Four Drinks Waiters

Nottinghamshire 393-7
v Yorkshire
close on Day 1

Sunday 19 April 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

(Some) YCCC supporters Read My Lips. There is no ECB conspiracy against Yorkshire. There is not even that much incompetency by the ECB over the four Yorkshire drinks waiters in the West Indies. What there is is a perfect storm of circumstances making it difficult for the ECB & Yorkshire.

Cricket is not exactly unique among world sports. But, it needs the finances from the International game to prop up the Domestic game. Without the England Test team playing overseas tours in front of the (Sky) TV audience, there would be no County Cricket as we now understand it. Yorkshire need England to be in The West Indies.

Why now? I hear you ask. Why must it clash with the first games of the County season? Fair point. It is very rare for an England tour to clash with the domestic season. But, this year there was also the ICC World Cup. Gentle reminder, another County Cricket propper upper. Perfect storm. Quart, pint pot. The players can't be in three places at once. World Cup, West Indies tour, County season. Something has got to give.

Why take players if you have no intention of picking them? What? Really? The last time I looked, you were allowed 11 in the team. The last time I looked, some pitches take more spin than others. The last time I looked, you might need to be ultra attacking or ultra defensive in the third Test of a three match series.

Players pull up lame. Players crash pedalos. You need an XI you intend to play and "some more" you intend to play if you have to. I support taking a squad large enough to cover key positions.

Specifically, I support taking (as a minimum) 3 openers, 2 wicketkeepers, 2 spinners, and 5 seamers. I feel Lyth, Bairstow, Rashid (with the injury to Ali) & Plunkett are in the top 3, 2, 2 & 5 of their discipline.

And come on, you select the squad on merit, and you select the XI on merit, irrespective of which County they play for.

Disagree with the selection by all means, but not the principle. How can it play out? Adil mate, you're one of the top two spinners in the country. But, sorry we're not taking you, too many other Yorkies already.

Tredders, we were gonna pick you in the XI, but that'd leave four Yorkies on the sideline, so we're gonna stick Rashid in. Madness.

I'd hope players feel Test (or other International) Cricket is the pinnacle of their careers. I'd hope they'd strive for it. I'd be uncomfortable arguing that they should be denied that opportunity. To be blunt, denied the opportunity "because they should be playing for Yorkshire".

The conspiracy is - it's World Cup year, we need the money if we're fetching Finch over, you need a squad out there, there's six Yorkshire players good enough to make the squad, but only two in the XI. It's Maths.

I firmly believe Lyth & Rashid should have started the first Test ON MERIT. Although I think Rashid is second behind a fit Moeen Ali. But, the Selectors disagree....the Bastards.

The circumstances of a tour clashing with the start of the season are rare. And, I do feel that calls for flexibility. In particular, once the XI have taken the field in Barbados, those not selected should be released back to their Counties immediately. (Although that doesn't help YCCC as we don't play in that Round).

And I do worry whether there is a disconnect between the Selectors and the Captain. In that they "give him" players like Adil, who he doesn't trust, won't pick in a month of, so is permanently consigned to the drinks. That's incompetence, not conspiracy.

Quick nip round to the Stratford Haven for lunch. Castle Rock, Chocolate Shake Stout on cask at 4.8%. I'm trying to work out whether its got added chocolate. I'll go yes, that's why it's mentioned. I feel I can just about taste it. But if it hadn't said it on the label.....

It's a great stout. It surprised me a little. I got a burnt, almost smokey kick. And there's a great tip of the tongue bitterness.

Alex Hales, irresistible out there. Scoring at that rate hurts teams. Superb.

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