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[Twelfth Man]

As for Mahmood, I'm not really sure why he's on their budget. I could understand Shah as he was still performing well at Essex! If Saj gets his contract renewed then something's wrong. I'm suprised actually at the pace level of some of the bowlers in the Sky Sports game, low 70's has been regular!

[Twelfth Man]

Pretty much anyone Kent brings in from other counties tend to be at the end of their careers, resulting in a decent start and then either mediocrity until the end of the contract or injury

At least Kent have wrapped up their youngsters on new contracts!

[tailender]

out of curiosity... does anyone know how much county lads are on? from the lower levels up to capped?

BTW... Horton is doing well today....

[Twelfth Man]

out of curiosity... does anyone know how much county lads are on? from the lower levels up to capped?

BTW... Horton is doing well today....

Gone! Isn't it from like 12,000-15,000 and then up? That's from being graduated from the Academy to the first team squad I think.. Probably wrong!

[Manormanic]

Great topic, however with the fact there are rumoured to be a number of current county players on here. Let's not be to hard towards them. After all they are doing a job the majority of us can only dream of doing

rumoured by whom exactly?

[iand123]

At least Kent have wrapped up their youngsters on new contracts!

Yeah that was good news. Quite a few members were unhappy with Jones being let go but Sam billings has shown he's the future along with a lot of these other youngsters. Can't imagine key or Stevens will go on for much longer. Really could do with some more strike bowlers, was a shame to lose bollinger early

[tailender]

Gone! Isn't it from like 12,000-15,000 and then up? That's from being graduated from the Academy to the first team squad I think.. Probably wrong!

Lol I was being a little sarcastic... Horton is LBW literally 95% of the time!

15,000 seems about right to be honest.  I read that Lou Vincent was on 20,000 at Sussex! wonder how much capped lads are on?

[Leddster138]

IMO the problem with county cricket (and some aspects of club cricket) is that selection always comes down to someones opinion. In most sports if you constantly perform eventually you'll play at the highest level as you'll pull the club with you. In cricket if you smash 3000 runs a season and your club wins your local premier league, you'll still not get selected to play any higher unless someone at a county chooses to give you an opportunity. This disconnection then breeds complacency in the county circuit with journeymen making a living out of the game that wouldn't perform much better if they played locally on a Saturday. Fair play to them, why wouldn't you?! but I wouldn't want to pay to watch it. I also wouldn't strive to have aspirations of playing professionally if I felt it was a "face fits" situation.

[tailender]

Good point Leddster,

I think cricket will always be a sport in which the "face fits" approach will apply, not solely, but it will apply. 

Other selection policies baffle me too, lets take James Taylor at Notts... Used to trial with Worcestershire and was never given a contract, yet the same lad signs for Notts, wins the championship and is in the England set up... where would he be if Notts didn't sign him?

[Twelfth Man]

Yeah that was good news. Quite a few members were unhappy with Jones being let go but Sam billings has shown he's the future along with a lot of these other youngsters. Can't imagine key or Stevens will go on for much longer. Really could do with some more strike bowlers, was a shame to lose bollinger early

Keeping the likes of Blake, Billings & Riley etc is imperative! Keep the local unit and add a bit more experience. Agreed on the bowling unit, Claydon's just your seasoned player who rocks up and bowls haha. There's young Hunn but gets a bit of tap.. Just need to find a seamer or two with some first class wickets under their belt but not 30+ in age! Dougy did the job as the overseas.

[Kulli]

Good point Leddster,

I think cricket will always be a sport in which the "face fits" approach will apply, not solely, but it will apply. 

Other selection policies baffle me too, lets take James Taylor at Notts... Used to trial with Worcestershire and was never given a contract, yet the same lad signs for Notts, wins the championship and is in the England set up... where would he be if Notts didn't sign him?

Still at Leicestershire?

[Twelfth Man]

Good point Leddster,

I think cricket will always be a sport in which the "face fits" approach will apply, not solely, but it will apply. 

Other selection policies baffle me too, lets take James Taylor at Notts... Used to trial with Worcestershire and was never given a contract, yet the same lad signs for Notts, wins the championship and is in the England set up... where would he be if Notts didn't sign him?

Probably Leicestershire skipper and the local hero!

[tailender]

Lol... ahh true!

[Stuey]

Felsted is certainly one on their list. Look up the private schools and you'll have a few for the list.

Felsted School is their breeding ground plus a few other private schools such as Brentwood school

[Stuey]

IMO the problem with county cricket (and some aspects of club cricket) is that selection always comes down to someones opinion. In most sports if you constantly perform eventually you'll play at the highest level as you'll pull the club with you. In cricket if you smash 3000 runs a season and your club wins your local premier league, you'll still not get selected to play any higher unless someone at a county chooses to give you an opportunity. This disconnection then breeds complacency in the county circuit with journeymen making a living out of the game that wouldn't perform much better if they played locally on a Saturday. Fair play to them, why wouldn't you?! but I wouldn't want to pay to watch it. I also wouldn't strive to have aspirations of playing professionally if I felt it was a "face fits" situation.

This is what makes me laugh with the ECB plan around premier leagues structures built to provide players for the County game, the counties don't look at club cricket and if they are honest they couldn't care a less about it.