Win2Win Racing
18th July 2010, 10:20
With the return of the County Championship, it is interesting to note the way that teams have adapted to the return of the longer form of the game.
http://www.thecricketblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Yorkshire-cricket_1398670c.jpg (http://www.thecricketblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Yorkshire-cricket_1398670c.jpg)The County Championship is back with Yorkshire continuing at the top of Division 1
With the season’s hectic scheduling, teams have not had time to prepare for the shifting of focus, and it seems probable that the mindset that Twenty20 cricket creates would be carried into the county matches. It is surely not a coincidence that plenty of runs were scored and wickets taken immediately after a prolonged period of limited over cricket.
It is certainly encouraging that all four matches that began on Monday finished with a result. Three of them even finished within three days. Hopefully this could be a sign that T20 may be helping the first class county game to evolve, with more attacking cricket.
Yorkshire chased down the second innings target of 200 set by Warwickshire in fewer than 35 overs. That’s a run rate of over 5.7 – a far cry from the plodding fourth day’s cricket many a county fan often has to endure.
Many teams took their T20 form back into the County Championship, but Yorkshire’s win over the in-form Warwickshire was a slight anomaly in that respect. It raises an interesting question about the remaining fixtures of this season.
As Yorkshire are outside of the T20 semi final places, but sit atop the County Championship, is it possible that they have been waiting for the return of the four day fixtures?
With three competitions still ongoing, teams are bound to be performing better in some than others. It would surely be in their interest to spend their time focussing on the matches that could lead to tournament success.
Will we now see sides like Yorkshire and Glamorgan fill their limited over sides with younger players to make sure they have a strong, fit side to push for County Championship success? Will Derbyshire and Hampshire do the opposite in the hope of further T20 progress?
The mixture of twenty-over and four day cricket in the next few weeks could deliver mixed blessings. The combination may lead to more attacking and exciting cricket (dare we dream that a team will win the County Championship with more wins than draws?) but at the same time may cheapen a number of matches as teams pick which competitions to give their full attention.
By Luke Catterson
http://www.thecricketblog.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/feed-statistics.php?view=1&post_id=1396
More... (http://www.thecricketblog.co.uk/going-back-to-the-county-championship/)
http://www.thecricketblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Yorkshire-cricket_1398670c.jpg (http://www.thecricketblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Yorkshire-cricket_1398670c.jpg)The County Championship is back with Yorkshire continuing at the top of Division 1
With the season’s hectic scheduling, teams have not had time to prepare for the shifting of focus, and it seems probable that the mindset that Twenty20 cricket creates would be carried into the county matches. It is surely not a coincidence that plenty of runs were scored and wickets taken immediately after a prolonged period of limited over cricket.
It is certainly encouraging that all four matches that began on Monday finished with a result. Three of them even finished within three days. Hopefully this could be a sign that T20 may be helping the first class county game to evolve, with more attacking cricket.
Yorkshire chased down the second innings target of 200 set by Warwickshire in fewer than 35 overs. That’s a run rate of over 5.7 – a far cry from the plodding fourth day’s cricket many a county fan often has to endure.
Many teams took their T20 form back into the County Championship, but Yorkshire’s win over the in-form Warwickshire was a slight anomaly in that respect. It raises an interesting question about the remaining fixtures of this season.
As Yorkshire are outside of the T20 semi final places, but sit atop the County Championship, is it possible that they have been waiting for the return of the four day fixtures?
With three competitions still ongoing, teams are bound to be performing better in some than others. It would surely be in their interest to spend their time focussing on the matches that could lead to tournament success.
Will we now see sides like Yorkshire and Glamorgan fill their limited over sides with younger players to make sure they have a strong, fit side to push for County Championship success? Will Derbyshire and Hampshire do the opposite in the hope of further T20 progress?
The mixture of twenty-over and four day cricket in the next few weeks could deliver mixed blessings. The combination may lead to more attacking and exciting cricket (dare we dream that a team will win the County Championship with more wins than draws?) but at the same time may cheapen a number of matches as teams pick which competitions to give their full attention.
By Luke Catterson
http://www.thecricketblog.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/feed-statistics.php?view=1&post_id=1396
More... (http://www.thecricketblog.co.uk/going-back-to-the-county-championship/)