The Charm of County

Admiring the County Championship by picking some weird XI's

May 29, 2024

It seems lately cricket is being altered beyond recognition to attract the eyeballs of people who wouldn’t normally be interested. Bright lights and colour galore with branding and big hits for shits and giggles and all the money in the world. But the thing is losing it’s soul.

What about the people who love cricket as it was and has always been, foolishly perhaps, maybe stuck in the mud or the past for sure, but people who have lived and breathed the game for years, decades and generations. Those who watch for the contest between bat and ball, the subsequent numbers and patterns, the nutty idiosyncrasies and foibles, the half eye on the game and the other half on the rest of the world slowly moving around them. Cricket as both an engaging contest and a beautiful backdrop, an antidote to the hyper-speed modern world.

While some of the highlights do also include low-lights, or quirks as I’d label them, such as this ‘‘dead ball’’ where Zak Crawley thought he’d reached his century or this dismissal of Ricardo Vasconcelos where his bat goes flying, a lot of the cricket played showcases the patience and passion required at the highest level.

The charm of the County Championship is, for me, the range of talent and hope, expectation vs reality, the drama and dullness that emerges throughout the season. I have to admit I follow in scorecards, podcasts and Instagram posts though I check in on YouTube when I can in the middle of my antipodean nights. It reveals itself to me in live updates, match reports or highlights on social media, as well as comments on social media, where some have labelled it a glorified pub team competition. Not me though.

Another charm of the Championship is that it provides time to breathe and reflect. As the competition takes time out now for the Vitality Blast, I thought it a good time to study the form guides and statistics and pick a host of intriguing XI’s that provide a snapshot of the talent on show. I’ll be picking an International XI, an Antipodean XI, a South African XI and an England Asian XI, as well as a possible England Under 23 team. I’m no expert and I’m going largely off stats and vibe from what I’ve heard and read, but feel free to add your two cents if you think any selections could be adjusted. There’s also a few wacky name-based XI’s: The Team of Toms, Ben’s XI and the Jack and James Selection.

International XI

Dean Elgar (South Africa and Essex) : The nuggety left-hander has stepped into the big boots vacated by Sir Alistair Cook and so far he has not disappointed, helping Essex to within two points of Championship front-runners Surrey after 7 rounds. With 4 fifties and a hundred scored against Kent back in April, Elgar has scored 547 runs at an average of 49.72.
Marnus Labuschagne (Australia and Glamorgan) : The polarising Aussie is back with Glamorgan and scored a solid 111 on his return against Middlesex in Cardiff.
Shan Masood (Pakistan and Yorkshire) : The captain of Pakistan has had a mixed season thus far with Yorkshire, who sit second last in Division Two, book-ended by two centuries, 140 against Gloucestershire in Bristol and 131* against Northamptonshire in Northampton. Currently has 502 runs at 50.20
Cheteshwar Pujara (India and Sussex) : The perennial Pujara just keeps on scoring runs and hundreds in first-class cricket. He tops Sussex’s run charts with 501 runs at 62.62 and just this week scored his 65th first-class century when he made 129 against Middlesex at Lord’s. With 20,899 first-class runs at an astonishing 52.11 from 271 matches, Pujara is the most prolific run scorer on the scene today.
David Bedingham (South Africa and Durham) : The leading run-scorer in the country so far this season, Bedingham has demonstrated his desire to keep scoring runs on the first-class scene so he can keep making a name for himself at Test level. His last four innings have netted hundreds (and five of his last seven) giving him a mid-season average of 88.33, with 795 runs from just 6 matches.
Peter Handscomb (Australia and Leicestershire) : the former Australian Test batsman would make this side as the wicket-keeper, but his bat has done plenty of talking too this season with an impressive average of 68.50 with 2 hundreds and 4 fifties (one of which was being run out for 99 against Northamptonshire) from 8 innings.
Jason Holder (West Indies and Worcestershire) : While perhaps not at the peak of his powers during his recent stint in England, he did manage to blast 123 not out off 110 balls in his most recent innings, against Kent at Canterbury, an innings that included 6 sixes. He’ll be hoping for better returns with the ball when the West Indies battle England in July, having taken 9 wickets from his 5 matches at an average of 44.33.
Kemar Roach (West Indies and Surrey) : With 18 wickets at 25.77, Roach has been instrumental in keeping Surrey at the top of the table where they feel they belong. He missed their most recent game, their first loss of the season and a heavy one at that, but took 6 for 46 against Warwickshire at The Oval and is looking to spoil Jimmy Anderson’s Lord’s farewell later this summer.
Nathan Lyon (Australia and Lancashire) : The Australian GOAT leads the Lancashire wicket-takers charts this season with 20 scalps at 29.25 as he enjoys his northern summer, although Lancs sit nervously at second last in Division One. A seasoned campaigner closing in on 800 first-class wickets (795 currently)
Jayden Seales (West Indies and Sussex) : With 24 wickets at 24.25 the young Trinidadian tops the wicket-takers in Division Two alongside Northamptonshire’s Ben Sanderson. A fiery prospect determined to play Tests for the West Indies, Seales is getting in work ahead of the Test summer.
Mohammad Abbas (Pakistan and Hampshire) : A seasoned first-class pro, Mohammad Abbas has an impressive record to maintain. 684 wickets at just 20.86 is no mean feat and the man from Sialkot will be looking to add more to his season tally of 10 at 29.60 and help Hampshire stay in the top half of the ladder.

Imagine this team playing against an England Lions or shadow Test team, or even as a mid season show down against last season’s County Champs!

This is a pretty strong side by any stretch, and other top players have been unlucky to miss out. Aamir Jamal had a breakout series against Australia last southern summer but has had meagre returns in his two games for Warwickshire. Mir Hamza has been good for Glamorgan and Karun Nair has been solid if unspectacular for Northamptonshire barring his impressive 202 not out against Glamorgan in April. Kyle Abbott and Marchant de Lange are South African’s who continue to terrorize teams on their day, while a host of wannabe Australian batsmen such as Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft could fill in if needed. But they’d be better suited for my next two XI’s. Imagine this match-up, played at Lord’s or The Oval in the middle of summer: The Antipodean XI versus A South African XI.

Antipodean XI

Cameron Bancroft (Gloucestershire) : Looking to push his claims for a recall to the Australian side. Has 506 runs so far this season at 56.22 with 2 hundreds and 2 fifties. Would have to take the wicket-keeping duties for this side as well.
Marcus Harris (Leicestershire) : Has struggled to make his mark this summer with just one decent score so far, 214 against Derbyshire at Derby. Since then has scored just 55 runs from 5 innings, with 388 runs for the season at 43.11.
Will Young (Nottinghamshire) : Currently has 271 runs for the season at 45.16, but that is severely boosted by his score of 174 not out made against Somerset at Taunton, an innings (and impressive 392 run stand with Joe Clarke) cut short by rain on the final day.
Matt Renshaw (Somerset) : The big left-hander would be gutted not to have made a century yet this season, his 414 runs for the season containing 3 half-centuries and coming at an average of 37.63, a far cry from the form needed to bash down the door of Australian re-selection.
Tom Bruce (Lancashire) : The prodigious Central Stag run-scorer has struggled to make his mark on the County scene just yet, with just one score over fifty to his name. But the ex-international has big runs in him, highlighted by his career first-class average of 47.28.
Beau Webster (Gloucestershire) : The tall Tasmanian has been quietly staking a claim for higher honours in the past few seasons and he has continued that form in two appearances this summer, with 76 and 6 for 100 in his latest match against Derbyshire at Bristol. Enjoyed a good stint with Essex in last years One Day Cup where he was both their highest run-maker and wicket-taker.
Sean Abbott (Surrey) : A more than capable all-rounder who has been solid if unspectacular in his three appearances for the Championship leaders this season.
Nathan Smith (Worcestershire) : After helping Wellington to the 2023/24 Plunket Shield and leading the competition in scalps (33 at 17.18), Smith has carried on his good form for Worcs and pushes his case for consideration with the Black Caps. 19 wickets at 25.42 and 213 runs at 35.50 (with 3 fifties) are good numbers for the 25 year old in his first season of County cricket.
Peter Siddle (Durham) : The old pro continues to battle away, taking 7 wickets in his two matches for Durham this season at just 16.57 a piece. At 39 years of age and with 762 first-class wickets to his name, he is an experienced workhorse you’d love to have on your side.
Daniel Worrall (Surrey) : The third highest wicket taker in Division One this season behind the Essex pair of Cook and Porter, Worrall is now not technically an Australian having declared his allegiance to England in 2022. A British passport holder through family heritage, he qualifies for selection in mid 2025. But anyone who has been suspended for scratching a cock and balls picture onto a pitch qualifies for this team in spirit alone. Blew Worcestershire away with match figures of 10 for 57 at the Oval in mid May.
Blair Tickner (Derbyshire) : The Hawkes Bay coffee man has not had a hugely successful stint so far in England, with just 8 wickets from 5 matches at a whopping 61.50. But he did hit his highest first-class score ever when he made 47 against Sussex at the start of May, and the man knows a thing or two about facing adversity. His wife has recently been diagnosed with cancer while he also made his Test debut in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle last year, which claimed his fathers house and affected other family and friends.

Michael Neser could slot into the side easily if needed, having only just made his first appearance for Hampshire last week, when they thumped Surrey by an innings and 278. He made 3 and took 2 for 55 in the match. Chris Tremain is another strapping Aussie bowler with a good first-class record (353 wickets at 23.53) but has just two from 4 matches this season with Northants. Will Williams of Lancashire is another who I’d love to include but he’s a bit like Worrall, having given up his hopes of playing for New Zealand to make his career in England.

The South African XI

Ben Compton (Kent) - I’ve written about Compton before here and think his story is great, a battling cricketer with a famous name striving to make his own mark on the game. Born in Durban and has had stints playing first-class cricket in South Africa and Zimbabwe, his form this season has been patchy at best, with 440 runs at 31.42, yet he still averages well above 40 (44.90) over his career to this point.
Ricardo Vasconcelos (Northamptonshire) - Adding a pitch collision with Adam Lyth to his aforementioned bat throw, Vasconcelos has been making an impact on the socials and on the field. Averaging 75.28 so far this season, Vasconcelos has centuries against Yorkshire and Glamorgan to his name. Born in Johannesburg, he made his first-class debut for Boland in 2016 and holds a Portuguese passport.
Gareth Roderick (Worcestershire) - Another born in Durban, Roderick made his first-class debut for KwaZulu Natal in 2011 before turning to County cricket thanks to his British passport. Has two tons so far this season, scored consecutively against Somerset and Kent, the second of which saw him pay an emotional tribute to his late teammate Josh Baker.
Leus du Plooy (Middlesex) - A stylish left-hander who averages close to 50 in first-class cricket, the 29 year old is averaging 61.44 on the season thus far with two big tons. He cashed in on the Kookaburra back in April, hitting 196 not out against Northamptonshire in a run-fest, and made 131 against Leicestershire at Lord’s at the start of May. Made 107 not out on debut for Free State back in 2015 and holds a Hungarian passport.
Colin Ingram (Glamorgan) - Born in Port Elizabeth and debuting for Free State in 2004, the 38 year old currently tops the Division Two run charts with 752 at 94.00, with 4 centuries to his credit this season already, including three in his last three matches. A clean striker of the ball who also has 3 ODI centuries for South Africa.
Graeme van Buuren (Gloucestershire) - The captain of Gloucestershire, van Buuren has been leading the way with the bat, making 584 runs at 73.00 so far this season and chipping in with 5 wickets. Born in Pretoria, he debuted for Northerns back in 2010.
Chris Cooke (Glamorgan) - A veteran wicket-keeper batsman who hails from Johannesburg. Cooke debuted for Western Province back in 2009 and averages close to 40 with the bat.
Simon Harmer (Essex) - Harmer’s numbers aren’t spectacular this season, with 18 wickets at 36.77 and 107 runs at 11.88, but he is vital to the Essex teams hopes of usurping Surrey for the Division One title. With spin second fiddle to their strong pace attack of Cook, Porter and Snater, his time will come to shine. Has the most first-class wickets of anyone in the comp, with a eye-popping 920 as at the end of May, including 39 from his 10 Tests for South Africa.
Kyle Abbott (Hampshire) - Capable of tearing teams apart, Abbott has 16 wickets this season as he approaches his 37th birthday in June. A frightening first-class record of 613 wickets at just 21.31, he debuted for KwaZulu Natal back in 2009 and has been terrorizing batsmen ever since. Recently took 5 for 25 on day one at Southampton as Hampshire trashed league leaders Surrey.
Marchant de Lange (Gloucestershire) - Topping Gloucs wicket tally this year with 21 scalps at 25.61, de Lange is another roaring pace bowler who can frighten batsmen out when he’s on. Took 7 for 81 on Test debut for South Africa against Sri Lanka in 2011 but had little success after that. Debuted in first-class cricket back in 2010 for Easterns.
Dane Paterson (Nottinghamshire) - Not as fast as his other pace compatriots but a clever bowler nonetheless, with 585 first-class scalps at a healthy 23.80. Has 17 wickets at 27.64 for Notts this season and recently appeared for South Africa during their ill-fated Test tour of New Zealand, where he performed admirably. Also took 5 for 31 and 3 for 72 in a losing effort for Western Province in the South African domestic final at The Wanderers.

Beyers Swanepoel (Kent) and Migael Pretorius (Somerset) are both entertaining cricketers who have had good performances this season but experience wins out. Wayne Madsen, the Derbyshire legend, is another who qualifies and could easily fit into this team but I’ll be using his Italian connection to place him in another team later.

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