How are you doing in ICC? (any version)

[King Pietersen]

I started a game as Notts earlier. Have finished the first season just about surviving in the first division of the County Championship, coming 4th in my FP Trophy group, 2nd in the Pro40 and did poorly in the T20 cup. I've had to make a few transfers, because of retirements, but my first XI now consists of:

Jason Gallian
Stephen Moore
David Hussey
Marcus North
HD Ackerman
Samit Patel
Chris Read (Wk/C)
Glen Chapple
Ryan Sidebottom/Graeme Swann
Charlie Shreck/Graeme Swann
Danish Kaneria

Pretty happy with that line up. I'm especially happy that firstly I kept Dave Hussey, secondly added to the batting with North and Ackerman, and also that the bowling looks far stronger, with Sidebottom, Chapple, Shreck, Kaneria and Patel. Sidebottom and Shreck bowled brilliantly last season, so much so that Sidey's in the England team, which means that Swanny gets to start the season in the first XI. The only problem I forsee, is if 2 batsmen get injured, I've only got 1 proper batsman in reserve, Will Smith, which could provide a potential problem. I can't see anyone other than possibly Hussey playing international cricket in the season, so I suppose that's a positive. What you reckon to the team ?

Edit: Not a bad start to the season for the new guys, first game of the CC season, destroyed Warwickshire by an innings and 253 runs. Bowled first, skittled them out for 228 with Shreck picking up 4/46, Chapple got 2. Then we batted, scoring 628/3 with David Hussey scoring an unbeaten double ton and Marcus North also making a massive unbeaten score. Warwickshire then came back into bat with trailing by 400. It didn't start well for them, and they fell to 33/5 with Chapple taking 3. They eventually stumbled to 147 all out with Chapple picking up 5, Shreck 3 and the other 2 split between Swann and Patel. Perfect start to the season.

 

[Myrmecophaga]

I have just begun a game with Northants, pledging not to sign a new first eleven inside two years for once, and instead only to sign new internation players and young players. Having Skipped a year, because the first year is always more effort than its worth, my first XI is starting to look OK already, if with weaknesses and little back up in the second XI. First XI:

Player
R White-Opening Bat-(30.5)
S Peters-Opening Bat-(31.3)
D Lehmann-Bat-(57.4) (*)
D Sales-Bat/Part time keeper-(41.4)
S Crook-Bat-(31.8)
N O'Brien-Keeper-(32.6) (wk)
N Boje-Allrounder, SLA-(31.5/31.4)
A Chamberlain-Bower, RMF-(Second team 23.5) (2) regen
J Lawson-Bowler, RFM-(28.0) (1)
M Panesar-Bowler, SLA-(28.0)
M Munday-Bowler, LS-(26.8)

I am needless to say looking forward to the last days of county games with those spinners. First games were against the bears this year. The County game saw a very encouraging innings win, with White striking a double hundred, and a first innings score of over 550. Then Panesar and Munday each picked up five-fers to polish them off. In the One-dayer they failed to score over 200, and White hit 99no to guide the side home, albeit with five down in the end.

My three signings, Lawson, Lehmann and Munday are looking like really promising ones. Chamberlain sat out the first games due to a broken finger, but should be back soon enough.

 

[Hippie]

i started another game and i was lucky to get M.Munday. In all my times of playing, this is the only time he has been picked for england. It is annoying when you have 3 spinners all avg under 20 with the ball and they all get picked for England at once. makes such a hole. (lucky my batsmen are doing good: 5 avg over 50, of that 5, 2 are over 70)

 

[King Pietersen]

Fantastic season. Won the County Championship, Pro40 and FP Trophy, but annoyingly lost in the Twenty20 Cup final to complete a clean sweep. David Hussey made 248 for the highest individual innings, he was also season top run scorer. Danish Kaneria was leading wicket taker ahead of Panesar, but missed out on best innings bowling innings by 2 runs. He took 8-43, but someone else took 8-42.

I've also managed to get Michael Munday, Jonathan Trott and Dimi Mascheranas in also to add well needed strength to the batting. My team going into the new season is:

Graeme Swann (Made 1000 FC Runs last season with a double hundred.)
Stephen Moore
David Hussey
Jonathan Trott
HD Ackerman
Paul Franks (Averages 54 in FC Cricket)
Chris Read (Got Andy Hodd as back-up as well)
Dimi Mascherenas
Michael Munday
Ryan Sidebottom
Danish Kaneria

Looks a bloody solid team. I've then got Gallian to come in when Moore goes off to play for England as well. Looks pretty awesome to me, especially with Charlie Shreck and Glen Chapple as reserve bowlers . What you reckon ?

 

[Themer]

Very strong looking team you got there Kp. Only area I could think need improving is that you may need another top quality seam bowler.

 

[Amiya]

Currently i am playing from start with Lancashire as my team. Currently i am on the top of the table with all my batsman are at the peak and Murlitharan doing tricks.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

In my Yorkshire game, I think it's finally my season for the County Championship. I've only played two games, won both by an innings, full points so far. My team is as follows:

J Rudolph (c)
J Beresford (regen)
C Taylor
S Patel
A Rashid
D Wainwright
T Bresnan
R Pyrah
G Brophy (+)
M Hoggard
D Steyn (overseas)

I've also got two quality regens coming up
M Gray, a SLA allrounder
N Reid, a RMF who averaged 21 in FC games last season, I played him for quite a few.

 

[King Pietersen]

Very strong looking team you got there Kp. Only area I could think need improving is that you may need another top quality seam bowler.

Yeh, I was thinking that, but Franks, Dimi and Sidey all average under 30 in FC cricket. Also, it's spinners that do most damage on the game as well, with the top 4 bowlers in the CC last year all being spinners, with Kaneria, Panesar, Keedy and Munday. So I've now got 2 of the top 4 bowlers in the CC, and alongside Sidebottom, Franks, Mascheranas and then Shreck and Chapple with injury/international duty I think I've got a pretty solid bowling attack. I've got to try and fit Marcus North into the team as well, he averaged 64 in OD cricket and 58 in FC cricket last year.

 

[Chewie]

I've started a game with Middlesex and am in my second season. First season I won the FP trophy and narrowly missed out on being promoted in the CC. Came second in the T20 Cup and 5th in the Pro40.
This season I'm sitting comfortably ontop of D2 of the CC, am in the final of the FP, won the T20, and am leading the Pro40 Competition
I think I'm doing so well because I normally reduce the size of my team so that I only have an 18 man squad, meaning I can ift in better people, but at a price of them leaving for international duty occasionally.

My Team:
1. J Rudolph (c) Av. 44
2. A Strauss (when on international duty I use E Smith or E Morgan) Av. 40
3. J Kallis Av. 55, 30 with ball
4. O Shah Av. 44
5. N Compton Av. 48
6. E Joyce Av. 45
7. B Godleman Av. 50
8. D Nash (+) Av. 36
9. T Murtagh Av. 29 with bat, 30 with ball
10. S Mushtaq Av. 23 with ball
11. C Silverwood Av. 27 with ball

I bowl my part-timers Rudolph and Joyce rather often in the CC, but I normally play an extra bowler in the OD games.

Edit: End of the season now, got promoted, won the FP, T20 and Pro40 cups With all my extra money I signed Stuart Broad and Steve Davies

 

[Isura]

I brought Sehwag back at 40. Gun batsmen. Also, on the 20th anniversary of the 1999 WC Australia met South Africa in a classic.

 

[Hippie]

Yr 2019, playing as Northamptonshire. Won CC, 40over, and 50over tournament, QF in T/20

B. Shafayat - 1229 @ 68.28
J. Dyer* - 1348 @ 58.61
B. Cardew - 1330 @ 65.50
K. Freshwater - 1253 @ 59.67
S.Crook - 670 @ 44.67
S.Davies+ - 576 @ 36.00
M. Munday - 808 @ 49.89 104 @ 19.73
A. Tetley - 232 @ 16.57 49 @ 25.90
R. Dixon - 35 @ 7.90 30 @ 19.73
N. Altef - 47 @ 4.70 70 @ 19.74
(the 11th player is usually a batsmen but it depends on form/injuries/international commitments)
J. Holroyd - 50 @ 5.56 20 @ 29.50 - played only a few games so far as he is 21

 

[King Pietersen]

Just had an even more amazing 3rd Season with Notts. Won everything. David Hussey scored nearly 2000 season runs. Munday took more wickets than Kaneria, taking 60odd. Everyone averaged in the top 5 averaged over 40 in all competitions. Annoyingly I've had to make some changes to the team over the break. Hussey's unavailable because of international duties on the Ashes tour with Australia, he'll be back next year. Kaneria and Gallian have also been the 2 other major drops from the squad.

Here's the first XI and squad for the next season:

Graeme Smith
Stephen Moore
Mohammed Yousuf
Michael Carberry
Jonathan Trott (can bowl abit, he took a 5fer against Lancs in the CC final game)
Marcus North
Chris Read
Dimitri Mascheranhas
Michael Munday
Kabir Ali
Ryan Sidebottom

Looking pretty strong, Graeme Swann will open when Stephen Moore's on international duty, and provide the 5th bowler option.

Rest of the squad:
HD Ackerman
T Rafferty (Regen who averaged 45 in 2nd team cricket last year)
Mark Pettini
Andy Hodd
Graeme Swann
Paul Franks
Charlie Shreck

Not a massive depth in the squad, but it'll do. Should probably have kept Chapple tbh. I'm happy, we got over 200 points in the CC last year, so as long as we win the CC I'm happy.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Lol you signed Mark Pettini aswell (worst signing ever.) Why did you get rid of Kaneria by the way? You've got a seriously solid batting line up there.

 

[King Pietersen]

Pettini's just a back-up, he was a last minute buy in the transfer section. He did alright when I was Essex.

I got rid of Kaneria because I didn't really think it was worth me keeping his wages going, he didn't play a massive part in the last season, with the seamers and Munday getting most of the wickets. Just felt it'd be better strengthening the batting with 2 world class overseas players considering I'd lost Hussey to international cricket. Smith and Yousuf should make up for Hussey's runs :P. Well you'd bloody hope so anyway.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Was half through a report on my team and page refreshed accidentally.

So far after 9 games in CC, I'm on 186 points. Won 8, drew 1. The one I drew I was very unlucky.

Player of the season is Samit Patel so far:
FC:
Matches: 9
Innings: 13
NO: 4
Runs: 977
HS: 200
Average: 108.56
100's: 4
50's: 4
SR: 57.35%