Sports Letter: County champs? County chumps

Sir: The first-class cricket averages amply demonstrate the current poverty of the County Championship. The following examples do not bode well for the forthcoming Ashes series this winter:

Batsmen:

G Thorpe: average of 26 in 13 innings.

N Hussain: average of 31 in 19 innings.

Bowlers:

R Croft: 20 wickets at 57 (453 overs).

P Such: 38 wickets at 39 (525 overs).

At the same time:

A Caddick (On standby):

105 wickets at 19.8 (687 overs)

And as a final reminder:

C Walsh (35 years old): 106 wickets at 17.3 (633 overs)

WHAT A JOKE

Alan Roberts,

Teddington

Middlesex