Shock call-up for Patel

Samit Patel was today announced as replacement in the England squad to tour UAE in a Test series against Pakistan for the injured Zafar Ansari, joining both James Taylor and Alex Hales as well as Stuart Broad.



James Whitaker says Samit's selection was on the back of his previous experience on the Sub-Continent with England in 2012. 

Samit Patel hasn't set the world on fire this term with either bat or ball but has been ever-present and occasionally has shown some glimpses of his exuberance of natural talent - just not that often, alas.

With Patel's selection, it just emphasizes England's lack of quality spin bowlers although Samit might represent a like for like (ish) replacement for Moeen Ali, should the need arise.

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19/09

Overton twin banned

Craig Overton has been punished with a two match ban following his third breach of the expected code of on field behaviour rules in the past 2 years.

Overton will miss Somerset's final match, a game in which they possibly need 7 points to be mathematically safe from relegation.

27/08

INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE 

Glamorgan sack groundsman



Glamorgan have relieved head groundsman,  Keith Exton, of his duties and have replaced him on a permanent basis with his deputy, following the dangerous pitch produced for the One Day Cup match that was abandoned earlier in the month. The pitch cost Glamorgan points and pounds plus gave Hampshire an extra point, the point that pipped both Lancashire and Warwickshire (luckily Hampshire had superior net run rate too otherwise there might have been legal consequences too for the ECB).

17/08
LIVINGSTONE CLOBBERED

Assaulted in bar fight

Out celebrating T20 finals day qualification, Lancashire's Liam Livingstone was taken to hospital with a head injury, according to witnesses with "blood pouring down his face", sustained during a mid-night bar room brawl in the Auction House bar, Ashford, Kent.

James Faulkner and Jos Buttler were reported to have been also present along with Ashley Giles. The police were called and Lancashire CCC "are aware".

14/08/15
LEICESTERSHIRE CLOBBERED 

Leicestershire have been hit with a 16 point deduction by the ECB.


The club have been found guilty of five incidents of dissent towards umpires and opposing players.

A further £5000 fine will be imposed if there are two further fixed penalty offences in the next 12 months.

Leicestershire had chalked up their first home championship since 2012 earlier this week and it had been viewed that the club was improving its standards of play.


Wasim Khan told the BBC,

"The conclusion to today's hearing is bitterly disappointing to us considering the superb win earlier this week against Derbyshire and taking into account the significant strides we have made this season; Andrew [McDonald] and I have worked hard, and continue to do so, to improve the expected standards and levels of discipline expected of Leicestershire cricketers."

oops 

A cynic might make a connection between the number of Australians at Grace Road and the discipline standards....... but the likes of Mark Cosgrove and Andrew McDonald have to set the standards of play and how to conduct yourself on and off the field, being the seasoned professionals at the club as much of the playing staff are relatively young and inexperienced professionals.

THE CITY FRANCHISE DEBATE

• Not wanted by most of the counties publicly.
• Welcomed (publicly) by Derbyshire's chairman
• Not wanted by supporters of county clubs.
• Pundits telling us we have take this route for the health of the English game.

I can't see any reason there to be in favour of City-based franchises in English T20, even though Trent Bridge would almost certainly be one of the hosting grounds for any such a competition if it was based around test venues.

The people of Britain are too parochial, with a long history inter-city / town rivalries to even contemplate joining resources with their nearest and dearest neighbours. Tradition carries a lot kudos in this country and the Big Bash model wouldn't translate to these shores where we have more than 5 large conurbations.

There is little chance of Liverpool and Manchester having united support for an Old Trafford based team, likewise Derby, Leicester and Nottingham uniting for the Trent Bridge Tri-county Trojans. Would Sheffield, Bradford or Wakefield folk back a Leeds based franchise? So where would the punters come from?

Credit goes to Warwickshire for giving Birmingham Bears a try, but it has hardly drawn extra people in through the turnstiles and it's just naffed people from Warwickshire, outside of Birmingham, off. The empty spaces around Edgbaston for their Quarter-final were alarmingly noticeable - there wouldn't have been spaces at Trent Bridge even-though Birmingham is 3,4,5 times the size of Nottingham. Difference being Notts have the support of the whole county of Nottinghamshire.

But the whole situation with the T20 competition is being secretly being reviewed, with the results expected soon.

We didn't want a three / four month Blast competition as we have had over the last two years but that was imposed on the counties and the players and supporters - what will Sky and the ECB impose on the paying punters this time?



What's your view?

Add your comments below or Email them to Nottsviewatymaildotcom or you could message them to Harry Butler Daft on Facebook.

What do cricket supporters want?

Are you excited by the prospect of a Big Bash style EPL?

Do you fear that the reduction of 18 counties to ~10 Cities would spell the beginning of the end for 5,6,7,8 of the 18?

11/08/15
Glamorgan clobbered


Glamorgan have been handed a severe reprimand for their RLODC dangerous pitch abandonment fixture which happened against Hampshire at Cardiff last week.


The Lord's convened Disciplinary Committee handed Glamorgan a two point deduction (they already have been deducted two points for a similarly poor pitch last year), ordered to forfeit the fixture (handing Hampshire both points) and fined £9000 of which 5k is suspended until the end of 2016, in order to compensate those from Hampshire (supporters). A further two point deduction in all competitions has been suspended until the end of 2016, should there be another occurrence. 

The forfeiture hands Hampshire a huge advantage over their competition rivals for a top two position in the group table, Essex the team most hampered as Hampshire are now just one point behind them with a game in hand. Outlaws are now 3 points ahead of Hampshire with both having two games left the complete (one of which is between each other at Trent Bridge next week).

Proteas recall Tahir

Imran Tahir has returned to play for South Africa over the next couple of weeks. Tahir will be absent from the Nottinghamshire eleven for both RLODC matches next week and the Championship game against Warwickshire. All three fixtures are at Trent Bridge.

Substituting for Tahir will be Dan Christian, fresh from a 50 over Second XI mauling of Leicestershire, a game in which Jake Libby scored a ton. 10/08/15