OOC note: Unfortunately, there are some inconsistencies going back on the player and staff aging front that I can’t easily reconcile. I have therefore decided to have 2 years pass in my timeline between GCF seasons rather than 1 – this doesn’t create perfect alignments with the World Cup or IFCF calendars of football or anything like, that, but its less messed up. It also means I’ll need to backdate my previous participation – GCF10 – to approximately the same time as Euraleague Season 44 in football (a lot more recent than when GCF10 happened in real life!). This calendar will fall behind my main calendar with further seasons but it’s the best I can do. It also means all of my players and staff are now 4 years older than they were in GCF10. I will give ages below for the entire season – the first year will be MDs 1-6, the second year MDs 7-12. As an example, here is how Euran batsman Cameron Lawson will age:
30 – S44 GCF10
31 - S45 GCF 10
32 - S46 GCF 11
33 - S47 GCF 11
34 - S48 GCF 12
35 - S49 GCF 12Euran Cricket Association - Euran Test Squad to for GCF12
Staff
Head Coach: Michael Overdale
Fitness Coach: Matt Leech
Batting Coach: Alan Royce
Bowling Coach: Daniel Aldair
Fielding Coach: Jeremy Davis
StadiaStadium – Location – Club – Capacity – Style ModifierDirectus County Cricket Ground – Ramsey, Directus – Directus CC – 84,000 - minus 3 - Beware, for spinners lurk at the DCCG. Directus is notorious in Eura and maybe even a bit controversial for its pitch, which almost always forms a hard surface for pace bowling and scoring runs at first before degrading into a cracked minefield on which spin reigns supreme. Touring teams should plan thoroughly for facing the spin bowling of local man Greg Lark, even if he is 39. He regularly wins games for his club here, taking over 1,000 first class wickets in a two-decade long career, and could be a deadly proposition to bat against on a fourth- or fifth-day pitch. The stadium itself is surprisingly flat for a big ground like Brigham, which partially explains how the middle can end up like a dustbowl in hot weather. Famously, Eura bowled Liventia out for 70 on this pitch thanks to the magic of Greg Lark, and they will be hoping to do so again on their return to test cricket.
Selected for 1st Test v LiventiaBrigham Oval – Brigham - Brigham CC - 90,000 - 0 – This huge arena is hallowed ground for Euran cricket and is probably the nation’s most balanced Test pitch. Its gargantuan banks of safe standing terraces split over two tiers are unusual to say the least, but also representative of the huge popularity of cricket in the region and the boisterous fans who turn up. Make no mistake, in terms of noise, this is the most intimidating venue in the country. The pitch is of a good quality and usually slightly green, making it fertile ground for bowlers (especially in overcast conditions) but usually a firm enough batting wicket for good batsmen to score on. Liventia have better history here but its still a tough ground to visit.
Selected for 2nd Test v LiventiaOther grounds will be published shortly.Players retired since Eura’s last appearance in test cricket (GCF10)Name - Age - ECC club - Bats - Bowls - Playing style notesThe coaching staff (including head coach Michael Overdale) mostly remain, but the following players have retired:
Matt Leech – 37/38 during GCF10 - Spartans - Right - Right Arm Med – Leech was for a while the most aggressive of the upper order batsmen in the Euran side with excellent technique but also a vulnerability to leg spin and spin in general. He was the most capable bowler of the non-bowling specialists and has taken wickets at Test level. Leech was a real fighter who defied expectations to compete and was unsurprisingly the biggest sledger on the team. Now a member of the coaching team.
Tom Grant – 32/33 during GCF10 - Holdenberg - Right - Right Arm Fast Med – Former vice-captain who became a cult hero in Eura due to his bombastic personality and fearsome performances with bat and ball. He racked up an impressive record in Tests and international club cricket despite the circumstances of Euran cricket in the years leading up to GCF8/9 in which he spent his prime. Grant was sometimes careless when batting but a serious threat if allowed to get in, a powerful batsman who could score for fun and was very handy in T20 and ODI formats. Grant was also equally menacing as a bowler due to a skillful ability to get swing and seam movement in varied conditions, making him key to unsettling high quality batsmen due to his determination and skill in long, exhausting spells.
Tim Carpenter – 33/34 during GCF10 - Capital - Right - Right Arm Slow – Carpenter was an experienced wicket keeper and widely considered one of the team’s most important leaders, despite never being made captain or vice-captain. He was also very capable as a batsman too, particularly when batting aggressively and slogging a quick 50, though not quite as threatening as his predecessor Jeremy Davis.
Andy Harrison – 34/35 during GCF10 – Capital – Right – Right Arm Fast – A classic hard hitting seamer, Harrison was pacey and tall, extracted maximum bounce from hard pitches and gained surprisingly good movement off the seam. Like Folkstone he sometimes struggled in unfriendly conditions and leaked more runs than Folkstone or Grant regardless. He could be an intimidating prospect for batsmen who struggle against short balls but was manageable otherwise for top class batsmen.
Layton Webber – 28 at the time of GCF10 - Callodown - Right Arm Off Spin – Originally a replacement for Nick Fodrell who only played in GCF10 and was unimpressive. He decided to retire early from international duty once Eura opted to skip GCF11 and is not thought to be aiming for a comeback.
SquadName - Age - ECC club - Bats - Bowls - Playing style notesBatsmenCameron Lawson – 34 (MD1-6), 35 (MD7-12) - Harther - Left - Left Arm Med – Lawson debuted in GCF8 and suffered a very difficult start to life as an international cricket. Things did not improve much as GCF9 and GCF10 came and went. But he grew as a player since Eura’s last foray into test cricket and is now a senior figure as Eura return to the fold. He has overcome the consistency issues of his youth and shown an ability to see off long periods of pace bowling at first class level. He’s strongest playing off his pads and cutting and has a terrifically strong defence forced onto him by years of failures. He’s less reliable pushing down the ground or trying to do anything special but has the judgement to play to his strengths.
Andrew Elland - 39 (MD1-6), 40 (MD7-12) - Brigham - Right - Right Arm Off Spin – Elland might be 39 (and one of a handful of Euran players who has been around since the beginning of their time in test cricket) but he’s still a top class, flashy batsman with a prestigious history, including a famous double century in
that test against Liventia. He was Eura's most naturally talented player with the bat and still carries an important role in the team even if this will certainly be his last season of test cricket. He remains highly capable against spin but a bit more susceptible against real pace and bounce.
Liam Tunbridge - 38 (MD1-6), 39 (MD7-12) - Brigham - Right - Right Arm Med – Tunbridge is a similar player to Elland but has always been more functional and indisputably the best batsman in Euran history, with a cooler head and little ego. He’s the most likely of top four to go for big shots and is physically imposing but also a very intelligent player who can bat out long spells if needed. Its this flexibility and brainpower that made him a natural pick as captain for GCF10, but he gave up leadership of the team during Eura’s recess from test cricket to allow him to focus on prolonging his batting career.
Ewan Dodd (Vice-captain) - 31 (MD1-6), 32 (MD7-12) - Harther - Right - Right Arm Slow - A true attrition batsman who will simply defend, defend, defend, and then maybe defend some more. His low scoring rate should not be taken as an excuse to ignore his precise, refined defensive technique and its value in a modern game where most players play more white ball than red ball cricket. Dodd is especially useful on slow pitches and was recently appointed vice captain after Tim Carpenter confirmed he would not make himself available for selection and had chosen to retire.
Philip Waring - 25 (MD1-6), 26 (MD7-12) - Capital - Right - Right Arm Slow - A stocky middle order batsman and a top talent who was very young during GCF10, Waring’s time has come. He has made the number 4 slot his own with his fluent technique and formidable first-class average of 53.56, although he is not set to play in Directus with the experience of Elland and Tunbridge and the defensive talents of Dodd likely to be prioritized. Waring will likely return in the second test against Liventia and there will be a lot of excitement at that prospect in the Euran sporting press.
Marvin Raleigh - 28 (MD1-6), 29 (MD7-12) - Harther - Left - Right Arm Slow – Eura’s number 5 batsman during GCF10 is a solid, orthodox middle order batsman who can turn up the scoring rate and put pressure on the bowling team once the new ball has been worn down. However, he does have a habit of getting out on his legs and past them, meaning early batting collapses are usually followed by the new ball seaming between bat and pad and into his off stump. This weakness means that for now he’s out of the starting XI in most games. But if he gets in and stays in? Then he can do some real damage.
Huw Wallace – 21 (MD1-6), 22 (MD7-12) – Directus – Left – Right Arm Med – The youngest and least experienced of the currently selected batsmen, Wallace is the only one of the unit not to have been selected in a previous GCF squad. He is an unproven quantity at international level but is highly rated by the coaching staff and will almost certainly be given a chance at some point in Eura’s upcoming test matches.
All Rounders and Wicket KeepersShaun Folkstone (Captain) - 36 (MD1-6), 37 (MD7-12) - Harther - Right - Right Arm Fast - Eura's best hope when they first got going and he was still the star by the time of GC10. At 36 he is now into the twilight of his career, but excellent fitness levels have kept him competitive and he has become the natural choice for the captaincy. Folkstone Started his career purely as a bowler but some spectacular batting performances in Tests transformed him into an all-rounder partner for the now retired Tom Grant. He has the ability to score big runs as a batsman if Eura need them, thriving when under pressure, but his true calling is as a leading bowler despite stats often indicating otherwise. Blistering pace (the only Euran who bowls consistently over 90mph) and his accuracy with line and length make him a difficult prospect to bat against, but on pitches unfavourable to pace bowling he usually has to take on a defensive role.
Freddie Howard-King – 23 (MD1-6), 24 (MD7-12) – Borderlands – Right - Right Arm Fast Med – Regarded by many as a natural successor to Tom Grant, Freddie is a powerful batsman and ferocious bowler of large stature at 6ft 6in in height. But he is inexperienced in international cricket, and therefore expectations must be set at a reasonable level.
Alec Wright – 19 (MD1-6), 20 (MD7-12) – Spartans – Left – Right Arm Slow – Possibly the most exciting young prospect in the squad, Wright has won the first-choice spot as wicketkeeper at just 19, making him noticeably younger than the rest of the first team. His career has been short but impressive – he averaged 70.49 (!) in the most recent Euran domestic first-class season and will look to imitate that form in test cricket, though surely, he won’t get near those kind of numbers lower in the order and against international class bowlers.
Will Mandrake – 27 (MD1-6), 28 (MD7-12) - Directus - Right - Right Arm Slow – Mandrake was only a replacement back in the day and he still is now. A decent middle-order batsman and a competent wicketkeeper with a strong first-class record but limited test experience. Unlikely to play in the Liventia tests.
BowlersGreg Lark – 39 (MD1-6), 40 (MD7-12) – Directus – Left – Left Arm Spin – Lark was the anorak’s choice for Eura’s key player until GCF8, where he utterly mauled Liventia in the famous (or infamous if you're from that country) "Euracide" test in Directus. He is the most intelligent player in the side and the most reliable even at the grand old age of 39. Years of bowling on Eura’s dry eastern and humid southwestern wickets has made him a deadly opponent even for top level batsmen, and he could do a lot of damage in the Directus (eastern, home ground) and Brigham (southwestern) tests against Liventia. Lark is unorthodox for a left arm spinner in that he can spin both to off and leg effectively. The “Duke of Directus” is most dangerous on dry pitches against boxed in batsmen looking to score runs - the worst thing you can do against Lark is attack him on the fifth day.
Oscar Greenwood – 32 (MD1-6), 33 (MD7-12) – Spartans – Right – Right Arm Fast Med – Greenwood was one of Eura’s first choice bowlers in GCF10 and remains so, a fine seamer who had enjoyed a decent GCF9 beforehand. In home tests he can take advantage of the bowling conditions of wetter southern and western wickets but is a good enough player to do damage away from home as well.
Seb Haynes - 27 (MD1-6), 28 (MD7-12) - Harther - Right Arm Fast – Haynes is a potentially deadly swing bowler in the mould of former Euran test player and now bowling coach Daniel Aldair, just with extra pace added into the mix. He debuted briefly in GCF9 and is now moving towards his prime, with one of the best averages for a pace bowler in Euran domestic cricket
Rhys Higgins – 29 (MD1-6), 30 (MD7-12) – Borderlands – Left – Left Arm Fast Med – A real headache at club level on green southwestern pitches, troubling all kinds of batsmen with a controlled demeanour and difficult to read seam bowling. Unfortunately Higgins has slightly fallen out of favour since previous Euran test squads were fielded, but he could still get into the side if one of the currently selected bowlers loses form.
Neil Stroud – 24 (MD1-6), 25 (MD7-12) – Brigham - Right – Right Arm Spin – The latest in a long line of traditional right arm spinners. Nick Fodrell was good but not great, Layton Webber was poor – Stroud is not defined yet, having never played international cricket before. He’s got the talent though to be a decent player and is likely to be selected at Directus on its spinning wicket. His leg break bowling should prove a challenge for left handed batters in particular.
Latest selection1st Test – Eura tour of SajnurEura return to fielding a first choice XI for their initial outing in the tour of Sajnur, fielding two spinners to suit local conditions. This means
Huw Wallace, Rhys Higgins and Will Mandrake drop out of the side for
Liam Tunbridge, Alec Wright, Oscar Greenwood and Greg Lark, as well as
Freddie Howard-King to accommodate second spinner
Neil Stroud remaining in the side. Despite speculation that
Ewan Dodd would return due to the conditions suiting his playstyle,
Marvin Raleigh retains his place due to good form.
First XICameron Lawson [Vice-captain]
Andrew Elland
Liam Tunbridge
Philip Waring
Marvin Raleigh
Alec Wright [Wicketkeeper]
Shaun Folkstone [Captain]
Oscar Greenwood
Seb Haynes
Greg Lark
Neil Stroud
Batting order1. Cameron Lawson
2. Liam Tunbridge
3. Andrew Elland
4. Philip Waring
5. Marvin Raleigh
6. Alec Wright
7. Shaun Folkstone
8. Greg Lark
9. Oscar Greenwood
10. Seb Haynes
11. Neil Stroud
BowlingShaun Folkstone – opening bowler 1
Oscar Greenwood – opening bowler 2
Seb Haynes – pace rotation, likely to replace Folkstone/Greenwood after opening spell
Greg Lark – spin option 1, likely to be primary strike bowler as pitch wears down or in spinning conditions
Neil Stroud – spin option 2
Marvin Raleigh – utility spin option for rotating bowlers, unlikely to be used unless Eura are bowling a lot of overs or need to break a long partnership and want to unsettle the batters
Liam Tunbridge – utility medium pace option for rotating bowlers, unlikely to be used unless Eura are bowling a lot of overs or need to break a long partnership and want to unsettle the batters
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 12:43 pm
Garland Goudreau (Head Coach)
Christy Pattinson (Pace Bowling Coach)
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