He's out of contract I believe at Leicester. He's come back to Zimbabwe twice now to play in the domestic competition (and succeeded) and he's back again playing in the T10. He clearly has an affection for his country and I've heard he's a real country bumpkin at heart, like Ervine.
He's also obviously been given some good treatment from the board as he's got a franchise gig every time he's come over.
Aimed at the men in "the know" and those on ground zero, what's the gossip on this stupidly talented bloke?
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The curious case of Nick Welch
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Does he have ambitions to play for Zimbabwe or is he looking to stay in the UK and try and crack another county?
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I'm sure he'll be playing as a domestic player this coming season.
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Doesn’t he have a year to go?
I thought he got extended two years?
I thought he got extended two years?
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I always got confused between Nick and Matt but I guess now I'm clear that Nick is the UK guy and Matt is the U19 one.
Are Matt and Bennett going to be playing the domestics this season?
Nick is probably the best option to lure back into the Zimbabwean set up, will surely help if he agrees.
I don't know what is the status of Ben Curran, is he giving it another shot this domestic season?
Are Matt and Bennett going to be playing the domestics this season?
Nick is probably the best option to lure back into the Zimbabwean set up, will surely help if he agrees.
I don't know what is the status of Ben Curran, is he giving it another shot this domestic season?
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He was playing for Leicestershire in the recently concluded Blast, I believe their 50 over competition starts soon, while The Hundred is on, so wait and see if he makes an appearance in that I suppose.
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Nick is coming back.
Curran is having a difficult club and minor county season in the U.K. again at the moment, it’s hard to see how he sustains a career for himself at this point. Maybe one last roll of the dice here this season.
Bennett will definitely be playing domestic again.
Welch Jr, who knows? He’s been injured a lot, and quite seriously. I guess if he appears in the upcoming NPL that will be the clue.
Curran is having a difficult club and minor county season in the U.K. again at the moment, it’s hard to see how he sustains a career for himself at this point. Maybe one last roll of the dice here this season.
Bennett will definitely be playing domestic again.
Welch Jr, who knows? He’s been injured a lot, and quite seriously. I guess if he appears in the upcoming NPL that will be the clue.
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I think we are likely to see Jayden Schadendorf and Ali Frost both playing for Rocks again in the upcoming season too
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Matt W had a bad back injury, which is unfortunate as he was a promising keeper batsman. He's a talented batsman though. We have a few of those, it doesn't seem to help 😂
We need guys who can convert, but I know he's keen to play.
OH didn't make the NPL so we won't be seeing him there?
We need guys who can convert, but I know he's keen to play.
OH didn't make the NPL so we won't be seeing him there?
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secretzimbo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 7:32 am
Nick is coming back.
Curran is having a difficult club and minor county season in the U.K. again at the moment, it’s hard to see how he sustains a career for himself at this point. Maybe one last roll of the dice here this season.
Bennett will definitely be playing domestic again.
Welch Jr, who knows? He’s been injured a lot, and quite seriously. I guess if he appears in the upcoming NPL that will be the clue.
Nick's coming back as in to try for the national side or to play domestically?
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I saw Montgomery made his debut for Germany today.
Really interesting post Googly. One slight correction though, Ackerman has joined Durham not Derbyshire.
Really interesting post Googly. One slight correction though, Ackerman has joined Durham not Derbyshire.
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Leicestershire need chopping with the axe. Controversial perhaps but the future is built around the 8 franchises in The Hundred. There’s some counties and a lot of players who are passengers basically. The ultimate goal for any board has to be a pathway to the national side.
You’ve got two extremes, you’ve got our franchise circuit with maybe 100 blokes maximum in the whole thing where you’re kind of limited in who you can keep an eye on with a view to the national side or you’ve got the pom set up at the other extreme where the quality is no doubt watered down so the step up is massive.
You’ve got two extremes, you’ve got our franchise circuit with maybe 100 blokes maximum in the whole thing where you’re kind of limited in who you can keep an eye on with a view to the national side or you’ve got the pom set up at the other extreme where the quality is no doubt watered down so the step up is massive.
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The county system works in that the big counties regularly poach good players from lesser counties. Guys who probably wouldn't have originally got a look in with big counties but just needed opportunity.
If they reduced the number this would fall away and its one of the reasons England is so strong.
If they reduced the number this would fall away and its one of the reasons England is so strong.
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I see your point and agree with it to an extent. If you’ve got Leicestershire celebrating their first win in 4 seasons or whatever though, then their existence solely as a feeder county to the bigger ones seems pretty pointless.
I just massively have it in for anything England 😂 Twenty years they’ve ducked and dived us for now, then harp on about the spirit of the game, what spirit?!
I just massively have it in for anything England 😂 Twenty years they’ve ducked and dived us for now, then harp on about the spirit of the game, what spirit?!
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Well it's not just England ducking us. We are mostly to blame though. What we have to do is get back on track and when we occasionally get to play the big boys we have to fight like hell.
ICC are the main culprits, we all know that.
ICC are the main culprits, we all know that.
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Nah blame England 😂
Fits the narrative of colonial oppressor. Poaching our players and not giving us a game.
Think their 50 over cup starts soon, will be interesting to see if Welch goes back to play in that.
Fits the narrative of colonial oppressor. Poaching our players and not giving us a game.
Think their 50 over cup starts soon, will be interesting to see if Welch goes back to play in that.
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Googly wrote: ↑Sat Jul 29, 2023 6:33 am
The county system works in that the big counties regularly poach good players from lesser counties. Guys who probably wouldn't have originally got a look in with big counties but just needed opportunity.
If they reduced the number this would fall away and its one of the reasons England is so strong.
England are strong because they are a high population first world country with an established cricketing culture.
The county size hasnt contribute to this really. It used to cause a lot of isssues when players stepped up to international.
Australia have the opposite approach.
The last 40 years Australia has probably been the stronger one for about 33 of those and they 1/4 the population.
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Shades got himself a run out in a random 50 over game for Nottinghamshire against a minor county (Norfolk) today.
Made a 25 ball 41* and picked up a catch and a stumping.
Made a 25 ball 41* and picked up a catch and a stumping.
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Ben Curran has found himself dropped out of that Norfolk team as well. Not going well for him is it.
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