Sussex v Northants LVCC2 18-21 May (Page 2 of 7)

Try this dr sla, not sure why the link isn't on BBC cricket 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sussex/hi/f … 610129.stm

6-9! Jonboy, you can't blame the batsmen this time as it is the last six wickets that caved in! However, Some of the senior batsmen need to take some resposbility as they are not performing to the high standards of previous seasons. What coaching? There is very little evidence of any batting coaching being done given the batting performances this season!

You have the nail on the head about partnerships. The key to batting is partnership and this is something we just haven't been getting enough big partnership this season. It's about being a little bit more circumspect and not just chucking their wickets away! Today's collapse was like the bad old days of the mid-nineties.

And thats the key Wiseman, the bowlers are bowling as a unit. We have no bowlers performing the type of heroics Mushy used to produce but we do have five or six bowlers bowling well as a unit. The batsmen must learn to do this and quickly as we cannot expect the bowlers to keep digging us out of a hole.

I'm afraid the statistics don't lie, those top order partnerships in first class cricket are damning. Yes Nash did OK today, but scored his first fifty of the season in his thirteenth first class innings. The openers have 2 fifties in 23 innings, a selection of number threes no fifties in thirteen innings. We must put this right or it will eventually undermine our promotion challenge.

I think Rana is most effective with the bat when he just goes out and looks to play ultra positive.  It can really swing the match when you have a number 8 playing that positive Trego, Ealham, Chapple type knock.  I would rather he batted after RMJ rather than being moved about in the order. I know that moving Anyon up the order on occasions has contributed to some useful partnerships but bottom line for me is that Rana is a more capable & destructive batsman who can swing the momentum in our favour.

Therefore I was a bit disappointed today to see Rana moved to 9 again behind Ollie. Suppose it is a difficult call - ollie just hit two 50s so would seem to be a reasonable decision on paper. But again I just think that 6 wickets down with the wheels not totally off the wagon and rana can change a game.

However far more worrying than our batting is Rana's dip in form with the ball. Earlier in the season we were wobbling but still managing to win convincingly - largely down to the bowlers but particularly rana. Checked out the stats which show the following:

Surrey : 20-8-28-4  & 18-3-89-3 = 7 wickets in match Ave 16.71. Strike rate 32.57
Glos: 15.4-2-49-4 & 10-4-24-2 = 6 wickets in match Ave 12.16. Strike rate 25.66
Leics: 11-2-49-4  & 24-6-95-1 = 5 wickets in match Ave  28.80. Strike rate 42.00
Middx: 18-6-68-1 & 20-6-49-0  = 1 wicket in match Ave 117.00. Strike rate 228.00
Nhants: 11-3-33-0 

Basically up to end of Leics 1st innings Rana took 17 wickets in 74 overs. Ave 14.05. Strike rate 26.35

Since then he has taken two wickets in 73 overs. Last wicket was Middx 1st innings Strauss in his 4th over. No wickets for last 45 overs.

Rana is an absolute hero to me. I'm not trying to make any other point other than that if he is not firing on all cylinders then Sussex tend to struggle. Luckily we managed to finish Leics off but without Ranas wickets against Middx we couldnt win a tight match.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow morning.

yes i share the general concern for our batting, and am even more worried that we seem to be relying on one batter to make our score a respectable one, today it was Nash when in the past few games it has been Rana, RMJ, Goodwin, Prior, Hodd - even Panesar with 46!!! So, who's 'turn' is it next lads??
We must learn our lessons quickly and make the opposition work hard for their wickets and form century stand partnerships on a much more regular basis.
Talking about the game, if we can prise them out for 200ish, i bet you anything that our second innings effort is much better than our first - just like most of the other games this season!!

jonboy,

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital."  (Aaron Levenstein)

The early Sussex form which is greatly applauded and praised, still hides a vulnerable and soft underbelly - the batting.

Last year, an array of reasons caused the club's LV1 relegation. I am a believer in sporting statistics because, while cold and clinical, they tell the truth; the batting simply wasn't good enough.

Our star player was Chris Nash. 14 matches; 1,298 runs; an average of 59. Only Venuto and Trescothick scored more. Yardy scored 1,046 runs over 16 games at an average of 41.84; and Joyce (14) 934 at 42.54. While the club's star performer, Murray Goodwin (16), came in with just 800 runs, where 344 was gained in just one game against Somerset. That's it.

http://www.ecb.co.uk/stats/averages/com … erage-L-46

My point being, Sussex rely on just two or three batsmen to get the majority of runs throughout a championship season. If not on form, then the scores suffer and there is an even greater pressure put on other players who don't normally score.

To date, 2010 is no different but because of the injury to Joyce; the out of form Nash; and the England duties of Yardy and Wright, this reliance has been even greater.

Fortunately, RMJ, Naved, Hodd and Prior have all gained runs, helping the team to win in low scoring games. For, not only do Sussex lack batting partnerships, but they lack consistency.

The statistics for this season so far, show a similar pattern to last year. After 5 LV2 matches, our star batsman Goodwin has scored 384 runs. Yet, 7 other batsmen in the division have already scored more. And it is likely Murray may soon be retiring.

Sussex require more consistent batting and in depth, if we are to gain promotion this year. Thanks to some excellent bowling; helpful pitches; and opposition low scores, we are off to a flyer; but as batting conditions improve and totals increase, our batting, as jonboy suggests, must improve.

http://www.ecb.co.uk/stats/averages/com … erage-L-54

Here's another odd one while on the subject of statistics S&F. The "out of form" Chris Nash has 320 first class runs to his name already this season and as we are less than a third of the way through the campaign, he could continue this miserable form and still reach a 1000 runs.

Yeah no worries about Nasher he'll be Ok. Although not in his stride, today was his first fifty, my point was that he has accumulated 320 runs and has passed 25 on six occasions.

Most of this stuff about poor batting is a complete misinterpretation of what's happened out in the middle this season. I have seen virtually every ball bowled at Sussex batsmen and there has not been one belting batting pitch and most days like yesterday there has been lots of cloud cover and seam movement to make batting very difficult. Add to that the non availability of three of the top five for much of the season and you get the truth about why batting bonus points have been scarce. Seven different batsmen different batsmen have already scored first class centuries for Sussex this season. I'd be suprised if any other county has this record. The comments are about lack of coaching are beneath contempt. Most players have been having extra nets every day during the season - the commitment of this team and of the coaches is unmatched.

Last edited by aewparsons (19-05-2010 07:27:49)

aewparsons - do you reckon the different (tiflex) ball is also having an impact ?  - after all (Ramps apart) lots of Div 2 scores have been low resulting in few draws (which I think is a very good thing - swings things back towards the  bowlers a bit)