County teams 2011-12

[Mick Norris]

Greater Manchester are entering the U160 as usual, but our Open team is entering Div 2

This may make us unpopular with Staffs and Warks, as they may be in a division of only 2 - I assume Notts have dropped their Open team

We may be unpopular in Div 2 with Lincs, Leics, Worcs, Derbys and Shrops too

[Alex Holowczak]

We may be unpopular in Div 2 with Lincs, Leics, Worcs, Derbys and Shrops too

Meh, we lose to everyone anyway...

[Sean Hewitt]

Knowing my luck, Leics will be at home to GM!

[Mick Norris]

G Man play everyone other than Derbys at neutral venues, our U160 played Leics at Newcastle-under-Lyme Bridge club last season, which seems to have taken over from Stoke as the preferred venue (and is pretty good in my experience)

[Michele Clack]

Well at the Worcester meeting the other day Worcs decided, having picked up a very good top board over the summer and having a bunch of rapidly improving juniors, to have a go in Div 1 of the Open. So that should even up the numbers a bit.

[Alex Holowczak]

Well at the Worcester meeting the other day Worcs decided, having picked up a very good top board over the summer and having a bunch of rapidly improving juniors, to have a go in Div 1 of the Open. So that should even up the numbers a bit.

They did what?!

At the AGM, there was a very real possibility of us not entering the Open at all this season, and instead entering the Under 180. Given we've finished last in Division Two for the last two seasons, I don't really know how they decided we were good enough for Division One!

Ah well, at least I've got an excuse now when I lose.

[Mick Norris]

Well at the Worcester meeting the other day Worcs decided, having picked up a very good top board over the summer and having a bunch of rapidly improving juniors, to have a go in Div 1 of the Open. So that should even up the numbers a bit.

Good luck with that - who is you board 1 or is that a secret?

[Sean Hewitt]

Well at the Worcester meeting the other day Worcs decided, having picked up a very good top board over the summer and having a bunch of rapidly improving juniors, to have a go in Div 1 of the Open. So that should even up the numbers a bit.

They did what?!

At the AGM, there was a very real possibility of us not entering the Open at all this season, and instead entering the Under 180. Given we've finished last in Division Two for the last two seasons, I don't really know how they decided we were good enough for Division One!

Ah well, at least I've got an excuse now when I lose.

On the bright side, they'll qualify for the national stages!

[Alex Holowczak]

On the bright side, they'll qualify for the national stages!

This is true. I guess we might even reach the Quarter Finals if we draw Yorkshire in the Preliminary Round - they've got more chance of defaulting than any other county based on recent evidence.

[Mick Norris]

Last 2 years G Man lost the Open preliminary to Middlesex and Essex

It was 3 years ago when there was more than 1 preliminary match, and we got crushed at Yorks

[Alex Holowczak]

OK, so suppose only two teams enter Division One. How does the MCCU allocate its third team to the Open? I assume the winner of Division Two will be nominated? So if Greater Manchester win it, for sake of argument, will they end up in the Open rather than Minor anyway?

[Mick Norris]

No, if there are only 2 Open teams, there should only be 2 going forward (seems fairer really)

The MCCU Rules say the top 2 in Div 2 will be entered for the Minor, so we would expect to get into that if we manage to finish in the top 2

However, we haven't had a great record recently in getting 16 players out, and this season I expect some of our Open matches to clash with our U160 matches, so who knows?

Glad to see Worcs having a go, ambition is good, and they can learn from the experience - it will keep Div 2 at a more manageable size and of course geographically it is a better fit with Staffs and Warks, so all 3 can get 1 home and 1 away game

[Michele Clack]

I think the top board is the Latvian player who won the Worcestershire Open and has moved to Worcester. The juniors include the Friar brothers and Kyle Reed I believe. I suspect that Alex H is also down as a rapidly improving younger player with a lot expected of him.

[Sean Hewitt]

I suspect that Alex H is also down as a rapidly improving younger player with a lot expected of him.

Worcestershire are b****red then

[Carl Hibbard]

I could be persuaded to turn up for a laugh with a little arm twisting?