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[Alvaro]

Wainwright was a good buy, never got a proper go at Yorks.

It's something Essex use to be good at, picking up players other counties didn't want and getting more out of them. Irani was one such example.

Essex are now awful at recruitment/player management - think of the highly rated players who have left to go on to much better things:
Varun Chopra
Chris Wright
Stephen Peters
Tony Palladino (for other reasons, more than likely)
Now Godleman...

[Alvaro]

I see both sides of that - Surrey do not have a genuinely top class wicket taking spinner (Batty is good for blocking up an end but has no great strike rate in FC cricket) and have tended to go for overseas options over the past few years, which have usually tended to be available for a few weeks then off again.  Keedy is a quality bowler and, with sensible treatment, will have two to three seasons of FC cricket left in him (less convinced he'll last that long if he plays all the hita nd giggle stuff).  So he is a reliable part of their team for a period of time.

For Keedy I suspect it was more than just the paycheck - at Lancashire he was second pick to Simon Kerrigan and possibly also behind Steve Parry.  At Surrey he'll play most every game.

I see the sense in taking Keedy, but Solanki? I suppose he'll be nice and close to the PCA office...

[uknsaunders]

I suppose they've lost 2 batsman and are working out how best to replace them. Maybe Adams feels Solanki will bring a bit of experience and that's what is needed. Since Ramps enjoyed a bit of a golden autumn in his late 30's why can't Solanki? I suppose the other upside is it won't hinder the progress of young batsman breaking into the team in the long term.

[Manormanic]

I see the sense in taking Keedy, but Solanki? I suppose he'll be nice and close to the PCA office...

Yeah, I'm not entirely certain about that one - but I can see why they wanted to add one more batsman to a unit that features young talent in Harinath, Ansari and Roy, the veteran de Bruyn, Pietersen if he is not required by England and then an array of wicketkeeper batsmen.   

Thing is, they've let strong young batsmen go and brought in a guy who is two to three years past his best...

[PedalsMcgrew]

Surrey badly need some experience in their batting line up. I think, of the players available to them, Solanki is a pretty decent choice. I think he'll do well at the Oval....

If you look at the Surrey squad, you could only really call Steven Davies 'experienced' of the batters. And he's only 25! In fact, other than Jason Roy they look very, very light in the batting department, experienced or not, with the sad loss of Maynard and RHB....

[Alvaro]

Jason Roy is a moron. Solanki's form for Worcs doesn't suggest the same kind of Indian summer.

I think they should have looked at someone nearer 30 who could open the batting with Rory Burns, rather than a fading force in Solanki.

[Manormanic]

The problem is there do not appear to many such performers about, which is odd given the relatively high stock of decent bowlers moving counties this winter.  There were rumours that they would offer Anthony McGrath a big payday, but he is not much better than Slogdonkey in the age/slippage regard.  I also wondered whether they might have a relatively marquee overseas player lined up to bat in the top three?

[PedalsMcgrew]

They might still have a marquee batsman to unveil I guess? they've always tended to go for bowlers though...maybe the signing of whatshisface, the spinner, means they are looking at signing an overseas batsman instead?

[Alvaro]

Well, the Graeme Smith story seemed like it was PR. Can't remember off the top of my head how many Tests he needs to play before leading SA in 100; he may be tempted then.
It's true that Keedy's signing make an overseas spinner unliekly, so an overseas opener may be a good shout. Chris Rogers has already said no.

Surely Mags is only ever going to play for Yorkshire?

Strange man Chris Adams.

[Manormanic]

Surely Mags is only ever going to play for Yorkshire?

Strange man Chris Adams.

Judas is an idiot, he really is - his not coming to Yorkshire was the best thing that ever happened to us!

As for Mags...well, he is out of contract this year and I don't get the sense that he is rushing to sign another one with us, which suggests thathe has at least half an eye ona  big money deal elsewhere.  Bear in mind that Yorkshire are not the highest payers in the county game anyway and that he is no longer an automatic choice for their First Xi and you can sort of see the logic behind his thinking...

[Alvaro]

Judas is an idiot, he really is - his not coming to Yorkshire was the best thing that ever happened to us!

As for Mags...well, he is out of contract this year and I don't get the sense that he is rushing to sign another one with us, which suggests thathe has at least half an eye ona  big money deal elsewhere.  Bear in mind that Yorkshire are not the highest payers in the county game anyway and that he is no longer an automatic choice for their First Xi and you can sort of see the logic behind his thinking...

All I really understand about the Mags situ is what I heard Dave Callaghan talking about on t'radio.
I got the feeling that he understood his lot and fancied another crack at Div 1, he certainly played well to ensure promotiion. That may have been partly to do with the old pro in him.
if what you say is the case then I would rule out Lanky

[Manormanic]

All I really understand about the Mags situ is what I heard Dave Callaghan talking about on t'radio.
I got the feeling that he understood his lot and fancied another crack at Div 1, he certainly played well to ensure promotiion. That may have been partly to do with the old pro in him.
if what you say is the case then I would rule out Lanky

Oh, I rate Mags very highly - especially as an extra seamer batting six or seven rather than at three in the order - and respect his performances under pressure in 2012.  I don't want Yorkshire to lose him at all, but I am realistic about the fact that he may make considerably more money elsewhere than he will with Yorkshire in 2013, perhaps attracting better career opportunities in the process.

[Alvaro]

All good points. Thinking about it, I wonder if Derbyshire may dig deep for him.
Still a better bat and bowler than Pyrah too.

[lastmanstand]

yorks may not pay as much for him but surely he's not too far away from a benefit? Or is that not done at Yorks?

[Alvaro]

He's already had one I think.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/yorkshire/content/story/366741.html