That raises a very very good point- we need, now we are back in the black, to look for an affordable 'big name'- a Jonah figure but without the limiting injuries- to bring in crowds and to act as a support for Vik and Mitch.

I appreciate that last year, the money was not there. But maybe it is now, and maybe this season has shown that we need such a Player- opener or seamer?

I think an experienced player, whether overseas or English qualified, is a must for next year. For me it doesn't matter if he is batter or bowler, but someone who the younger lads can play around. However I wouldn't bother with any players around the England squad, such as Morgan, Sidebottom and definitely not KP (not that he would travel this far from London). To me it juat doesn't make any sort of cricketing sense to have a player who will play minimal cricket over the season.

Asia has started a potentially big topic here, which normally kicks off around September !

We need a backbone to the side, starting with a strike bowler or two, on the basis that Mason & Richardson might not be available next year. A hardened middle order batsman as it's unlikely that Smith will play. Then we need an established opener - despite this year I'd still be happy with Jaques but it needs someone who plays the whole season. All this chopping and changing of personnel knackers team selection, batting order and stability.

The younger guys can mix and rotate around the backbone, which would also include Mitchell, Moeen, Tulip. Which is how it should be instead of chucking them all in together.

Easier said than done, I know, but if we could grab the above players 25+ then we'd have a more stable side. Except of course there is the financial penalty of fielding older players.

Graham Wagg apparently set to join Glamorgan...

Have started the thread because the transfer season is upon us Serchers and fringe players and youngsters will shortly start to get dead rubber games to prove their worth

English qualified 26 and under is where the ECB quota stops and over 28 attracts a penalty - so all players between these ages as of 1st April 2011 who have had below average seasons to date (according to PCA data) and/or struggling to make the first eleven should be on the radar. Those under 26 who are out of contract, unsettled or have had relatively poor seasons would be more ideal but are unlikely to be released.

Opening bats - Kadeer Ali, Sam Robson, Liam Dawson
Middle Order bats - Bilal Shafayat, Chris Benham, James Benning, Dawid Malan
Seam bowlers - Oliver Newby, Mark Turner, Adam Shantry (nearly 28 and injured, but...)

There are a lot of senior players whose PCA averages for the season are below 6 - Durham and Glamorgan will probably have the most vacant lockers come October.

Three stand out there for me:

Adam Shantry is brother of. Nuff said.

Bilal Shafayat was once talked of in the same breath as Panesar and Strauss. We can rescue his career.

I rate James Benning enormously.


One other thing...I cannot understand why Glammy want Graham Wagg.

Bringing in Experience only makes sense if there is a major contributor of similar experience who goes, Mitchell for example.

I do not hold that a "big name" makes any difference to attendances any more, I am not all that sure that a winning team makes much difference to a competitive one and I think the weather and what else is available makes far more difference.

If we are adopting a policy of bringing youngsters through then chasing after a "big name" makes a mockery of this principle and I do not think the club can afford a big enough name or two smaller names that would make that big a difference.

Bumpy did very well picking up "smaller name" players last season (Al, Cameron for example) and I for one support that approach.

Is Benning unsettled at Leics? This is only his first full season there. Benham might be worth a punt - once saw him make a shed load of runs in a Pro40 game and he looked quality.

Whatever happened to Kyle Hogg? I distinctly remember a rumour on the old forum that he was keen to join us following his spell as a loan player.

Didn't I read that some thought that we had " a production line " ?

My cousins play in the Notts Premier against Shafayat and they say he has got bags of talent, but has other issues off the field.

I wouldn't mind Malan here as he seems like a good allround cricketer with a decent temperment and seems to be in an age bracket which would fit in well for our side. Also bowls useful leg spin.

I've mentioned before that Notts always seem to have an abundance of seamers.
I realise they need cover for Sidebottom and Broad, but surely one of their decent reserves would prefer to be first choice for us ???

Nobody mentioned above is unsettled as far as I know they just tick the most boxes

Kyle Hogg is an interesting one and wasn't getting regular games at Old Trafford when he came on loan to us. He seems to have had two solid years now under Moores but is still not playing regularly.

Sussex are also in for Wagg apparently and Somerset for Amjad Khan of Kent

Quote:

Notts always seem to have an abundance of seamers

Don’t really know about their 2xi but Notts have had quite a few injuries this year and have still only used nine seamers (the same as us). Durham have used 15, 7 of which have played in less than 15 games but the core of the attack is 30+ so they must need plenty of injury management. The Hants attack has seen a lot of changes of line-up too - no suprises there, but the gaps aren't being filled by home grown talent.



The best young seamers in the country at the moment who aren't playing a lot of first eleven cricket are at Yorkshire - Hannon-Dalby, Shazad & Hodgson. Other highly rated youngsters are Sheikh at Derby, Rushworth at Durham, Payne at Glos, Evans at Middx, Fletcher at Notts and Miller at Warks. Tomlinson and Balcombe at Hants are older and getting limited opportunities and Lancashires second xi is packed with mid twenties seamers who were once but are no longer flavour of the month - Newby, Brown, Cheetham, Montgomery and Cockbain.



Of senior pros whose appearances are limited Alan Richardson is proving to be the find of the season.

Anyone care to speculate what Jason Gillespie was doing in Worcester this morning, apart from enjoying Bolero's coffee? Maybe sightseeing?

From the list...Malan, Dawson and Turner for me although I doubt any are hugely better than what we have. Benning a waste of space...has talent but NO application and he is old enough to have learnt by now.

Overseas wise I would go for Smith or Shakib again but I do not know their availability from international cricket