Unicorns squad announced

The absurd Unicorns squad for the newly-formed Clydesdale Bank 40 was announced today, and it contained some peculiar names.

Made up of cricketers with county and university experience, the Unicorn team is designed to help the development of those without county contracts. It is not for ageing county journeymen.

Yet somehow the likes of Mark Hardinges and Keith Parsons, two stalwarts of Westcountry average-ness, have snuck their way on to the roster.

Hardinges boasts a career record of 1700 first-class runs at 26 and has managed only 50 championship appearances in 11 seasons since making his debut in 1999.

Parsons has managed far more – 130 matches – but still averages less than 29 and, at 36 years old, was not considered worthy of a place in the Somerset team in 2008, spending last season with Cornwall in the Minor Counties League.

Don’t get me wrong, I know what the selectors are looking for – a mix of youth and experience. But they should be going more down the route of fringe county players, who have some prospect of a future in the game (like Wes Durston, who was also picked), rather than washed-up players who have never been good enough.

Full Unicorns squad: Jahed Ahmed, Arfan Akram, Christopher Brown, David Burton, Wesley Durston, Ned Eckersley, Carl Greenidge, Neil Hancock, Mark Hardinges, Stephen Humble, Joshua Knappett, Thomas Mees, Christopher Murtagh, Michael O’Shea, Sean Park, Keith Parsons, Christopher Peploe, Richard Querl, Zoheb Sharif, Duncan Snell, Jackson Thompson.

Advertisement