Gareth Batty

The English coach was, the lack of English coaches was the big chat around the process this summer, wasn't it? I mean, Jonathan Trott was in the mix.

I mean, Gareth Batty got an interview, Richard Dawson.

But, um, Fleming, I think as soon as he left CSK and Andy Flower ruled himself out, Fleming, it was, Fleming was always on a path to get that job.

So it was kind of maybe the rest of the process was slightly window dressing, I suspect.

They're, they're hardly going to, um, uh, trash themselves in public.

But I, you know, Gareth Batty admitted that, you know, some firm conversations have happened in that dressing room, and, and they need to.

So yeah, we can only hope for, uh, an upward tick next year.

What's the mood like amongst the fans? Essex fans, particularly since the Sussex result, are, I don't want to say going into panic mode, but there's certainly a, a lot of worried people about the fixture congestion m- uh, married up with some injury concerns.

He bats at three or five, all over the place.

This is a guy that was picked up by Bat, so I think saw him in the nets.

I think Oscar wrote something about it, or it might have been Matt Roller.

Um-

I mean, it's a hard one for Surrey.

Th-th-they've just got to get through the end of the season.

Well, I hope there's not change, 'cause I think from a, from a director of cricket down to the coach, they've gone through the coach with Bat.

You know, we're, we're biased 'cause we love Bats, but you, you wonder if a change of voice at the top could be ...

And the bowling seems to be the real sticking point.

Yeah, I think Gareth Batty saw the problems with the bowling line-up and the attack and their approach coming down the track from quite far out, even from last season when they were struggling a little bit, particularly away from home, that had perhaps more to do with conditions they were confronted with.

But he was saying this as far back as early in the season when they conceded, I think, what is still the highest total made by a team against Leicestershire, when he talked about them not being pro, they did quite similar against Edgerton as well.

when he talked about them not being proactive enough and being a bit circumspect.

They're, they're three points, uh, above the, the relegation zone.

And what interests me is, um, head coach Gareth Batty's a longtime friend of yours, and a, and a, and a friend and colleague of mine, and a colleague here on Talksport as well.

He's been very quiet and- Often, I- we equate it to football.

If a premiership team is struggling and, you know, then you, you hear from the manager, the manager gets quoted all the time.

Laws, who I'm really, really impressed with when he plays, but he hasn't played a great deal.

I think Batts is staying quiet because [laughs] knowing him as I do, he's a fiery Yorkshireman who probably once he does start, he might not stop, and I would imagine that will be what's happening in, in-house.

There'll be a very, very disappointed Gareth Batty wanting to make sure that Surrey don't...

Well, I mean, God forbid they don't get relegated, but they don't keep going the way they're going.

I mean, it- it got to the point, as I say, three in, uh, three championships in four years.

Gareth Batty had done an amazing job.

Obviously Alex Stewart is a- is a legend, uh, at The Oval, and- and what he's done as director of cricket has been- been- been awesome.

Um, but it also shows you that sport is cyclical.

And it just means that every side, no matter how good and dominant you are, eventually you have to, you have to reinvent yourself.

And sometimes, you know, with, with, you know, there's a lot of talk and rumblings about, about Gareth Batty and Rory Burns, um, and you just wonder whether maybe, maybe they are at the end of their journey, you know? Maybe, maybe they've given what they can give, and it's, they need a new challenge, and we need a new challenge for s- for, for Surrey.

They, they've got to concentrate on getting us out of the, the pickle we're in.

Um, and, and I'm all, you know, it's, you know, we look, you know, we...