Interesting question from Clay Cross Mark

An interesting question came in the week from long-term blog follower and supporter Mark.

He asked if I thought that the decision to allow a second overseas player for the County Championship and RLODC next year might see us engage both Ben McDermott and Sean Abbott for all formats. The club has already said that they hope to move their deals for this year to 2021, but the niceties of their deals have still to be confirmed.

Of course, until we know the fixtures and their timings, that is inevitable. Nor do we know the confirmed international calendar or whether Cricket Australia will be prepared to released them.

To answer Mark's question, my assumption is that the fixtures will be similar to what was proposed this year. All things being equal and assuming player fitness, I would expect Sean Abbott to be asked to lead the attack for as much of the summer as he can manage, while McDermott would be ideally for the one-day formats. His powerful batting is better suited to the shorter forms, while his engagement for four-day cricket would do no favours to Harvey Hosein. Playing two wicket-keepers in the side would seem excessive, and our greater need for four-day cricket would not appear to be for a wicket-keeper batsman.

If we assume (and hope) that Tony Palladino will be offered another year with the county, the need to give game time to Sam Conners and Michael Cohen, along with Abbott, should see the seam attack well covered, especially when the loan market can be utilised.

Much then depends on Matt Critchley signing a new deal this winter, because his all-rounder role gives balance and a spin option to the side. If he signs, which we all hope he will, then a spin bowling all-rounder might offer a good option. If he doesn't, then a specialist spin bowler who can bat would be a sound move.

There are too many question marks at present to give a definitive answer. Will Matt McKiernan's contract be extended? He is the only other spinner on the staff and that decision may tie into what happens with Critchley. What will the international calendar look like? Counties will look at the touring West Indian and Pakistan squads this summer, but none of us know how long the challenges of Covid-19 will be around, nor who is prepared to travel around the world with the inherent risks.

I wouldn't say no to Roston Chase, a talented all-rounder whose batting average comfortably exceeds his bowling one, while the current squad would benefit from someone like Jeevan Mendis, a quality spinner and useful bat.

Mendis is 37 now though, which for me legislates against another option, that of engaging Ravi Rampaul as an overseas, rather than Kolpak. While I think having him as a T20 specialist at the age of 36 has some merit, I am less sure that he would be fit for or wanting to play four-day cricket and RLODC,

So the short answer to a very good question is that I don't know.

There are too many interlinked strands that need to be unpicked before anyone does, too.