County Championship race enters final stretch

[Gunner786]

Can Sussex Do It?

i hope they do!!

Championship race enters final stretch

Andrew McGlashan

September 19, 2006

The Championship season enters its final round on Wednesday with Sussex and Lancashire chasing the main prize. Sussex hold an eight-point advantage going into their match against Nottinghamshire, while Lancashire face Shane Warne's Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

If Sussex win the pennant is theirs, anything less and Lancashire could overtake them if they manage a high-value win. If the teams finish level on points the trophy would go to Hove as Sussex will have more victories than Lancashire.

Sussex are boosted by the availability of Michael Yardy and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan following their participation on the Natwest Series. Mushtaq Ahmed needs 11 weeks to bag 100 in a season for the second time while Murray Goodwin and Chris Adams form a powerful middle-order.

Mark Chilton, the Lancashire captain, is aware Sussex hold the advantage but is just concentrating on Lancashire's performance. "While they have the better hand, anything can happen, and we have a set of players who just never give up.

"Their attitude over the whole season but particularly in the last few weeks when we have suffered from injuries and bad weather has been fantastic. We can't worry about what is happening at Trent Bridge. We know we have to beat Hampshire and we will give it everything we have got."

It is appearing unlikely that Lancashire will risk James Anderson with the ECB imposing a 12-over per day limit on his workload. They have been served well by Dominic Cork, Glen Chapple and Tom Smith throughout the season and seem set to stick with them along with Gary Keedy and Murali Kartik.

Hampshire still have an outside chance of stealing second place (and mathematically the title although Sussex would have to lose without gaining a point) and any side led by Warne - who will have a late fitness test on his cut eye - will not give an inch even at this stage of the season.

At the other end of the table of the competition is just as tight with the winner of the Yorkshire-Durham clash at Headingley securing first division status for next season. However, if the match is drawn both have a slim chance of surviving if Nottinghamshire fail to collect three points against Sussex.

The race for promotion in the second division is between Essex and Worcestershire who have away matches against Leicestershire and Northamptonshire respectively. Essex currently hold second place by four points.

Two divisions was brought in to create meaningful and competitive cricket late into the season. With titles, promotion and relegation at stake you can't really ask for much more.

Andrew McGlashan is editorial assistant of Cricinfo

© Cricinfo

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/count...ry/260009.html

[PlanetPakistan]

InsAllah Sussex will win it all! Lanc will be facing a tough Hampshire side+ Sussex already have more points!

[Billy]

I don't care who wins as long as Lancs actually play Jimmy Anderson.

[Gunner786]

Originally Posted by Billy I don't care who wins as long as Lancs actually play Jimmy Anderson.

i dont want them to risk him,

ecb only allow him 12 overs per day and lancs will need more overs from him if he plays

they should have played mahmood

[cornered paktiger]

do people on this site support the counties they live in or the county with most/their fave Pak player?

[Malik1096]

maaan i support middlesex!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cornered paktiger]

Originally Posted by gambino i dont want them to risk him, ecb only allow him 12 overs per day and lancs will need more overs from him if he plays they should have played mahmood

fletcher wouldn't let them play Mahmood.

If they were all available Lancs would have an awesome fast bowling line-up:

Flintoff
Mahmood
Anderson
Cork

with the likes of Chapple, Hogg and Smith as reserves.

[Abdul Qadir 236]

My prediction at the start of the season looks like coming true for once!

Chapple is far too good a player to be a reserve.

[infamous9383]

Pakistan fans will be watching Rana's performance and it helps that his assistant coach is also on his team

[PlanetPakistan]

Originally Posted by abdul9383 Pakistan fans will be watching Rana's performance and it helps that his assistant coach is also on his team

That sounds so weird but it's true!

[infamous9383]

rana so far

1 over six runs

[Rob H]

Looks like Darren Lehmann might be going for world record here. He's on 338* right now at lunch in his final ever County Championship game. I hope he gets it.

[Daoud]

Originally Posted by Rob H Looks like Darren Lehmann might be going for world record here. He's on 338* right now at lunch in his final ever County Championship game. I hope he gets it.

I dont. Hes a racist nor is he good enough a player to have that great a record

[infamous9383]

Originally Posted by Rob H Looks like Darren Lehmann might be going for world record here. He's on 338* right now at lunch in his final ever County Championship game. I hope he gets it.

hes gone

[infamous9383]

mushy has three so far and rana is dissapointing so far

9 0 34 0 3.77 Rana

14 2 53 3 3.78 mushy

[Rob H]

You have to laugh at the commentry when Ealham got out. "well that was a SHOCKING shot" classic Bob Willis. Notts are in real trouble, 146/7

[Easa]

Hampshire are 176-7. Warne and Mascarenhas at the crease.

[Easa]

Originally Posted by Rob H You have to laugh at the commentry when Ealham got out. "well that was a SHOCKING shot" classic Bob Willis. Notts are in real trouble, 146/7

[Rob H]

Rana gets his man. Off stump out of the ground.

Willis - "Another poor shot"
Colville - "Give him a break Bob he's only number 10"

This could get ugly soon

[Easa]

Rana picks up a wicket, off stump goes for a walk.

[Rob H]

165 AO for Notts. Mushy gets another caught at slip.

[Easa]

Mushy ends up with a 4'fer.

165 AO.

[Rana]

So has sussex won it yet?

[Easa]

Originally Posted by Rana So has sussex won it yet?

Second innings still to be played.

Sussex lead by 395 runs.

[Toony™®]

mushtaq has picked up 2 wickets in the notts 2nd innings...

only 8 more wickets and the title is theirs!

great final week of fixtures this yr.

[Rana]

Mushy has 4 in this innings already!

[Uzi]

Mushy singlehandedly destroying Notts.

[Big Mac]

4/6 from 3 overs now. BOWLING MUSHY

[Rana]

unfortunetly, the light was not good enough for continueing!

[Easa]

3 overs, 1 maiden, 4 wickets, 6 runs.

Great spell from Mushy!

[Amjid Javed]

97 wkts in season for mushy, hes still got some magic in him!

I hope for mushy alone that sussex win the title!

[Amoeba]

Feel sorry for Lancs in a way. No Championship since 1938 and all because it rains!
Lucky Mushy got the wickets because they are playing with 10 men. I bet they wish that Yasir was playing instead of Rana. Won't make any difference though in the end.

Congrats to Sussex and Mushy!

[infamous9383]

Mushy has been unbeliable the entire season

[vortex619]

Amazing season for Mushy!

[KB]

I remember after his first ever county championship match for Sussex a few years ago, there was a newspaper report suggesting that Sussex may regret the signing of Mushtaq.

A few years on, and he has been in the words of Chris Adams, Sussex's best ever player. The volume of wickets he has taken for Sussex since joining them has been incredible.

[Amjid Javed]

The more sucsess mushy has the more i wonder wether he should be recalled even if it was for just 1 test or ODI!

[b0wld]

Originally Posted by Amoeba Feel sorry for Lancs in a way. No Championship since 1938 and all because it rains!

are you serious...i mean is it true..not even when Wasim was playing for Lancs...man this is so downpouring... waqar played one season for Glamorgan & got them the title as did Saqlain for Surrey...cant believe Lancs havent won after 1938

[Amoeba]

Originally Posted by b0wld are you serious...i mean is it true..not even when Wasim was playing for Lancs...man this is so downpouring... waqar played one season for Glamorgan & got them the title as did Saqlain for Surrey...cant believe Lancs havent won after 1938

I think they shared the championship with Surrey in 1958. Apart from that nothing.

The amount of time they lose has often been used as a reason. For example this season I think that they have lost about 10 times as much time as Sussex. They should have beaten us easily (Warks) but the rain in the end prevented it from happening which was a key moment in the race.

Therefore Lancs have always had more success in the shorter game. They were one day kings especially in the 70's & during Wasim's time in the 80/90's.

Having said that the Weather in Cardiff is just as wet as Manchester so Waqar's (& Groucho's) feat at Glamorgan is all the more remarkable.

As for Mushy being Sussex's best ever player it's very high praise indeed certainly considering that he has only been there 4 years. It also means that he is deeemed to be better than say Javed, Imran and Majid amongst a host of others. From a purely county view he probably definately is - considering that he is the main reason that Sussex won the championship for the very first time in their history and it looks like they are going to repeat the feat within 2 years.

Really amazing!

[cornered paktiger]

Mushy's got all 6 wkts to fall in this innings.

can he get all 10!!!!

[Fessal]

one more wicket needed by the little leggie Mushtaq Ahmed and he will have 100 wickets in a county season for the 2nd time. more importantly he has more or less alone helped bowl sussex again to the championship title. Superb bowling..well done!

[Fessal]

113/7 in 20 overs and sadly Mushy didn't get the 7th wicket but who cares as he's bowled great. unbleivable figures : 8 Overs, 1 Maiden 36 runs & SIX WICKETS!

[cornered paktiger]

damn Kirtley has got a wicket but Mushy snaps another one for his century.

He's got to be the most valuable overseas star for any county EVER!!!!

[shabbu1]

Mushy takes unbelievable figures of 9 for 48 as Sussex win the match and title!

[cornered paktiger]

9-48 for Mushy and Sussex wrap up the title!!!!!

[b0wld]

did durham made it with max batting points

[Taurus]

Durham are getting close to 400. If they get there, and draw the match, we'll (Nottinghamshire) be relegated. At this moment in time, that's looking very likely. We have somehow managed to drag relegation from the jaws of safety. We only needed to take 6 wickets or score 200 runs in our first innings. Frankly, we deserve to be relegated having failed on both accounts.

This may mark the end of either Fleming or Hussey's spell at Trent Bridge. I think the former will definitely stay on as captain, but less sure about Hussey.

[infamous9383]

Magical Mushy show his magic again.

IS he a folk hero in England?

[cornered paktiger]

i wouldn't be surprised if we see younis khan next year at Notts again. hopefully for a full season.

Mushy is definitely a cult hero in sussex - not sure about the rest of the country.

[infamous9383]

possible pakistanis in county cricket next season

Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Mohammad Asif, Mansoor Amjad, Rana Naveed Ul Hasan, Umar GUl,Mushtaq Ahmed, Azhar Mahmood, and Mohammad Akram

[Amoeba]

Originally Posted by cornered paktiger i wouldn't be surprised if we see younis khan next year at Notts again. hopefully for a full season. Mushy is definitely a cult hero in sussex - not sure about the rest of the country.

No chance he was awful there and he got a duck on his only appearance at Trent Bridge during the tour.

I do however think he will be offered a county contract - I heard Northants but maybe Gul could be going there. So maybe Yorkshire as Lehman has retired, he scored a big 100 there and it will attract the local Pakistanis. I think Yousuf will go to Derby. I think a Pakistani will go to Gloucs as well especially as Lewis is now Skipper and Harvey could be English qualified.

Surrey may go in for someone as well as Azhar looks to be on his last legs.
Yasir surely will find a slot and maybe even Inzy for one last lucrative hurrah!

[cornered paktiger]

i think the way Mushy, Rana and Arafat have performed will make pakistanis more popular as they will be seen as reliable performers who actually try hard.

[Easa]

Great performance from Mushy.

[Billy]

Good ol' decleration bowling.

M L Pettini 114* from 29 balls

D D J Robinson 4.4-0-117-0

[Daoud]

Originally Posted by Billy Good ol' decleration bowling. M L Pettini 114* from 29 balls D D J Robinson 4.4-0-117-0

Tell me that didnt happen

[Rob H]

It did mate. Pettini has hit 114* off 29 balls.

[Easa]

This is the most annoying thing about county cricket.

Batsman can score 30 ball 100's when captains ask their bowlers to bowl buffet balls to force a decleration.

[Rob H]

Originally Posted by Easa This is the most annoying thing about county cricket. Batsman can score 30 ball 100's when captains ask their bowlers to bowl buffet balls to force a decleration.

It's an agreement not to force .

[Easa]

Originally Posted by Rob H It's an agreement not to force .

Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean.