategorized
Who’s next?
Remembering the ‘exhaustion’ which prevented Adil Rashid from playing in the vital Championship title-decider at Lord’s at the end of 2016, I wasn’t the least surprised that he’s given up red-ball cricket.
Now Alex Hales has followed suit
I guess the first-class game in England will limp along, but how long it will remain first-class is another matter. Modern professional cricketers tend to operate from the herd instinct, and will kiss the badge, while spouting platitudes about looking after number one/families etc, so who will be next? And more to the point, which Hampshire player might be the first?
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Hampshire Cricket History 
Sometime just after lunch England Lions, 107-5, are 170 behind, so it’s unlikely Crane will get another bowl.
Bit of a rally going on – 170-5
Comment by pompeypop February 20, 2018 @ 5:46 pmI’m sure Notts will be even more cheesed off now that they couldn’t get Sam NE to sign for them!
Comment by John L February 20, 2018 @ 6:56 pmFYI Baileys not coming back. Not announced over here yet. Northeast looks like a good swap.
Comment by Blair Kantolinna February 20, 2018 @ 7:49 pmhttps://www.cricket.com.au/news/george-bailey-hampshire-ipl-indian-premier-league-option-family-wife-baby-cricket-future/2018-02-14
Well Bailey signed a two-year contract with us and then decided to miss the first part of the season to get married. He then abandoned the side he was supposedly leading mid-season in order to earn more money playing in a meaningless T20 series for a World XI. Now he has reneged on the second half of his contract.
So bye George, you won’t be missed one iota..
Comment by James February 20, 2018 @ 9:57 pmNot one to be missed – or much celebrated by the historians!
Comment by pompeypop February 20, 2018 @ 10:07 pmI have never had much regard for Chris Gayle as a cricketer due to his reluctance to play Test cricket and now I have the same opinion of Messrs Hales and Rashid.
I can understand cricket is their profession and they are doing what they believe is best to maximise their earnings but to me cricket is a sport not a business so I will choose to hold in high regard those who choose to continue the tradition of Championship cricket and to consider those who are willing to sacrifice that for a few quid as an irrelevance.
Comment by James February 20, 2018 @ 9:49 pmI agree James. These days none of them are badly paid.
Comment by pompeypop February 20, 2018 @ 10:09 pmMason Crane 25*, 4th highest scorer in both innings – but sadly no wickets, and defeat by inns & 17.
Comment by pompeypop February 20, 2018 @ 10:08 pmI put the same thoughts to the PCA and it’s members but still awaiting an answer.
Comment by PAUL WILLIAMS February 20, 2018 @ 10:36 pmMight be a long wait. Between them, the authorities and the players are doing a great deal to alienate a large part of their most loyal supporter. It won’t turn out well.
Comment by Dave Allen February 21, 2018 @ 7:05 amSorry, meant ‘support’ (I think there’s more than one!)
Comment by Dave Allen February 21, 2018 @ 7:06 amIn respect of Dave’s last question I know which Hampshire player I would like to see be the first to announce he is only going to play white ball cricket but I’d probably best not say!
Comment by James February 21, 2018 @ 2:24 pmI can guess! Me too …
Comment by pompeypop February 21, 2018 @ 4:16 pmOh please do!
Comment by Paul February 21, 2018 @ 8:47 pmWell back in the sixties there was a funny soul singer called Billy Stewart who used all kinds of vocal inflections and stutters and things as a stylistic device
For example RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
If you see what I mean?
Comment by pompeypop February 21, 2018 @ 9:31 pmI feel I need to add something to my last Comment, something that I’ve said before. I’ve nothing against the guy ‘personally’, I wish him well in his cricket career, but I don’t want him pursuing that career at Hampshire – particularly under-performing as he did last year. I don’t want Hampshire to keep going abroad and signing more and more players who are not English – let alone, not Hampshire (by which I mean Hampshire-raised, not necessarily Hampshire-born)
Comment by pompeypop February 21, 2018 @ 10:01 pmon a slight tangent. Any idea who might be our overseas player this season or did I miss an announcement?
Comment by Tigger Miles February 22, 2018 @ 7:01 amAfridi I expect!
Comment by John L February 22, 2018 @ 7:34 amAfridi for T20 I expect but not for 4-day game, surely.
Comment by Tigger MIles February 22, 2018 @ 10:31 amHales and Rashid are just the logical extension of whats been going on for a while – perhaps the wonder is that it’s taken so long.
And where did it start?
2008 Bransgrove let Dimmy go to the IPL… but of course “real” cricket is what he’s been doing all this to preserve???? Ha!
Comment by Jeremy February 22, 2018 @ 8:22 amOne other thing (from Athers’ 😉 Times excellent, if wearying, article today) – Eoin Morgan has apparently made himself available for “Red Ball” Middlesex…. no IPL gig, where can I make some cash?
Athers wonders if he’s good enough to get in the side…
Comment by Jeremy February 22, 2018 @ 8:27 amMy Middlesex supporting friends are quite certain he isn’t!
Comment by James February 22, 2018 @ 5:50 pmHas anyone ascertained whether T20 cricket has yet led to any increased attendance at first class cricket, e.g. in India or Australia? This was originally put forward as an argument for T20. Or are the authorities happy for red ball cricket to fade into oblivion as an outmoded tradition, or, if it is allowed to survive, for it to be kept on life support by T20?
Comment by Ian White February 22, 2018 @ 4:54 pmI may be generalising, but T20 was mostly aimed at the younger generation. We won’t know for many years (when this generation retire) whether their love affair with cricket extends to the longer game. By which time there might not be a longer game!
Comment by Tigger Miles February 23, 2018 @ 7:02 amT20 will be the longer outdated game with T10 the future!
Comment by James February 23, 2018 @ 11:51 am