176 Days of the 2023 Season

 

30/09

If Nottsview was to be issuing Crock Awards to our crocks of Past, Present and Future:

Most Improved goes to Zak Chappell who's gone from Zero to Invicible over the season and taken a staggering 50 in all formats wickets for little Derbyshire.

Break-through Player Award goes to Josh Tongue who played for England to hit the back pages of the printed press. He's been a crock firstly for Worcestershire, then advanced to being an International crock of England and now he's heading to be a crock for Notts. He might well have been a crock for some franchise as well, but how would you tell and no body cares!

Biggest Crock Moment Award goes to Olly Stone for Blast game at Trent Bridge against Brummy Bears. After taking a neat, smart catch and celebrating with Shaheen Shah Afridi and the rest of the team (by running around the ground) following a burst of wickets (x3), he bowls three deliveries himself then marches off into the sunset, never to be seen again.

Most Infuriating Player Award goes to Jake Ball. Read below on multiple dates for highlighted examples. Good luck to Jake for the future and wishing his new employers even more luck, be it Somerset, Northants, Glamorgan or whoever.

Jake Ball also scoops-up the Having The Last Laugh Award, firstly completing a match yesterday, but then also hitting the winning runs at the end and breaking the sequence of playing in Notts Championship sides without winning a match that stretched back to 2016 (is that correct MAG?) in the process.

For the big prize, sponsored by Jim Pie (in the face), The Around Let Down of 2023, But We Knew What We Were Letting Ourselves In For Award goes to Olly Stone.

Cue the music: Bob Dylan Like a Rolling Stone

"How does it feel, how does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction home
A complete unknown, like a rolling stone"

29/09

The last day of the 2023 season. There's be some winners, some movers (no shakers) and some that have done very little...

28/09

Jake Ball 2/90 in his farewell game. Olly Stone warmed-up with the players yesterday and performed full 12th man duties.

Zak Chappell scored 26 not out but the Tongue remains in cold storage.

27/09

Jake Ball has been given an opportunity to make a point but does it help Notts for the future in any shape or form, given that Jake is going to another county?

Stone remains an error of judgement and the probable reason Notts couldn't sustain having Jake Ball on their books (also) being non-productive. That's before Tongue comes into the equation in 2024.

26/09

Ball makes the squad of 13, Stone is unturned. Tongue is out. 

25/09

Pending awaiting team news

24/09

We are into the last over of the death of the 2023 season; will it be dot balls for Stone, Ball and Tongue, or no ball?

Zak Chappell, to his credit, has moved on from his Trent Bridge fitness nightmare.

23/09

No change

22/09

No Rolling Stone yesterday for the seconds, no bouncing Ball, the Tongue remains silent but Chappell in the wickets at Derby. 

21/09

There could be some play today, so might find out which sicknotes have been signed back to work by the doctor.

20/09

No play yesterday at either venue.

19/09

Ball and Stone listed in squads for current games.

18/09

No change

Olly Stone in the 2s squad for the trip to Edgbaston - but hasn't bowled in ball yet.

17/09

Nothing to report

16/09

No change

15/09

Josh Tongue has been announced as an official ambassador for the charity Cure Leukaemia

14/09

No change

13/09

No change

12/09

None of the quartet are playing in a SEC round that started on Monday either

11/09

A full set in this round of games. None of Zak, Jake, Olly or Josh are playing.

10/09

Ball Watchers will be waiting for10 AM to see if Jake  gets an opportunity to show that he deserves a one year contract extension or not.

The Stone has been ground to dust and the Tongue is tasteless but Pears don't have a game today.

09/09

Nothing to report

08/09

Does Samit's departure mean that the Ball remains in play for another year at Trent Bridge?

The season 2023 will last 176 days (day 4 v Middlsex), the days since Notts last played at Trent Bridge (Day 4 v Kent) and their next match (day 1 v Middlesex) will be 62 days which is 35% of the total season.

07/09

Notts 2s tasted defeat at Kidderminster yesterday. Neither Ball nor Stone bowled which means that either:

They over did their exertions in the first innings and are broken again, they're being saved for the trip to Canterbury or that someone decided that they weren't ready to return in the first place and it's two spinners that will be needed at Canterbury not a barrage of seam so Matt Carter bowled for most of the Worcs 2's innings.

06/09

In the absence of Tongue, Worcestershire appear to be flying. Their first XI made light work of Glamorgan in Div 2 and their 2s are in a position to bat to victory today against a Notts 2s of mixed quality and expectations.

Notts look to have adopted a lower match intensity appoach, having different players flitting in and out, where no one takes over all responsibility.

Highlights of the the Notts batting yesterday were Sammy King 86 and Freddie McCann 74.

Worcestershire need another 172 runs with 10 wickets intact. What bowlers will Notts employ today?

In the game so far Jake Ball has bowled 17 overs and Olly Stone just 6.

05/09

The pectorally challenged Tongue could be out for another couple of months according to Dr Google, but of course he could also be fit tomorrow as the severity of his injury isn't known.

At Kidderminster yesterday, our two crocks of Christmas present had a workout,

Ball 14.3-3-63-3, Stone 6-2-21-1

Worcs 2s closed in a strong position, leading by 72 runs with 3 wickets intact on first innings. Scorecard

04/09

It's the one hundred and fifty-first day of the cricket season 2023 and time for another bowler to take a turn. Who the Dickens shall we opt for, Testimonial laden Fletch perhaps?

Well we've had a bowler of seasons past, two of seasons present, so to end the season we have a bowler for Notts seasons future, maybe.

Young Josh isn't going to get close to having fifty days of the season under the watchful eye of Nottsview, but it is probably just as well as he starts where he'll probably remain leaving a bitter taste...

... receiving the baton of inactivity from Olly Stone, how could he do any worse?

Last month Josh Tongue pulled out of his H*ndred stint with whichever franchise owns him and was also replaced in the England T20 for the current series against the Kiwis by Chris Jordan, owing to "injury". This injury, has not been described in anymore detail than just "injury" in any press release or article*. However, Tongue does have a long history of problems with a shoulder.

With the KGB controlling the flow of information and Pravda duly obliging with their non-reporting of anything negative, it's surely going to be a total waste of time looking for progress from our new signing.

Having already passed-on the weight of expectation to another, Olly Stone is included in the Second XI match at Kidderminster today joining the club captain in the side, the same club captain that sat out a month mid-season for no apparent reason other than to cream some cash from the parasite competition in a jobs for the boys position. Being club captain means that your name is on that board in the pavilion written in gold leaf and comes with responsibilities towards Notts CCC; it has no responsibility towards any other team or even maximising your own personal wealth. 

Having laid into the club captain, I would also add that, had he been available for the Metro Bank Cup, his selection would would have served little purpose unless more investment had been made in the squad, much like the inclusion of numbers 99 and 26 didn't (serve any purpose).

Back at Kidderminster, batting first Notts failed to impress being dismissed for 139.

Martindale 34, LPW 25, Mullaney, Schadendorf and Stone all managed 18

Notts terrorised by demon bowler Ben Gibbons 6/42 Six wickets in the innings were caught behind by keeper Cullen

Opening the bowling for Notts, Jake Ball...

*the Tongue has a "pectoral injury"

03/09

Nothing to report on the fiftieth day of Olly's time in the spotlight, information on the player remains closely guarded. 

Jack Haynes resumed his Worcestershire career after sitting out six weeks - scored 1, out to a good ball from Glamorgan's James Harris. Haynes has the squad number 17 at the Pears, will he add those digits together and take the now vacant 8 at Trent Bridge?

02/09

No feature has appeared on Pravda proclaiming Olly Stone is fully fit now and ready to take-on our last three opponents. Did anyone spot Stone on the video playing "padel", no me neither...

Jake Ball took part in the above video, I think, but Notts' first game back is still a week away at Canterbury, so plenty of time for fitness concerns to creep back in.

Hopefully a strong Second XI will be featuring at Kidderminster on Monday to test some's fitness after a long period of inactivity.

Meanwhile Zak is named in the Derbyshire squad for their away trip to Yorkshire.

01/09

We near the end of this vigil for Olly Stone, the least productive of the trilogy of Trent Bridge injury prone quicks.

Zak Chappell went from a lame zero non-attendee to a county regular with his sights fixed on more lucrative options, and all it took was a move away from the high pressure of trying to break-into the Notts XI

Jake just needed the carrot of the August payday, but we had a more bumpy ride over his fifty days in the spotlight with several breakdowns occurring just after we've thought we'd turned yet another corner. Jake's fitness record over the length of his current contract has been less than bouncy and I don't think anyone will feel too deflated if this was his last with Notts as the club and its supporters haven't had value for money over the past few seasons alas.

31/08

No change

30/08

Nothing to report

29/08

Nada

28/08

No change

27/08

Nothing...

26/08

No news is.......... exactly that, a lack of news

25/08

Unless Stone has a hand in frying samosas in the street food event at Trent Bridge or is the stone in stone-baked pizzas, then there's little chance regarding his progress,or lack of, to come out of Trent Bridge Pravda.

However, I read on the Notts supporters Facebook messages that young Olly had been commentating on the parallel tournament, talking-up his chances of playing in the last three championship matches.

24/08

No change, no cricket

23/08

Worrying times for the turning Stone as he might have to prove his fitness and Notts don't have any cricket now for a couple of weeks.

22/08

The Stone made a turn at Welbeck pre-match.

21/08

No change

20/08

Ditto

19/08

No change

18/08

No change

17/08

No place in the England squads for an inactive Stone, so is that his 2023 finished?

 Spotted the Stone hobblin' a wobblin' 'round Canterbury on the pathetic live stream. He did at least one lap of the boundary (possibly two). He appears to be walking worse now than he did when he left the field "injured" against Bears.

16/08

Stone just wobbling...

15/08

Had a message yester-evening from a fan of Ball Watching. Young Jake was able (under close supervision of a visiting Dr B) to send down 3.2 overs in Cardiff. It is not mentioned anywhere that he was later emergency airlifted by helicopter to Porton Down and kept under close observation for any new symptoms of his rare condition for which he is a carrier. 

Medical Update: Both Jake Ball's and Dr B's bank balances are reported to be healthy.

The Stone remains, going nowhere. Update: The Stone was seen wobbling at Radlett today.

14/08 #130

Which of the muppets thought having Stone on the books would work for Notts?

13/08

I'm told that the Stone was chatting with Davy Two Corsets on Friday but had to scoot off back to Nottingham having had a reaction to his dose of medicine ball working out.

12/08

A definite wobble of the Stone, perhaps caused the strong electrical forces surrounding Sookholme interacting with and on the Stone's magnetic personality.

11/08

I think I've just seen  the Stone wobble at Welbeck. Warming up with Tom Loten.

10/08

no change

09/08

With anticipation growing for Friday, will Olly make a walk past under the electricity pylons of Sookholme? Being at the hallowed arena of Mr Fretwell's legacy was enough to turnaround Zak Chappell's life last season. Zak hasn't looked back since washing his hands in the toilets of the John Fretwell Sporting Complex pavilion. Even though Zak didn't play in the game against Surrey in 2022,  he was transformed, never had a new serious injury since that day and now they even call him Mr Invincible!

So will Stone roll over to Sookholme?

08/08

Nada

07/08

No change

06/08

Nothing to report?

05/08

No change, nothing...

04/08 #120

We're Rocking All Over The World with the status quo as the Stone isn't rolling so (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.

Those still Ball watching will have noted that Jake wasn't on the fire engine again today.

Joe Clarke bagged his second successive golden duck for the said Fireman.

03/08

No change

02/08

The Stone remains still

Jake Ball hasn't made the Welsh Fireman XI today

01/08

The Stone remains unmoved on Yorkshire Day

31/07

Stone rolls no where

30/07

No change

29/07

It might be another month before the Stone is rolling, but could the Stone roll-up playing a couple of Metro Cup matches for Notts?

28/07

Still no rolling Stone...

27/07

Awaiting further movement.

26/07

The Stone was observed at lunchtime putting-in some steps, but walking around a cricket pitch isn't particularly taxing for a professional sportsman.

How near the Stone is to actually rolling is not known, but the assessment of players' fitness at Trent Bridge needs something of an upgrade if Luke Fletcher can be passed as fit only to breakdown for the third time this season mid-match. The fitness test needs to be more testing, I would suggest.

ESPN news: Olly Stone has been ruled out of the Hundred with a hamstring injury but remains optimistic about his chances of being fit to play a part in England's 50-over World Cup defence in India in October-November.

Stone hoped to feature in England's Ashes squad this summer but has been limited to a single appearance since May 4 due to a hamstring injury, suffered while playing for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship.

He made a comeback in the T20 Blast on June 30, during the second Ashes Test at Lord's, with the intention of playing some part in the fourth or fifth Tests. But he lasted only three balls before walking off the field midway through an over, and has not played since.

Stone was signed on a £100,000 contract by London Spirit in March's draft for the Hundred but has been forced to withdraw from the competition.

25/07

No change

24/07

No change

23/07

The remains where it is, but it could quite possibly be a bit wet this weekend.

22/07

No word of change, so no change of status. The Stone remains static, inert, inanimate and is going no where.

21/07

No change

20/07

No change

19/07

The Stone hasn't moved

18/07

The static Stone is going no where.

17/07

No change, no movement, steady as a rock in Red Rock .

16/07

Day 101 of the season but Day 1 of Olly Stone's availability (or otherwise) being highlighted.

No news on Olly Stone since he left the field earlier this month after scoring nought, taking a catch, running around the field in celebration a couple of times and bowling three deliveries, all against Leicestershire Foxes. Not a single word.

Not an inspired signing on the face of it.

Olly will therefore start his account in Red Rock where the stone is an inanimate object.

15/07

50th day of Ball Watching and since this started Jake's availability has improved. Over this brief period Jake has been in the Green Zone for about a third of the time. Alas Jake ends Ball Watching in the Red Zone.

There won't be a return to Chappell Watch either, as Zak doesn't need the added pressure after picking-up a Golden Ticket for the H*ndred.

Tomorrow we start on a new subject; we're going to watch what appears to be an inanimate object (most of the time), in terms of playing cricket, Mr Newell's barmy signing of last year, Olly Stone. Will the Stone start rolling, or will it just wobble a bit, or will stay as it currently lies, inanimate!

14/07

Red Zone on the 49th day of Ball Watching, 99th day of the season.

13/07

Red Zone see below. On a day at the Oval where Notts were low on numbers, injured Ball donned the hi vis vest and delivered drinks. 

12/07

Red Zone as the only action Jake performed yesterday was to applaud his colleagues. However today, Jake did bat at #11, grimacing as he ducked, swinged his bat and was at one point struck on the shoulder during his short, uncomfortable stay at the crease. Clearly Jake remains deep in the Red Zone.

11/07

Jake is in the Red Zone wih a abdominal strain.

10/07

In the squad at the Oval, The Green Zone

but after bowling 5 unthreatening overs he plunges into the Red Zone with what looks like a side strain.

09/04

Pending...

08/07

Back to Amber until the squad for the Oval is announced.

07/07

Code Green on match day

06/07

Amber Green

05/07

Amber Zone

04/07

There's no reason for a change from Amber

03/07

Post match, back in the Amber zone

02/07

In the squad, so in the green zone

01/07

Jake limped off the field last night. Was he exhausted or injured? 

Amber Zone until more information is forthcoming

30/06

Jake is in the squad and so is in the Green Zone

29/06

Jake remains in the Amber Zone

28/06

Jake sits in the Amber Zone

27/06

Remains in the Green Zone

26/06

Taunton is in the Green Zone

25/06

Jake Ball has made the squad for today's championship game, putting him in the Green Zone.

24/06

Taunton tomorow? Chappell watchers will be interested to learn that Zak has picked up an Achilles injury, 80 days into the season.

23/06

Will Jake be traveling to Taunton? He sits in the Amber Zone in the meantime.

22/06

Green Zone on Match Day

21/06

Green Zone

20/06

No squad has been released (yet) so Jake is staying where he is in the Green Zone.

Congratulations to Sammy King with a century yesterday for the 2s at the Racecourse, Durham

19/06

I'll trust you Jake and keep you in the Green Zone (against my own better judgement)

18/06

I'm dropping Jake into the Red Zone, as Conor McKerr has been re-hired fom Surrey. There has to be a reason for this decision than involves a player's availability.

If Jake appears in the team today, this move will be reversed.

17/06

Amber Zone, awaiting squad news

16/06

Amber Zone

15/06

Amber Zone, as we're between games and between formats today.

14/06

Green Zone

Lovers of Chappell Watch might be interested in yesterday's goings-on at Chesterfield, where Zak's batting was deemed too good to replace an International. Chesterfield report here

13/06

Running repairs keep Jake in the Green Zone

12/06

Catching the rays in the Green Zone

11/06

Jake has made the 13 man squad for the Championship game against Bears, starting today, so is deep in the Green Zone.

10/06

The magnificent Jake Ball surely won't be tempted into the Championship squad for Sunday's start against "Birminghamshire" at Trent Bridge, or might he?

Jake sits in the Amber Zone, pending decisions on the 66th day of the cricket season.

09/06

Watching Jake Ball on the turf is like watching a china dalmatian, on a wonky pedestal, in a tiny room filled with over-sugared four year olds. However, I think Jake walked off last night in one piece. Green Zone

08/06

Jakes's in the squad and goes into the Green Zone 

07/06

No change unless he makes the squad for Thursday

06/06

Not a D Day today for Jake Ball. According to comments below, Jake was ill on Sunday rather than injured. Get well soon Jake. Red Zone.

05/06

Firmly back in the Red Zone 

04/06

Bouncing Ball back into the Red Zone, zero explanation given as per usual.

03/06 PM

The clock must be fixed as Jake Ball surprises everyone by appearing on the team sheet for the Outlaws this evening at Edgbaston!

03/06 No sign of Jake, even in the pre-match football last night. All very disappointing in light of our temps not being up to scratch, demanding a return from at least one of sick-bay professionals.

Olly Stone managed a walk-passed, at least. 

Jake is stuck in the Red Zone. Like the clock in the Radcliffe Road end is he ever going to get mended! Perhaps the clock ought be named after Jake Ball!

02/06 Failure to make the squad for tonight's fixture means one of two things: Peter Moores believes Jack Brooks is a better bet, or Jake has had a negative reaction to bowling four overs yesterday.  Either way he's now sitting it out in the Red Zone, again.

01/06 Jake advances into the Green Zone as he plays for the Seconds at Welbeck CC today. 

31/05 Jake remains in the Amber Zone in spite of his participation in the pre-match football themed warm-ups, last night.

30/05 Following news of Jake's availability for selection at the end of the week, we dip our toes into the Amber Zone

29/05 no change

28/05 We remain in the Red Zone, where else now Jake has taken up the mantle!

27/05 After Zak's Green Day yesterday, he's been Retired Not Out for 50 (days); taking up the challenge now will be Welsh Firemen's Jake Ball.

It was good to see Zak happy, settled and firing on all cylinders last night

Unsurpringly Jake starts in the Red Zone

26/05 Code Green, repeat Code Green

25/05 Code Amber

24/5 Code Amber as he does make the current SET20 squad 

23/05 Reverts to Code Amber

22/05 Code Green, as extra practise is required with the 2s

Zak managed a golden duck and 4-0-44-3 in a 90% full strength side against a strong Leicestershire side.

21/05

Default Code Amber for a week now, possibly...

20/05 Code Green Zak 4-0-33-2 in the defeat to Lightning in the Edgbaston double-header.

19/05 Code Amber

18/05 Code Green

Played in one of the SET20 matches at Old Trafford today, as Derbyshire play their first teamers again. 4-0-29-1

17/05 Code Amber

16/05

Code Green, playing the first of the SET20 matches today

15/05

Code Amber

14/05

Code Amber

13/05 

Why Zak hasn't been included in the playing eleven hasn't been mentioned in the printed media, so a RSI from playing cards on day 1 cannot be totally ruled out.

Code Amber

12/05 Code Amber as Zak disappointingly isn't in the playing eleven

11/05 In the squad today but never got out of the pavilion

10/05 Code Amber

09/05 Code Amber

08/05 Back to that tricky time between games - so set to default Code Amber

07/05 Code Green 19 overs bowled, one wicket

06/05 added a further 17 runs, being 23 not out

05/05 Code Green 6 not out today but a question to answer from the Daily Telegraph. 

Either Peter rates himself as a bit of a wag, or he knows box-all about cricket.

04/05 Code Green Bowled 8 wicketless overs

03/05 <ALERT> upgrade to Code Green , Zak makes the squad to play Leicestershire

02/05 Code Amber

01/05 Code Amber, Day 25 of the season

30/04

Default Code Amber but the grille is possibly Code Red

29/04

Code Green

A potty dismissal today, ducked a Matty Potts bouncer only for the ball to deflect downward off his helmet grille - bowled for 2

28/04

Code Green

3-0-17-0 Today's bowling, scored 8 runs as Derbyshire followed-on

27/04

Code Green

Some hard graft today at Chester le Street

20-1-103-2

26/04

Code Green - Zak included in XIII for trip to CLS tomorrow

25/03

Code Amber

24/03

Code Amber

23/04

Code Amber

22/04

Code Amber

21/04

Code Amber

20/04 Zak's not got a game today, Many of his new Derby pals have, playing in a 2s game at Lady Bay where Lakmal, Aitchison, Reece, Dal, Scrimshaw and spinners Watt and Thomson are.

Code Amber

19/04 Code Amber

18/04 Code Amber

17/04 Code Amber - default

16/04 Code Green

4/115

15/04 Code Green

Two days of card shuffling at Grace Road...

14/04 Code Green

13/04 Code Green

Bowled 14 wicketless overs

12/04  Code Green

Zak is included in Derbyshire's 13 man squad for their game at Leicester

11/04 Code Amber

10/04 Code Amber

Following a four day game, Zak's fitness status is unknown. As a precautionary measure, he's at  default Amber until selected for another game.

09/04 Code Green

Dave Griffin stat: Zak Chappell has taken six wickets and scored 91 runs for

@DerbyshireCCC

against Worcestershire on his debut for the county. No player taking five wickets in an innings on debut for Derbyshire has previously ever scored more than 21 runs in the match...

08/04 Code Green

5 fer on debut 5/69

21* under pressure at the close

07/04 Code Green

Bowling as first change 15-0-47-2

06/04

Day 1 of the season and Zak Chappell is fit (Code Green), scored 40 not out at a Bazball rate of 117.65