Posted by They say that in London you’re never more than six feet from a rat that has ballooned in size after feeding on one of the city’s countless sewer fatbergs. We don’t know about that, but we do know that in cricket you’re never more than 12 months from a T20 World Cup.
So that’s probably what the upcoming ODI series against West Indies is for. The 50-over matches take place before the T20s, so they’re kind of a warm-up for them. The series is a warm-up for preparation for yet another T20 World Cup.
It’s also, we suppose, long-term preparation for the next middle format World Cup, which will take place in the yawningly distant year of 2027. England will want to get a few players bedded into fresh roles before then. Most obviously, Harry Brook is the new captain, while Jamie Smith has been promoted to opener, having been promoted to number three a few games ago. Thirdly, Tom Hartley’s back (as in ‘returned’ – he hasn’t got anylosing spondylitis or anything).
The Smith move also brings back that old favourite England strategy ‘wicketkeepers open the batting in one-day internationals‘ which has bubbled in and out of fashion any number of times over the last 20 years. (It was actually Smith himself who’d been knackering it up most recently, because Phil Salt probably would have taken the gloves in England’s previous match, had he not been playing.)
Oh, there is one other thing actually: the top eight teams in the world in March 2027 will automatically qualify for the World Cup. England and the West Indies are currently eighth and ninth…
Lancashire’s recovery masterplan – an update
A quick update on the (unutterably shit) situation at Old Trafford where the various committees responsible for running the club have just realised they missed a person when doling out blame a fortnight ago.
You may remember that the last bout of finger-pointing resulted in a conclusion that Lancs needed a different captain, different players and different pitches to turn things around. At some point during the innings defeat to Leicestershire, someone must have said, “Hey, what about the coach?” and so now they’ve “parted ways” with Dale Benkenstein as well.
It has to be said, Benkenstein’s county coaching record is not brilliant. Lancs were relegated under him last season and are the only county yet to win a game this season. Before that, he was coach of Gloucestershire for a couple of years. They finished bottom of Division 1 and then bottom of Division 2.
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I mentioned to George Dobell on the Awful Place that Smith as an opener is not that bad or unprecedented an idea. Both Johnny Bairstow and KP were middle order players who made it work for England in years gone by.
As far as the qualification mess goes, England bringing doubt, calamity and uncertainty to a World Cup is usually reserved for the tournament itself. Introducing this concept to the qualifiers is a novel concept and proof that their willingness to innovate in the limited overs formats still resides within them.
In regards to Lancashire, they should comfort themselves that they are patently not the worst run sport team closely associated with Old Trafford in existence right now.
That last point hadn’t occurred to us, but you’re right. Maybe the bad juju’s spilled over and crossed the A56.
I owe you a debt of gratitude, KC. I really didn’t have the faintest idea that England are playing an ODI tomorrow, which might have caused me some considerable embarrassment when I waltz through the Grace Gate at Lord’s tomorrow afternoon for the T20 double-header.
As for Lancashire’s CC2 performance, frankly the whole division is topsy-turvey. Had you asked me for an prediction of the rankings half way through the season, I might well have predicted the standings being the exact opposite way round to the current table – i.e. Kent top, Lancs second, Middlesex third etc.
But you don’t like much talk about Division 2 stuff around here, so “nuff said”.
Seems as good a time as ever to talk about Division 2 stuff, if you ask me.
I don’t understand it, but I’m enjoying it while it lasts.
Leicestershire!!!!!
That’s my informed comment on the matter.