Remember when Derbys. looked like a Worcs. Old Boys side- Warner and Illingworth?

Now half the Championship does!

I think with far more players moving counties than ever before we will be welcoming ex boys to New Rd all the time, and current Worcs plyers will be facing old counties

I think recidivism- always more prevalent in cricket than in football- will be even more common too : ie. Batty from Slurrey to us to Slurrey again.

A few old boys left under a cloud- and some left with our best wishes, but with us recognising a total break was for the best.

But then there are some I would have back tomorrow- we know about Davies: I would add three Northants. lads to that- Vaas, Hall and Geez. And Lou Vincent too!

In fact, Geez as opener; and one from Vaas, Hall or Vincent covering the Overseas berth whilst the Bangladesh team are playing Tests: and then as the second T20 Overseas Player sounds like manna from heaven to me.

Looking at him now, Geez is [1] an example that hindsight is a marvellous thing and [2] the biggest mistake the old place made in wanting him to leave.

Hall will always have a special place in our history after that famous over against Lancy, marvellous stuff!

Shame the final was such a disappointment

His fortunes have definitely changed since he left New Road - I don't think anybody actually wanted him to leave but he was certainly regarded as a 4 day specialist which was a luxury for a small squad. I don't think he features in all of Northants one day games (hardly ever in T20) and not necessarily as an opener, under David Capel but he does seem to have found some form in the last 5 years. Passed 1000 CC runs only once with us in 4 years and has done it 3 times in 5 at Wantage Road and made 900+ in the other two. Only Ramprakash and Lyth have scored more Div 2 CC runs this summer.



FC

Northants 73 132 10 5178 199 42.44 15 24 58

Worcestershire 54 91 2 3033 165 34.07 7 17 40

Essex 62 102 15 2245 110 25.80 2 10 46



LA

Northants 41 40 4 1015 107 28.19 2 7 15

Worcestershire 40 38 1 691 82 18.67 0 3 9

Essex 75 66 4 1162 73* 18.74 0 6 21



T20

Northants 7 5 2 140 61* 46.66 0 1 3

Worcestershire 10 9 1 82 26* 10.25 0 0 3

Will Adshead play musical chairs?

The whole situation is bizarre- Derbys. sacking their keeper in August is surely unheard of, and Adshead is turning into cricket's ultimate recidivist- surely he has been at Derbys. before? Then you have the whole reason for this- Pipey retiring so young. It only seems five minutes since we were all debating: Davies or Pipe: and now the whole world has changed, for them and for us.

Incidentally, the third part of the trio of Birmingham League legends/characters after Adshead and Big Dave Banks, and the only one never to play County cricket is Andy Mackelworth. Given that he played alongside a very young Vik at Wolverhampton, I thought he had retired, or gone down to the 'social' divisions of the game- but no, there he is at Himley- wisely avoiding the captaincy but still working away at being a Premier keeper. I do remain amazed that at some point, one of ourselves, Gloucs., Leics. and Derbys. have never given him a shot or two at the big time.

Not our first choice though- that's the point!

What Derbys. have done would have been like us sacking Knappett without Cox being in place.

Mmmmm. I don't think bringing Cox in at the 11th hour by whipping him out of classes can be considered a plan. More like, 'oh s~~~. We just sacked Knappett and Davo is injured ....'

Pipey at Derby retired to take up a position of Physio. A position he had been training at University/ College at for years during his playing career both here at WCCC and Derbyshire

Incredible scorecard at Horsham, top four batsmen for Sussex getting hundreds.

http://www.cricinfo.com/countycricket2010/engine/current/match/435529.html

And well done to Adshead - scored 49 batting, and only let through 6 byes in the Sussex total of 576.