Were nearly a month into the season so far and it’s time to have a look at how the players I predicted big things of have been performing.
Chesney Hughes – Hasn’t had the greatest start to the season, struggling on the early season wickets to make a big score. The interesting thing has been Derbyshire use of his slow left arm bowling. Last season he was rarely used but it has obviously developed and he has even opened the bowling in the cb40 and is their leading wicket taker. (191 runs @ 27.28, 3 wickets @ 61; 84 runs @21, 7 wickets @17.42)
Scott Borthwick – A so so start to the season. Has picked up cheap wickets whilst not bowling particularly often and contributed some runs without making a big contribution with the bat. (152runs @ 21.71, 16 wickets @23.12; 0 runs @1 innings, 5 overs @ 28 runs)
Ben Stokes – One brilliant game but countered by a run of other low scores. Some people have been talking him up as a possible ODI player this season but at the moment he still looks a bit too much of a biffer in the Ian Blackwell mould without the technique for international cricket but is still only 19. (292 runs @ 42.28,10 wickets @27.80; 115 runs @38.33, 3 wickets@ 8.66)
James Harris – A good start to the season, plenty of wickets and for that matter runs and is the leading light in the Glamorgan set up. Has started playing more one day cricket probably as a way of breaking into the England line up which in the past he was generally rested from. (126 runs @31.50, 13 wickets at 27.07; 7 wickets @15.42, 37 runs)
Danny Briggs – A solid start to the year in both forms of the game. Has done nothing outstanding but has been reliable taking plenty of wickets on not the most responsive of wickets. Unfortunately he is a real rabbit with the bat (18 wickets @ 34.11; 3 wickets @ 26.66)
James Vince - Not much to speak off until this past week where he scored a big hundred. Goes almost under the radar these days, is solid and conventional, and needs to score more runs consistently if he wants to be noticed. (277 runs@ 46.16; 45 runs @22.5)
Nathan Buck- A rather poor start to the season and has been overshadowed by others. Has been slightly unlucky but still hasn’t taken proper advantage of the early season wickets and maybe having a hangover from his breakthrough season last year. (9 wickets @41.11; 4 wickets @ 37)
James Taylor - A good start to the season, although his figures are slightly misleading as he scored a double ton against Loughborough MCCU. Nonetheless he has started the CB40 season well which although his game is more suited to the 4 day game maybe a way into the England setup. (493 runs @ 61.62; 283 runs @ 70.75)
Greg Smith – A difficult start to the season, he managed to find time during his university studies to garner a couple of games for Leicestershire, an appreciation of how highly Leicestershire rate him but struggled to combine the two and has returned to university for his final term. (37 runs@9.25)
Steve Finn – After being initially rested he has easily returned to first class cricket looking a class apart from the majority. His batting continues to improve and he may make a capable no.9 yet. (61 runs @15.51, 16 wickets @18.81; 1 wicket @ 33)
Luke Fletcher - A very consistent start to the season for Fletcher playing every game and being the mainstay of the injury prone Nottinghamshire attack. Never destructive but he is consistently taking wickets and is looking trimmer than in previous years, which points to a good future in county cricket. (27 wickets @23.37; 2 wickets @ 65)
Alex Hales- Has impressed many with his early season form but unfortunately fracture his jaw this week which will put him back. Looks a class apart from the rest of the Nottinghamshire batting in tough conditions and hits the ball as sweetly as any on the county circuit. The written press have finally picked up on Hales and he seems to have a few followers which can do his chances of England selection no harm once he returns from injury. (355 runs @35.5; 139 runs @69.5)
Jos Buttler- Has really struggled in the 4 day game so far but has continued his extraordinary one day form with runs at a very quick pace. Is unorthodox and willing to try different things, which is something of a premium on the county circuit. (142 runs @ 23.66; 134 runs in 3 innings for no dismissal)
James Hildreth – Has had a pretty horrid start to the season and has already been runout twice in the 4 day game. Hildreth will really be cursing himself knowing a good start to the season could have catapulted him into the England setup; this setback will have to be stopped quickly or he may be known as a one season wonder and flat track bully. (141 runs @20.14; 47 runs @23.5)
Jade Dernbach – Rested/injured for the first few weeks of the season Dernbach has eased into the season putting in some good performances. Has plenty of variation in his bowling and sometimes suffers through almost trying too much when playing. Surely will get a look in with the England ODI side if his good CB40 form continues. (9 wickets @28.11; 6 wickets @15.33)
Jason Roy – Initially not selected but has forced his way into the side as a makeshift opener in the four day game by scoring runs in the seconds and CB40. Has scored a couple of powerful fifties and looks brilliantly talented, highlighted by the fact that Chris Adams has nicknamed him ‘KP2’. Still looks very raw at this time but an exciting prospect. (81 runs @40.5; 148 runs @49.33)
Rory Hamilton Brown – Has had an average start to the season and seems to have reined himself in somewhat with the bat. Last season he seemed to be ultra aggressive in all forms of the game but it looks like he has tried to become more solid over the offseason which, until now, has proved a moderate success. (219 runs @ 31.28; 59 runs @19.66)
Ben Brown – Has had a pretty awful start to the season, playing solely as a batsman he has one fifty to his name but a string of other low scores including 4 ducks. Every young player is going to go through spells like this; hopefully he can come out of this form dip a better player. (92 runs @11.5)
Chris Woakes – Consistently very good Woakes has started the season in brilliant form taking plenty of wickets and scoring a pile of runs. Ashley Giles has been heard to say that he has added an extra yard of pace over the winter, which should do his chances of England recognition no harm at all. (262 runs @52.4, 24 wickets @ 18.54; 69 runs @69 5 wickets @35.20)
Jonathon Bairstow – Impressive early season form in a team which has struggled for runs he capped it off with his maiden first class (double) hundred. His keeping continues to be a touch ragged but he seems good enough to play as a batsman alone at county level, we’ll have to wait a bit before finding out at international level. (345 runs @69; 37 runs @12.33)
Adil Rashid – A brilliant first game of the season with figures of 11-114 but since then he seems to be back to his erratic best, bowling well some days and not so the next. Still inconsistent and has not started the season well with the bat. Still has the most ardent of supporters who question at every turn why he is not in the England team and praise his good performances but he does put in a fair amount of average performances but he does have time on his side. (67 runs @11.16, 18 wickets @21.44; 61 runs in 3 innings, 7 wickets @ 15.28)
Red = County Championship figures
Blue = CB 40 figures
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