Each and every single cricket related thought of one Yorkshire born and dwelling, extremely average, retired village cricketer. If football is your thing then please visit www.leftbackfooty.com
One of England’s more complex characters of recent years has bowed out after failing to make a single first team appearance (First Class/List A/T20) for Middlesex last season. That is not meant as a criticism, more an observation that Nick Compton doesn’t appear like a Graeme Swann type one of the lads or to a lesser extent somebody such as James Anderson but that he comes across as an extremely insular character. It seems more a trait of batsmen but not all (Chris Gayle/David Warner) are reserved or appear as intense as Compton.
Compton seemed to thrive on an old fashioned approach: pitch a tent, occupy the crease as long as possible and pretend that the fate of mankind rested on his shoulders… sprinkled with the odd beautiful boundary. He seemed a player who exhausted so much energy, mental and physical, getting into the England team that, particularly second time around, he then had nothing more to give. Flummoxed by Trevor Bayliss’ comments Compton forgot how to be himself. This resulted in some unnecessary dismissals in South Africa and a limp international ending at home to Sri Lanka. He never recovered and took time away from cricket but good on him for going to Sri Lanka and adapting and performing well on their domestic circuit.
I hope that Compdog writes an autobiography. I anticipate it would be far more insightful and introspective than those of many cricketers.
It seems a shame that the inaugural Global T20 Canada, should be tainted by potentially having cheat and former Australian skipper Steven Smith take part in the ICC sanctioned tournament. The fact that the ICC have sanctioned the competition though, confirms that these are exciting times for cricket across the globe. Coming of the back of T20I status being applied to all 104 associate nations, Ireland and Afghanistan’s elevation to Test status and even though it’s not perfect, the Test Championship.
The Global T20 Canada is a great opportunity to help promote the game in a nation where potential has yet to be maximised. Though I love First Class cricket, T20 is, for reasons of practicality, the logical way forward in emerging cricket nations. The cities of Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg are those to be represented as well as an all-Caribbean outfit.
Many have suggested that Smith and co’s suspensions were harsh but they misunderstand. Though the cheat crew (Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft) were in part banned for their offence, they were for the most part banned for, as somebody eloquently phrased it… brand damage. Of course, like an ex-con being reintegrated into society and provided a chance to contribute value then Smith and collaborators deserve the opportunity to redeem. They say that all publicity is good publicity and for cricket in Canada, having Smith in the mix will help court attention.
It’ll be interesting so see which other well known cricketing figures from across the globe rock up in North America. Could Nick Compton, who recently finished a successful campaign playing in Sri Lanka but currently unable to get a gig at Middlesex, head to another far flung destination in the quest for runs?
Fingers crossed that Global T20 Canada can help spur cricket on in the ‘Land of Maple Leaf’ and as well as international stars, we see some local talent on show too.
Before you all suggest that I’ve gone completely bonkers, please let me draw your attention to the fact that Compdog has played both First Class and List A cricket for Sri Lanka Ports Authority as recently as March this year.
Looking at his stats, it appears as though Compton acquitted himself well, even notching a 27th First Class ton in Colombo, sandwiched between two scores in the 90s.
Those scores in his final three innings propelled him to the top of SLPACC’s run charts with 411 runs at a team high average of 44.45.
Okay, so an England recall seems unlikely given that Middlesex don’t even seem to want him at the moment and his England career petered out rather miserably second time around but good on him for going and challenging himself in a different environment and doing well. In fact, given how some of England’s batting pretenders have started the County Championship, maybe a recall for Compton wouldn’t be such a foolish idea after all!
The above is my first XI. It’s in the all-rounder roles that I’ve gambled with Rhodes and Rawlins. Rhodes has moved from Yorkshire to Warwickshire so should see increased game time and will be keen to show what he’s capable of. Rawlins made an impression in the North v South matches and this should be his breakout season. Simpson is a reliable wicketkeeper and I think there is real logic in the stumper being captain. I’ve plucked for a possibly slightly under the radar bowling attack and expect Mennie and hopefully Hutton to contribute runs too. I’ve very deliberately selected batsman that will at least occasionally bowl and should get opportunities in both formats of the game.
For my second XI, I’ve gone for the two all-rounders that I consider guaranteed runs and wickets. I’ve opted for a reliable batting unit and expect Fell to return to form this year. Though my bowling unit may not be guaranteed outings in both codes, Coad and Footitt are wicket takers in the First Class format. Mahmood is coming into the campaign off the back of impressive performances in North v South and Nijjar, a useful spin bowler, has been opening the batting for Essex pre-season. What happens to Alastair Cook with England may determine Nijjar’s opportunities. If Roderick is available throughout the season, he should be steady away behind the stumps and with bat in hand.
Have I ever mentioned that I like Ben Duckett?
Mitchell is as consistent as they come and bowls too. Smith has returned to Durham and I expect plenty of runs from the experienced head back up north. Alongside him, Brook is primed for his breakthrough campaign after debuting last term. Kuhn may not keep wicket but is a solid performer at domestic level. My bowling attack may receive England and England Lions call-ups but have runs as well as wickets in them in both formats. Bresnan is as solid an option as Patel and Bopara and van der Merwe is a destructive player.
In my fourth XI, I’ve gone Warwickshire and England veteran heavy in my batting line-up, messrs Trott and Bell leading the charge. Bell-Drummond will be looking to kick-on and fingers crossed for a run-filled renaissance from Nick Compton. Like Kuhn, Pope may not always keep wicket but will be playing regularly and in the runs this year. Berg is as reliable as anyone with the ball and Procter prospered last term having relocated to Northamptonshire. I want a bit more from Barker and Rayner this year. Fletcher is back from injury and if Overton, rated 3!, can stay fit then he’s a shrewd selection.
In my fifth XI are the other players that I like who I couldn’t squeeze into my first four teams. Northeast has moved to Hampshire but is as reliable as they come with the bat. Wells is solid in the First Class game as is Burns. Dent is an under rated player too. McManus gets the gloves with the experienced Clarke, back at Surrey, and less experienced but quick Chappell in the all-rounder roles. Hopefully Norwell has shrugged off any injury niggles. Ball will be left to play county cricket this term whilst Patterson is another of my reliable picks. Qadri made an impressive debut last year and will look to back it up.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve avoided selecting players that will be on England duty. It’s steady away county pros that you need sprinkled with one or two yet to be discovered gems just primed to be this year’s Ben Coad.
Let me know what you think about my teams and which one is likely to win me the massive cash prize of……….. £3,000!
The standout star of the six identified players, Archer could well have been on the plane to Australia this winter if it were not for the fact that, technically at least, his allegiance remains with West Indies. Archer scored 638 County Championship runs at 45.57 with a phenomenal strike rate of 88. His 61 wickets were claimed at 25.30. Still some years away from qualifying for England, could Archer go to Oz with England Lions this winter or does he need to spend as much time as possible in England to become eligible for his mother’s nation?
Daniel Bell-Drummond, 24, Kent, Right-Handed OpeningBatsman
DBD failed to register a First Class century and averaged a disappointing 25.50 in the longer form of the game. In the One-Day Cup however he clocked up two tons and finished the competition with an average of 63.29. Regarding his case for England honours, he isn’t scoring the runs to demand Test selection and despite a strong domestic campaign this year, probably isn’t perceived to be as destructive as others in limited overs cricket. Dependent on how England’s batsmen perform in Australia this winter, a strong start to the 2018 campaign could put him on England’s Test radar but the selectors’ penchant for another right-handed opener, Lancashire’s Haseeb Hameed, might not help DBD’s case. Like the first man on this list, he could in theory opt to represent West Indies.
Dom Bess, 20, Somerset, Off-Spin Bowler
Despite a strong finish last season, Bess was omitted from the Somerset side early in this year’s campaign. Once he got his feet under the table however, he made the most of it. Bess claimed 36 County Championship first division wickets at just 23.42. English cricket is often portrayed as having a dearth of spin talent but Bess, alongside the likes of Mason Crane, Matthew Parkinson, Sukhjit Singh and Hamidullah Qadri amongst others could provide great competition for England for the next two decades.
Jack Burnham, 20, Durham, Right-Handed Middle OrderBatsman
Burnham missed a fair chunk of the season in the early stages and went on to register 223 runs at 24.78 with a top score of 93 not out in the County Championship. He has totalled less than 100 runs in all cricket since 28th July. Much was expected of him following the departures of Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick to Surrey and with Keaton Jennings heading to Lancashire, Durham desperately need Burnham to blossom come 2018.
Nick Compton, 34, Middlesex, Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman
Former England batsman Compton was one of many willowmen on the county circuit this season to endure a frustrating campaign. The Middlesex player totalled a moderate return of 446 runs at 26.24. His season best of 120 was his only half-century let alone his only ton.
Mark Footitt, 31, Surrey/Nottinghamshire, Left-Arm Fast Medium Bowler
Footitt’s early season form for Surrey was so destructive that his performances went viral and there were calls from many quarters that England recognition was merited. By the end of the campaign however, he had returned to Nottinghamshire but made only a single first team appearance before the season was out. Footitt hasn’t played white ball cricket in over a year but this term totalled 23 division one wickets for Surrey and four division two wickets for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship. His averages (29.83/23.75) were sub 30 for both counties.
In 2018 we’ll start again with six fresh faces and see how they fare as the season pans out.
It now looks certain that England will turn to Surrey’s Mark Stoneman come the first Test against South Africa commencing July 6th. The former Durham opening batsman registered scores of 58 and 86 for England Lions against South Africa A this week.
With Haseeb Hameed’s run pool run dry and despite Moeen Ali’s not so subtle hints that he’d like to bat at five (He’s likely to stay at eight), England’s batting department at Lords will probably look like this:
Alastair Cook
Mark Stoneman
Keaton Jennings
Joe Root (C)
Gary Ballance
Ben Stokes
Jonny Bairstow
Moeen Ali
After that it becomes a bit of blur dependent on fitness to the men in possession, messrs Anderson, Broad and Woakes.
Returning to Stoneman, he’s a player that I’ve wanted to see capped before but felt that whilst at Durham he was too often dismissed in the thirties and forties. A First Class career average of 34.20 (And that’s gone up this year) confirms such. The left-hander averages a healthy 39.20 in List A cricket. The journey south (Remember them?)…
and a reuniting with his coach, former Ozzie ODI opener Michael Di Venuto, has seen Stoneman prosper and usurp Durham to Surrey twin Scott Borthwick in the international pecking order. It seems unlikely that Adil Rashid will get to play a Test on home soil soon and that when England do require a second spinner, it will be Mason Crane. That leaves Moeen down at eight for the time being. Gary Ballance demands selection and with Joe Root expected to bat at four, Keaton Jennings will be at three. Hameed will be left to pick up the pieces in the County Championship and possibly for the Lions come the winter. England have gone through many opening batsman in recent times, from Sam Robson (Called up to the Lions today) to Adam Lyth, Michael Carberry to Ben Duckett and Nick Compton to Alex Hales. When they do select Stoneman, they need to make a commitment to stick with him, invest in the failures and opportunity to learn and play him throughout the South Africa and West Indies series and the Ashes as well as into next summer. Only then should they consider jettisoning him if they haven’t reaped the rewards. To pick another opener for between four and seven Tests, maybe even see him score a hundred, then move onto someone else would be a failure to live and learn on the part of the England hierarchy.
Here’s an early season follow-up on the players that were identified in that piece.
Jofra Archer, 22, Sussex, All-Rounder
If Archer is eligible to represent England now, then he could be an outside bet for an Ashes trip though he hasn’t graced the Lions squad yet and provided England’s penchant to have a look first, it might be that he has to settle for England’s bench squad for the time being.
Archer has 18 CC wickets at 24.56 including two five-wicket hauls. Couple that with two half-centuries to help him total 223 runs at 55.75 and you’ve got a very destructive all-rounder. After a slightly expensive start there were wickets and runs in the List A competition too and Archer is surely a player that spectators and selectors will be following closely.
Daniel Bell-Drummond, 23, Kent, Right-Handed OpeningBatsman
DBD started the First Class campaign with… starts but went on to make back to back hundreds in the One Day Cup. He then followed up a duck blip with 90 and totalled 443 runs at an average of 63.29 in the competition. His strike rate was a healthy 87.38. That’s good but the very top batsman are striking at 100% as a bare minimum. He’ll look to the England Lions games to press his case and could make the ODI squad this season if England choose to experiment and rotate ahead of an Ashes tour.
Dom Bess, 19, Somerset, Off-Spin Bowler
Bess was nowhere to be seen in the early stages of the county season and had a quiet introduction to the County Championship. He didn’t make the one-day games either but has this afternoon just snapped up a maiden 2017 County Championship victim. Hopefully he can now kick on.*
Jack Burnham, 20, Durham, Right-Handed Middle OrderBatsman
With Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick gone to Surrey, it looked as though Durham would be looking to Burnham to pile on the runs. He scored 150 against Durham MCCU in April but followed it up with only 15 and 4 in the opening round of County Championship matches against a strong Nottinghamshire line-up. He doesn’t appear to have played any second XI games so may well be injured. In the meantime the likes of Graham Clark and Cameron Steel have had their chance in the first team and progressed steadily.
Nick Compton, 33, Middlesex, Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman
Injuries and poor form have combined to mean that Compton just hasn’t got going this term. He’s got runs in the second XI including a century and against MCC in Abu Dhabi but hasn’t reached 40 in competitive cricket this season. In truth he’s probably struggling to hold down a spot in the Middlesex first XI at the moment.
Mark Footitt, 31, Surrey, Left-Arm Fast Medium Bowler
Footitt went viral when he kicked off the campaign with 6-14 against Warwickshire. Since then he’s continued to claim victims but has gone at around four an over on occasions. With Test series against South Africa, West Indies and in Australia on the horizon, alongside the quality of Anderson, Broad, Woakes and Stokes, Footitt could be a great weapon to slot into the side for the odd Test from time to time. He’s not in the Surrey line-up for their current match though and constant injury niggles may cost him an international career, as might the ability of fellow left-armers, county teammate Sam Curran and Sussex’s George Garton, both of whom have made the Lions squad though admittedly that squad is specifically for limited overs matches.
For the record, Footitt has 20 County Championship Division One victims in four matches this term at 23.65 apiece but at a leaky 3.77 runs per over.
Here’s Footitt on his way to his 21st First Class five-wicket haul earlier this season, Lancashire the victims.
We’ll catch up with the six later in the campaign to see which players seasons have flourished, which have faltered and which had pressed their case or even reached international honours.
*Bess would actually go on to claim match figures of 10-162 including second innings career best figures of 7-117!
Leg Bye: Twenty-year-old Derbyshire stumper Harvey Hosein finished the 2016 county season with scores of 83 not out, 53, 108 and 59 yet he’s nowhere to be seen at the start of the 2017 campaign. He’s been replaced by thirty-one-year-old former Surrey and Ireland gloveman Gary Wilson. Meaning no disrespect to Wilson but unless Hosein is injured or otherwise unavailable it’s a huge shame if homegrown Hosein has simply been usurped following such strides last term.
… in more detail as the season progress but here’s a very early term report.
Jofra Archer – A seven-wicket haul and 60 not out from number eleven!
Daniel Bell-Drummond – First ballers, starts. Must convert in order to push for full international honours.
Dom Bess – Nowhere to be seen?!
Jack Burnham – Batting at three for Durham, scored 15 and 4 to kick off his campaign.
Nick Compton – Made 5 and 59 against MCC in Abu Dhabi but now injured.
Mark Footitt – Went viral with 6-14 in Surrey’s rout of Warwickshire. Continuing to take wickets but has found himself going at around four an over at times.
Wide: Progressive news for Don Bradman Cricket 17 followers:
After our battering at the hands of the Scots north of the border, we were grateful to return to home comforts when we entertained Namibia in Arundel. Tom Curran and Jack Leach were dropped from the XI, with Jake Ball recalled to the side and Toby Roland-Jones handed a Test debut.
Toby Roland-Jones snapped up his first Test victim.
Such was the unrelenting quality performed by the opening bowlers, Roland-Jones had to wait until after lunch for his opportunity but soon claimed his first Test wicket. In truth however, it was his Middlesex colleague Steven Finn (5-34), man of the match against the Scots, who really shone, ably supported by the returning Jake Ball (3-24).
Aneurin Donald (16), was unlucky to be given out LBW in the first over of the final session.
After restricting the visitors to just 110 in their first innings, for the second match in a row Kent opener Daniel Bell-Drummond held things together before being run out for 46. Stumper Jonny Bairstow (35) and fellow Yorkie, captain Joe Root (30), both innings consisting of just twenty deliveries, complimented DBD to lift us to a slightly underwhelming 173 all out but a vital lead of 53.
Jake Ball (4-31) led the way as we made early breakthroughs in Namibia’s second innings. Hampshire spinner Mason Crane (2-36) struck in the first over of the day and was a constant threat whilst debutant Toby Roland-Jones (2-45) looked like taking a wicket at any point before eventually doing so, claiming two more victims on Test debut. Namibia recovered well from 67-5 but Keith Barker (11-5-31-0) built pressure with his economical and consistent line before Steven Finn (2-42) removed both the African side’s top scorers, Bagel (69) and wicketkeeper Gardiner (32). After they were gone, Namibia collapsed from 176-6 to 189 all out. The number of maidens that we bowled was a vast improvement on past efforts as was our catching, only letting ourselves down on a couple of occasions late in the piece. Credit must also go to skipper Joe Root, his bowling changes or even non changes and tactics as a whole, were outstanding.
Sam Northeast (55 not out) recorded a maiden Test fifty and in doing so, led his country to victory.
Ben Duckett (0) and Aneurin Donald (5) were amongst those soon back in the hut as we slipped to 59-4 in pursuit of 127 for victory. Despite strong performances in the field, their Test futures now hang by the finest of threads. The fact that it may be fair to stick with a winning side will possibly, possibly save them. The likes of Liam Livingstone (12th man in this match), Alastair Cook, Nick Compton and Scott Borthwick to name a few, wait in the wings should we opt to make changes. Number three Sam Northeast showed how it should be done, as he put on a fifty partnership with Warwickshire’s Keith Barker (28) to alleviate any fears of an England slip-up. Barker was needlessly run out before Jonny Bairstow (8 not out) clobbered the winning runs. It was Kent batsman Northeast’s composure though, in striking a maiden Test fifty (55 not out) in only his second Test match to lead the side to victory, that can provide an example beacon to others in England’s batting line-up.
A five-wicket win was a welcome response to the Scottish episode. Though some places in the team are still up for grabs, many players have really placed two hands on their position in our strongest XI.
It may only seem like yesterday that the 2016 English domestic campaign reached its dramatic conclusion but it’s never too early to start looking ahead. With only six months until the 2017 season begins, Silly Point has identified six players to watch out for. It’s not just youngsters trying to make their way in the game that Silly Point has taken a look at either. Seasoned veterans receive a going over too with Silly Point predicting some renaissances in 2017.
Jofra Archer, 21, Sussex, All-Rounder
When you Google Barbadian born Archer and this is know joke, he was born on April Fools Day, he appears to be draped in West Indies colours. He wouldn’t be the first Sussex man to have departed Caribbean shores and gone on to play for England however, Chris Jordan anybody! Archer arrived on the English county scene with a bang last season, recording figures of 4-49 on First Class debut against the touring Pakistanis at Hove. Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq all fell victim to the twenty-one-year-old. Sussex’s six other first innings bowlers managed just a sole wicket between them and it was only Archer who managed to bag second time around when he sent Hafeez back to the pavilion once again. Archer displayed his batting credentials with a knock of 73 against Essex in the County Championship at Colchester, recorded two more four wicket hauls before the season’s completion and took 5-42 against Somerset in a one-day match at Taunton. Sussex will rely heavily on Archer’s contributions in 2017 if they’re to haul themselves up to Division One in both the County Championship and One-Day Cup.
Daniel Bell-Drummond, 23, Kent, Right-Handed OpeningBatsman
747 County Championship runs at 53.36, 332 One-Day Cup runs at 41.50 (S/R 86.23) and 171 off 139 deliveries for England Lions against Sri Lanka A in a one-day match… yet somehow DBD’s progress in 2016 seemed to go somewhat under the radar, a mid-season injury didn’t help. Last year DBD smacked 127 from just 112 balls against a touring Australian side whose bowling attack included Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris. You can go as far back as 2013 to find former Kent skipper Rob Key proclaiming that DBD could be a “… 100-test cricketer…”. Despite a more than reasonable 2016, Northamptonshire’s prolific Ben Duckett, Lancashire’s record breaking Roses match teenager Haseeb Hameed and maybe even Durham’s Keaton Jennings have all usurped twenty-three-year-old Bell-Drummond. DBD will hope to press his case for full honours when representing England Lions this winter against the UAE in three one-day games in Dubai and against Afghanistan in a three-day match in Sharjah.
Dom Bess, 19, Somerset, Off-Spin Bowler
Topping the County Championship Division One bowling averages last term with thirteen wickets at 10.46 apiece including two five wicket hauls, 6-28 against Warwickshire and 5-43 against Nottinghamshire, both at Taunton, suggest that Somerset have a real find on their hands in England U-19 international Bess. Of course not all of those that arrive on the scene with a bang live up to the hype, Mathew Sinclair anybody! Some of the mystery of Bess will have evaporated as batsmen have had both the opportunity to face him and to study the videos during the winter. Not that Shane Warne or Muttiah Muralitharan got any easier to play and Bess will remain a mystery to many that have yet to encounter him. The real test for Bess will come when (if?) he finishes with figures of 0-150 and how he responds to doing so.
Look out for my upcoming article ‘England’s Spin Dearth Myth’ for more on Bess.
Jack Burnham, 19, Durham, Right-Handed Middle OrderBatsman
Stoneman, gone. Borthwick, gone. Muchall, gone. Mustard gone. No pressure on 19-year-old Jack Burnham then! The 2016 Under-19 World Cup’s leading run scorer registered 630 County Championship Division One runs at 27.39 in 2016 but his limited overs campaigns were rather fruitless. Despite the departures of senior batsmen Burnham will still have the likes of Keaton Jennings and Paul Collingwood alongside him and following Durham’s relegation after an ECB bailout he’ll be playing County Championship cricket in Division Two this term. Durham will be seriously hoping that the teenager can kick on in 2017 and break the 1000 run barrier in the County Championship’s bottom division to help get Durham back into the upper echelons of English cricket.
Nick Compton, 33, Middlesex, Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman
@Compdog’s axing from England first time around was a bitter affair. Second time it was just horrible to watch, to witness English cricket’s Marmite fall apart. There was no bemoaning the selectors this time around. Compton knew he’d had his chance. After commencing the South Africa series with a Comptonesque 85 at Durban, mixed messages from coach Trevor Bayliss resulted in Compton trying to go out all guns blazing to seal victory in the Johannesburg test and ultimately forget how to play the very sort of innings that had earned him international recognition in the first place. It’s questionable whether an experienced cricketer such as Compton should have ever allowed his coaches public comments to affect his game and after returning to the county game he rather alarmingly took a break from cricket altogether. He did however return to the Middlesex ranks and of course finished the season as a title winner. After the fall there were glimpses of his run making ability like his innings of 131 against Durham at Lords in August. With even the man himself surely beyond thinking about international selection, if he can just enjoy himself at the county he felt it necessary to return to then Middlesex will surely reap the benefits.
Mark Footitt, 30, Surrey, Left-Arm Fast Medium Bowler
It would be easy to assume that the proverbial ship has long since sailed for Mark Footitt, at least on the international front. If he wasn’t going to make the England XI in South Africa then maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. He was seen as the County Championship’s marquee signing pre last term but injuries disrupted the left arm seamer’s opportunity to make an immediate impact at Surrey. However as the season progressed and he eventually rid himself of injury he didn’t half come good. The wickets tumbled in the latter stages of the season and Footitt finished the campaign with 34 Division One wickets at 26.85 including career best figures of 7-62 against Lancashire at The Oval followed up by 6-161 against Hampshire at the same ground and 5-90 against Durham at Chester-Le-Street. If he can stay fit he will surely prove a major asset for Surrey and with the international attraction to left arm seamers maybe an England cap could still be within the thirty-year-old’s reach.
Silly Point Cricket 