Andy wrote:

So Smith has the gloves again?!

Re my earlier post perhaps Davies should have a bowl - he does everything else!!

Seriously though - that has been an excellent morning - just 3 wickets to go. Hopefully the rain will not spoil the party.

Just noticed, 2 ex-Worcestershire players umpiring. Never think that is a good idea, not because I think they would be biased but any slightly 'Iffy' decisions could lead to a bit of unease if it costs one side the game.

Shantry have given some very dubious decisions against us this game...

LeicesterExile wrote:

Andy wrote:

So Smith has the gloves again?!

Re my earlier post perhaps Davies should have a bowl - he does everything else!!

Seriously though - that has been an excellent morning - just 3 wickets to go. Hopefully the rain will not spoil the party.

We’ve done well today. I’m still worried we are going to regret the bizarre batting on Saturday night and the lack of a declaration but we’ve certainly now given ourselves a chance weather permitting!

Looking a bit black and the covers are on. I do hope not declaring last night is not going to bite us in the bum

I spoke too soon - play resuming on time !!

Yes come on Woakesy

They're off. We did say last night that we would definitely lose time and if the rain comes we could regret not declaring. Every captain should look at the weather, regardless of if it actually happens 100% like predicted, you still have to keep it in the back of your mind.

Totally agree,Paul. The weather plays a big part in the game of cricket so why ignore it?

Was the same with the snail batting on Saturday.

I’m afraid I don’t see Davies as a captain. He seems to rotate bowlers by numbers and is often too defensive with the tail. He doesn’t seem to have it in him to make things happen.

Let’s hope they get back out there but there is a lesson to learn here. Worcs were never going to get above 250.

Don't agree about the batting on Saturday, it was a bowling day and most attacking shots caused problems and it was the best way to play in the circumstances, go into the 3rd day with 1 wicket down and a 99 lead, attacking could have seen us 4-5 down and a lead of 80.

The covers are still on at New Road. Doesn't look too hopeful they'll get back on this afternoon. I hope we can but it looks doubtful.
Tea is currently being taken. As others have said, too slow with our 2nd innings batting and not enough urgency in the bowling before lunch. They were 89/6 and on the ropes but Davies preservered with Bamber. He should've given Woakes and Rushworth a further 3 overs each pre-lunch. I'm surprised that, given the weather forecast after lunch, that Davies was too lax in his attitude.

Yes exactly Yates 29 off 112 balls is absolutely ridiculous and this is exactly the scenario I feared when I first mentioned it on Saturday night! We are lucky we got as much play as we did this morning. We have to seize opportunities!

I thought Saturday evening batting was the right move - set it up for the following day and it worked. Problem was we should have declared when we got a 250 lead and definitely when we reached 300. lead. Thank goodness wickets fell otherwise I think we would still be batting now! 15- 20 extra overs at them yesterday could easily have meant the game was won this morning.

Lots of people on the live YouTube feed were typing that Rushworth and Woakes needed to get back on before lunch. I can never understand why fielders meander to their positions and you can understand how people who watched cricket just after the 2nd WW get frustrated about the lack of movement in teams who appear to not be bothered about trying to just get a few more overs in. Do teams never have discussions in the changing rooms and say things like, "I know we only need to get a certain number of overs in but why not just move it along quicker so as not to get caught out later in the day". I agree with you LE, a bit more of a positive look ahead to try see that the opposition where never likely to chase more than 270.

Yeah Paul is right here anybody who thinks the approach Saturday evening was wrong hasn't watched enough of this game to understand the nature of the pitch or the ebb and flow of this match. The likes of Hain, Woakes and Barnard don't get to do what they did Sunday afternoon if Yates and Latham don't do what they did Saturday evening. Worcestershire, with a deficit of 46 after the first innings, threw everything at us and barely bowled a bad delivery in murky light with the ball seaming and swinging. Could easily have been 50-4 with the game on the line Sunday morning. Instead we snuffed Worcestershire out and gained control. Anybody who has tried to force the pace on this pitch has nicked off.

Re. Declaration, yeah perhaps, I get why Davies wanted 300 so he could set attacking fields for longer and keep slips in. I was a little surprised we kept going after we got that 300 lead however. Imagine if we pulled out 250 lead and lost though, the same people would have been crying.

Really difficult one.

paulbear wrote:

Lots of people on the live YouTube feed were typing that Rushworth and Woakes needed to get back on before lunch. I can never understand why fielders meander to their positions and you can understand how people who watched cricket just after the 2nd WW get frustrated about the lack of movement in teams who appear to not be bothered about trying to just get a few more overs in. Do teams never have discussions in the changing rooms and say things like, "I know we only need to get a certain number of overs in but why not just move it along quicker so as not to get caught out later in the day". I agree with you LE, a bit more of a positive look ahead to try see that the opposition where never likely to chase more than 270.

Yeah I did think we were a little slow in getting round at times today. We got around well Saturday and to be fair Davies behind the stumps was key to us doing that, sprinted from one end to the other ensure we got an extra over from Rushworth before lunch for example. We were passive today though.

Pleased I didn’t venture to New Road today.

Having seen every ball on Friday and Saturday and the forecast that’s why I knew the pedestrian batting on Saturday was such an own goal.

We even started off briskly enough before we lost all sense of time and indeed all sense at all.

Picked up Sunday but it was a battle against time and a declaration was the obvious approach.

Good effort today when we were fortunate to get back on but ultimately Davies needs to learn lessons fast if he wants to remain captain!

I don't think this much rain was forecast was it?!

Does anyone know if it has stopped raining in Worcester?

We must remember that we got out of jail in similar circumstances earlier in the season, this much rain was not forecast today and it does not seem to be raining anywhere else, not even Taunton where the ladies lost by two runs. I am as frustrated and quietly critical as everyone else, my part of the South Coast is bathed in sunshine as we speak, so don't let's look for too many scapegoats, just learn lessons and move on. We might even get back on this evening, "I am not a pessimist, but I am an experienced optimist".