Lancs got nowhere near the score needed to win the match

They'd have been lucky to win a T20 match with those 2 scores never mind a championship game.

Plenty of batting practice needed methinks or we can wave goodbye for another year to any chance of the title.

Shocking performance from Lancs. Had a look at the pitch during the lunch break, there was bugger all in it that I could see. Just pace and bounce. Flintoff needs to realise he can't bat any higher than 8 - he's a bowler, nothing more.

Big improvement needed.

It's a bit late now, but for future reference:

Durham obviously play at Chester-le-Street, which is halfway between Durham and Newcastle. The first time I visited I stayed in Durham in the cheap university accommodation during the student vacation. I actually stayed in Durham Castle, which was quite good fun. However, apart from visiting the casle itself and the adjacent cathederal I didn't find it a particularly interesting place. The second time, and for any future visits, I based myself in Newcastle, a vibrant and lively city with good public transport links to other places throughout the north east.

Chester-le-Street itself is a pleasant enough little town but without much to do other than watch the cricket. There's a nice little bar upstairs in the station booking hall.

I had a great day out at Northampton yesterday, with Surrey finally securing their first Championship win since the last day of the 2007 season this morning.

Was only there for the day, glad I decided against stopping off in Durham for a bit before heading home, sounds like I'd have been kicking my heels a bit. Been to Newcastle a few times, I think that'll be the place to go if I ever go for more than one day.



Aye, very nice place, but small and quiet. Didn't seem like there was anything to do. Didn't have chance to visit the bar in the station, although most of the station looked closed.



About bloody time. That's been something that's bugged Lancashire supporters ever since that day.

The table won't be looking too clever for Yorkshire now, Somerset chase 296 to win with 4 wickets to spare.

There's about one train every 90 minutes in each direction from Chester-le-Street, although only a 10 minute journey time to Durham or Newcastle. The station booking office is open in the daytime and seems to double as some sort of community intenet cafe type thingy. I think the upstairs bar only opens about 5pm onwards. There are no platform indicators on the station but barstaff were happy to check trains on the internet to make sure you don't have a cancellation and will be stuck there for another hour or more!


As someone on another messageboard commented: <i> "Last time Surrey won a Championship match the economy was booming and people trusted their MP!"</i>

Aye, it was about half 4 when I was waiting for the train back towards Durham/York, so no wonder the bar wasn't open. Could've done with them barstaff though, the train was only delayed by five minutes but you could tell people were panicking!




It's a sign.

It's not your year again is it?



You'll be better placed than us come the end of the season though, that's for sure. To concede the highest score of the match on the 4th day with what looks like comparative ease is worrying to say the least.

Still, at least young Bairstow looks a bit of a find...

Hmm. Last time we won the Championship outright a right-wing extremist was plotting his way to the top of European politics. Fast forward to 2009, the recent MEP elections and...


Anyone got them clutching straws to hand?

More terrible batting from Lancs as they're 122-6 Looks like it will be the second game in a row without a single batting point.The strange decision to move Flintoff up the order to 3 didn't work.

A 95-ball maiden first class century from Azeem Rafiq as Yorkshire close in on 500 at Worcester. Even Hoggy's gone and bagged himself a 50, which says a lot about how flat the New Road pitch must be.

Find it unbelievable that Lancs dod'nt look to bring in a top bat in the off season. The script is so familiar now:

Expect opening wicket to fall around 20 to 30 on the board
Second to fall at 50
Third and fourth to fall at around 100
Fifth and sixth fall after little gumption at 145
Seventh and eight after a spurt form Chapple around 200
Nine and Jack down in rapid succession.

Du Plessis is an absolute waste. Fine if we want to knock one off about quik cricket, sorry, 20/20 but an absolute piece of turd for the more refined version of the game.

Another huge loss thanks to two pathetic totals, oh well, bring back the one day stuff....

Laxman
Flintoff
Du Plessis

Them three should be totalling 250 alone.

Lancashire without Flintoff = flying, winning most matches
Lancashire with Flintoff = losing 2 out of 2, batting woeful

Hmmm

That would mean all three of them of them averaging over 80 each, and Don Bradman is the only batsman ever to have achieved that.

So Lancs currently have three of the greatest four batsmen of all time?

(Mind you, with the wet weather excuse there ought to be plenty of not outs to boost the averages!)

The wet weather has actually saved us from 2 defeats this year. And if we'd played the Hampshire game at OT instead of Liverpool the weather may have earned us a draw in that one as well.



Anyway, back to the proper cricket tomorrow.

Strange, just what I was thinking.

Kent beat Hampshire by 8 runs in the 20/20 cup

vikram solanki batting like a dream - 100 off 47

....and he's listed to come in @ no.10 today against Durham

so your saying dont play flintoof for lanchashire?? dont be daft mate hes bowling will save a lot more runs than tom smith or kyle hogg would

Kent beat Surrey by 1 run

How many points do you get for a win in T20? And how does the whole group system work? Top 2 teams progress to the next round?

Soz, I'm a newbie to T20 me like.

Have you actually seen him play recently, or not?

If he was picked purely as a bowler, you may have a point. But he's being picked as an all-rounder and it's all going wrong.

And anyway - we weren't doing too badly with Tom Smith's bowling, were we?