Season Review: The 'allrounders'

Gareth Batty

The numbers – CC 41 wkts @ 39 & 483 runs @ 23, CB40 12 wkts @ 28 & 81 runs @ 13, T20 7 wkts @ 22 & 16 runs @ 3

Average, just very very average from the re-signed Batty this season. I was saddened to hear of the abuse he received on his return to Worcestershire, but for us he just hasn’t turned up regularly enough. Wickets at 40, at a strike rate of 70 is nowhere near good enough. In his defence he was signed to act as a second spinner but because of Chawla’s no-show, ended up as the lead spinner throughout, a role which he’s never been good enough to fulfil. Second innings wickets are often seen as the preserve of the high class spinner, Batty never took more than 3 wickets in the second innings all season which left us high and dry many a time. Not only did he not take enough wickets, at regular enough intervals, he was also relatively expensive in doing so – 3.5 an over is a worse economy rate than the often profligate Jade Dernbach. With the bat, the 65 he scored in the game against Derbyshire was a false dawn – he never passed 50 again all season. Verdict: Not up to scratch in either department, disappointing 4/10

Matthew Spriegel

The numbers – CC 248 runs @ 20 & 5 wkts @ 35, CB40 268 runs @ 38 & 5 wkts @ 53, T20 67 runs @ 22 & 7 wkts @ 29

Just where does Matt Spriegel fit in? Does he fit in at all? I think he deserves another year to prove his worth, but after watching him for a few years I’m still not quite sure of his role. If I was Chris Adams I’d be sending him away to work on his bowling this off season, if his bowling could develop to the stage where we could play him at number 8 I think he could really grow into the role. I hope his torrid spell as an opener in early season is the last time he’s subjected to that. He actually batted pretty well in the CB40s, finishing the innings quite nicely a couple of times, but his batting in the T20s was a disaster. Often coming in at number seven, he scored the grand total of one four in seven innings and finished with the barely believable strike rate of 79 – number seven is a vital spot in T20, something obviously not grasped by Adams and Co. His fielding deserves a shout, he was the only non-wicketkeeper to average more than one catch per match in the Championship. Verdict: Work on your bowling Matthew, and carve yourself a niche 6/10

Chris Schofield
The numbers – CC 336 runs @ 28 & 14 wkts @ 38, CB40 127 runs @ 31 & 8 wkts @ 41, T20 54 runs @ 6 & 14 wkts @ 28

Oh Chris. Chris, Chris, Chris. What a rollercoaster we’ve had. Over the last few seasons he’s either had a ‘bowling year’ (2008) or a ‘batting year’ (2009). This year was neither. Averaging 40 with the ball and under 30 with the bat is not ideal for a genuine allrounder, in fact it’s downright rubbish. There were a couple of times when he dug us out of a big old hole, and his batting in the last couple of games was good, but he doesn’t take wickets regularly enough to make him a viable selection any longer. I think Schoey might have to make way for young Ansari to develop his game. Verdict: Well below par, Scho might have to go 4/10

Andrew Symonds

The numbers – T20 263 runs @ 20 & 12 wkts @ 24

I was tickled pink at the signing of Symonds, having mooted it months earlier....how wrong I was. His form in the IPL was good, a couple of good knocks and some wickets, but that just didn’t translate to English conditions one bit. His 63 off 33 balls against Hampshire was the highlight but there was only one other 50. But as much his batting was a letdown, his bowling was on another planet completely. The worst economy rate of any of our bowlers – just a shade under 10, I don’t think I saw him bowl a single decent delivery, and his last over against Essex cost us the game. Put simply, he had a shocker. His fielding wasn’t even that good. Verdict: I don’t think he’ll be back next year 2/10