Post by arf on Apr 3, 2013 3:56:27 GMT
National Stage 2012-13 Draw
The National Stage as per the draw in January:
DATES
Quarter-finals 18th May
Semi-finals 8th June
Finals July 13 at the Trident Centre, Warwick CV34 6SW
These are the default dates, apart from the last which was announced only on 21st January. The Finals are at a new venue this year.
THE DRAW was made 12.1.13 and announced 21.1.13, only two days late.
In all divisions the Semi-finals will be: QF (A) vs. QF (B); QF (C) vs. QF (D)
(Details from SCCU Website)
OPEN
Preliminary
Kent v Lancashire
Quarter-finals
(A) Staffordshire v Winner of Prelim;
(B) Middlesex v Warwickshire;
(C) Somerset v Yorkshire;
(D) Suffolk v Surrey
u180
Preliminary
Nottinghamshire v Essex
Quarter-finals
(A) Cambridgeshire v winner of Prelim;
(B) Devon vs. Middlesex;
(C) Warwickshire vs. Lancashire;
(D) Kent vs. Yorkshire
Open observations
From a Middlesex perspective the Open team facing Warwickshire is a great draw as they have also qualified for the u180. Having two teams flying the flag for a county is fantastic however problems arise when one squad is heavily dependent on another to make it up and this is something Warwickshire face – 11 players graded between 155 and 179 used in their Open match against Staffordshire thus making them a minor county. It transpires Warwickshire wanted to enter the Minor section of MCCU competition but were persuaded to play in Open so that Staffordshire could get a game at Union Stage – should MCCU follow in the footsteps of EACU, SCCU and WECU and start to have integrated competitions? The SCCU after all took this route in the 1980’s when the Minor and 2nd team competitions were split into two genuinely separate competitions and there was no clear guidance as to how to nominate a Minor team.
Anyway, the consequence for Warwickshire is that they end up with 2 not 1 team in National Stage and face the attendant problems when teams overlap. With both their Open and u180 teams in QF it can be presumed Warwickshire will try to bring one of these two matches forward, it won’t be the Open match as will be sticking to default date of 18th May! However at some stage will have to make a decision as to which team to favour once both matches have to be played on the same day. In all probability they will prefer their chances in the u180 rather than the Open so may scratch match; however they may wish to promote the Open since it is the flagship team and scratch the u180 instead. One should never second guess but the chances are if they have to play two matches on the same day, as is likely to be the case, unless a massive recruitment drive is undertaken they will scratch a match but which? Watch this space.
Although finding themselves in the top half of the draw to be frank it wouldn’t matter which half of the draw Middlesex are in as in all likelihood the SF round will be the defining one of the competition. In top half past National champions Kent (13 titles); Lancashire (20) and Staffordshire (1) are the other heavyweights in waiting that could be faced there with Staffordshire possibly just being the weakest of the three. If given an option the neutral would like to see a Middlesex vs. Lancashire SF as these two august counties between them have amassed 49 (53%) National Titles which is more than all the other winners (10) combined (44)! Having failed to beat Lancashire in three previous attempts since their return F – 2007-08; SF – 2008-09 and QF – 2010-11), if Middlesex and Lancashire do face-off the bookies are not accepting any bets as there are no odds worth offering against Middlesex! If defeating Surrey was a rite of passage at SCCU Stage, without wishing to do Surrey a disservice having beaten them in the 2011-12 National Final the same could be said of Lancashire at the National Stage (P24 W13 L11). However they must negotiate a tough match against Kent followed by another one against Staffordshire. Lancashire will be effectively playing in consecutive finals to just reach the SF let alone the F proper! The same can be said of Kent, Staffordshire and Warwickshire (3).
In the bottom half the SF should pit former champions Yorkshire (5) against Surrey (6). However asserting Yorkshire as the winner of Somerset (0) vs. Yorkshire match may be presumptive but Yorkshire are probably favourites as they will want revenge after their debacle against Somerset in the 2011-12 QF. Somerset though would like to equal their best performance in National Stage as 2011-12 was the first time they had progressed beyond QF. Surrey should have straightforward match against Suffolk (0), but the 2012-13 SCCU Stage see them struggle when travelling to near neighbours Middlesex and Sussex will they struggle once again on the road against Suffolk?
Unlike previous cycles where you can say there is a definite favourite the 2012-13 draw has a good balance to it. If things go to plan then there should be a number of cracking matches including the preliminary, 2xQF, both SF’s and the F. Let’s see if this pans out.
u180 observations
Like the Open the u180 draw has a good balance to it. However analysis suggests that Middlesex’s half is probably the better one to be in. Playing Devon (1 title) once again in the QF at Salisbury could be seen as a good omen as the last time the teams met (QF 2006-07) Middlesex (10) went on to lift the u175 title. Looking at the current incarnation Devon are a mixed bag since on paper Middlesex should have the edge however their players are tempered in the arena of the Open competition of the WECU thus in playing at a higher level their grades are to be ignored as, as usual, they are no indication of playing form nor is there any indication of what their representative team would be.
If Devon can be safely negotiated the remaining participants are not to be feared where the winner of the preliminary match (Nottinghamshire (2) vs. Essex (6)) match is the likely opponent in the SF – Cambridgeshire (0) should prove no match for either team in QF however having home advantage may be a factor. Thus the u180 can have high hopes of reaching the Final to defend Ron Banwell Trophy. In doing so they will see if they can be the first county since Warwickshire to successfully defend the National Title – 1999-2000 and 2000-2001. Devon were the last defending Champions to successfully reach the final but lost – 2004-05 Champions, 2005-06 Runner-up.
Regarding bottom half: It is definitely the toughest half of the draw. All participants are former champions amassing 14 titles between them from the inception of a Minor/2nd team competition in 1972-73. Since 2000-01 five defeated finalists have gone on to win the title the following cycle – Essex 2000-01 (Runner-up) / 2001-02 (Champions); Sussex 2001-02/2002-03; Devon 2003-04/2004-05; Surrey 2006-07/2007-08; and Nottinghamshire 2009-10/2010-11 so it’s worth following Yorkshire’s fortunes Runner-up 2011-12, Champions 2012-13? Yorkshire (4) though has to negotiate a tough half of the draw starting with Kent (1). Mike Wiltshire’s Kent having lifted the SCCU’s Montague-Jones Trophy should now have the taste of silverware in their mouths and seek to secure a second title in the current Cycle; however unlike the Regional Stage they are susceptible on the road in the National Stage, e.g. they scratched their preliminary match against Lancashire in 2011-12. The winners of this tie then face either Warwickshire (3) or Lancashire (6) both of whom will be no pushovers either. Lancashire having defeated Yorkshire in the Regional Stage would be confident of doing so again in SF as if they defeat Warwickshire, Yorkshire will have to travel to Red Rose country again. However Warwickshire as mentioned in observations in Open draw will have to decide which competition to participate in if both their Open and u180 matches are played on same day and their Open team having a heavy reliance on u180 squad. You would hope they’d opt for the competition they have best prospects in and it is clearly the u180, however watch this space.
Finally, with Middlesex and Yorkshire on opposite sides of the draw again when looking to history what price a repeat of the 2012 Final? During the 1970’s and 1980’s it was commonplace for erstwhile combatants to meet time and again. However when competition became a graded limited one in 1992-93 of the 20 previous finals former finalists have yet to meet in this section so history would definitely be making if the 2012 finalists were to meet again.
Of course the observations of the National Stage are hypothetical as both teams have to focus on one match at a time and the first ones are the QF matches against Warwickshire and Devon respectively.
Open QF vs. Warwickshire
Match details:
Date: 18th May 2013
Match: Middlesex vs. Warwickshire
Venue: tbc
Start time: tbc
Time Control: 40moves in 2hours + 30mins QPF
Middlesex vs. Warwickshire statistics
Last 5 Open National Championships
Middlesex: 2012 – Champions; 2011 – QF; 2010 – DNQ; 2009 – SF; 2008 – Runner-up
Warwickshire: 2012 – Preliminary; 2011 – QF; 2010 – QF; 2009 – QF; 2008 - QF
Last played: 3rd June 1995 W 8.5-7.5
Head-to-Head: P8 W7 L1 (88.89%) Points For: 100 Points Against: 54
u180 QF vs. Devon
Match details:
Date – 18th May 2013
Venue – Reading Rooms, Stratford sub-Castle
Start time – 1:30pm
Time Control – 40moves in 2h + 30QPF
Last 5 National Championships:
Middlesex: 2012 – Champions; 2011 – Preliminary; 2010 – DNQ; 2009 – SF; 2008 – DNQ
Devon: 2012 – QF; 2011 – Runner-up; 2010 – SF; 2009 – DNQ; 2008 - SF
Last played: 19th May 2007 W 11-5
Head-to-Head Statistics: P7 W7 (100%) Points For: 72.5 Points Against: 39.5
In bringing this missive to an end, there is a change to the rules that all should be made aware of:
A4. In the Final Stage all players must be ECF members at Bronze Level or above. Non-members shall be deemed to be ineligible, and treated in accordance with C3.3:
C3.3. The penalty for playing an ineligible player in any match shall be the loss of the game for that player and a win for the opponent, provided the opponent is present and eligible; plus a deduction of one penalty point for each ineligible player from the resulting total score made by the County in that match. The game(s) will still be graded according to the result of the game as played. The Controller may impose an additional penalty if he is satisfied that the inclusion of an ineligible player was deliberate or wilful.
Middlesex were involved in two close matches in the 2011-12 National Stage winning both narrowly 8.5-7.5. Had it transpired we fielded an ineligible player we would have lost the matches either 6.5-7.5 had the ineligible player won or on board count as score 7.5-7.5 had they lost. With the new rule in mind although unlikely please advise if you are NOT a Bronze Member so that I can discount you from any calculations for either Open or u180 teams.
Go on the Middlesex!