paulbear wrote:

Looks like another strip for batsmen but the bowling didn't look inspiring when one of the openers is a tailender who they are persevering with who averages 20. Our bowling looked samey apart form Simmons' pace and the idea of Bethell bowling first change is laughable. Is this a directive form the ECB, if it is, then it is none of their *** business as they cannot dictate who we bowl and when, it's bad enough that they can take players out of selection but I cannot think of any other reason for such a strange bowling change unless Davies is a fan of 'Funky Stokes' captaincy plans which sometimes leave me cold and confused.

Didn't Davies recently use Yates as our first change bowler? Seriously, it's getting past a joke that he is still our captain in county cricket when we have a test match skipper out there on the pitch.

If only he would try something funky. He seems to have no clue whatsoever. At one stage he simply ringed the boundary with fielders.

He also follows the ball which is the tell tale sign of a poor captain.

We seemed to have no direction out there on a used pitch with a kookaburra ball. The only hope was the Aussie spinner and he was today but not much more. Is Barnard carrying a knock. It was crying out for him to bowl!

Devon_Bear wrote:

paulbear wrote:

Looks like another strip for batsmen but the bowling didn't look inspiring when one of the openers is a tailender who they are persevering with who averages 20. Our bowling looked samey apart form Simmons' pace and the idea of Bethell bowling first change is laughable. Is this a directive form the ECB, if it is, then it is none of their *** business as they cannot dictate who we bowl and when, it's bad enough that they can take players out of selection but I cannot think of any other reason for such a strange bowling change unless Davies is a fan of 'Funky Stokes' captaincy plans which sometimes leave me cold and confused.

Didn't Davies recently use Yates as our first change bowler? Seriously, it's getting past a joke that he is still our captain in county cricket when we have a test match skipper out there on the pitch.

I agree about Davies, I think we have now DEFINITELY come to the point when he is past his sell by date as Captain. And the reality is, for the first time in many years, we actually have a ready made replacement. It IS time for Tom Latham!

Davies fielding at long on ,when new spinner is bowling . Strange

I know you shouldn’t judge a pitch after only 1 side has batted on it, but once again looks to be a draw surface, very flat and unlikely to be breaking up.

And I’m at the stage now where in my opinion, I don’t think this is a ground staff issue, because when requested in previous years for Warwickshire or England, the pitch has offered much more. 3-5 years ago the pitches were evolving through the game as you’d expect, look at how we won the championship. Plus you’d see what’s happened at Taunton where ground staff over compensate, going from raging turners to green seamers to flat roads, to address criticism.
I’m just wondering if the sheer amount of cricket played at edgbaston over recent years is taking its toll. Considering mens test and ODI’s, plus women’s internationals, T20 finals day, even the commonwealth games. These all get priority, in the centre of the square, and endless use does tend to slow pitches down.
I also think that after the relegation scare, the club want this. Means the pitches are great for T20, plus in the CC drawing half your matches with decent batting bonus points almost ensures safety because of the points system.
My conspiracy theory side also wonders how much the ECB want this, forcing sides to produce and pick faster, hit the pitch bowlers, over your typical English swing or seam bowler.

I don't think it's conspiracy, I think the ECB have almost explicitly said they want this and for exactly the reasons you state Bristol: encourage real speed bowlers, good spinner etc, hence the Kookaburra rounds as well. They have again said they want a more competitive team for dry and flat pitches in Australia and India, etc. It is the reason I was proposing Garton and Hassan for this game too - point of difference bowlers.

Does look like another nailed on draw. Like the Sussex and Surrey games. I can see you might want to encourage point of difference bowlers but not sure our flat pitches plus the kookaburra helps anybody very much.

Yeah whether it's been a success or not is a different matter. I'm not sure the most recent tours to India and Australia have really validated this policy either!

Reabank wrote:

Does look like another nailed on draw. Like the Sussex and Surrey games. I can see you might want to encourage point of difference bowlers but not sure our flat pitches plus the kookaburra helps anybody very much.

Not helped by the fact that none of the England players are ever allowed to play on any of these pitches in the county championship…

This is the main reason I didn't go today, I thought it would be 450 minimum so Somerset didn't get what I thought but will go tomorrow, I would much rather see us get runs than other sides. It can't be much fun though if we get too many games like this. In 2021 (Seems so far away now) we had every CC game finish in the very last session of day 4, now those appear to have been good pitches for all, can't we go back their.

My report on the day:
https://deepextracover.com/2025/06/rothesay-cc-day-two-match-report-warwickshire-v-somerset/

Did anyone see how young Kai went with the gloves over Somerset's innings? I know Andy said something along the lines of a bit untidy before, has there been any move on that? After so many overs in the field, good to see Davies play a patient and long knock, some validation that he wasn't burnt out keeping.

Kai did a good job yesterday, tiday with good positioning to help his fielders.
He's a young keeper, he will improve with more opportunities. I'd tell him he has the gloves for the rest of the season.

No major mistakes from Smith. 9 byes is higher than I’d like.
Keeping is like batting, you have to adapt to conditions every match, too often people just think it’s the same no matter what. Slight tweaks in technique or positioning to be as clean as possible. And that’s easier with experience as you learn what works for you, and you practice it.

Just on the bowling from the Bears, I do think even though it was a flat one, we were still undisciplined. Most of our bowlers had economy rates between 3 and 4. Whilst Somerset currently are pretty much all below 3. Just suggests we struggle to be disciplined in line and length to build pressure when conditions are less helpful.

One measure of a good keeper is that you don't notice him for 99% of the time. On that basis, Smith did well.

Tayls79 wrote:

Did anyone see how young Kai went with the gloves over Somerset's innings? I know Andy said something along the lines of a bit untidy before, has there been any move on that? After so many overs in the field, good to see Davies play a patient and long knock, some validation that he wasn't burnt out keeping.

He was OK Tayls, still has a long way to go though. Needs to get upto the stumps quicker (Davies has improved loads at this to be fair, sorry forum) and gather on the bounce better but he stood upto to OHD well which is an improvement so going in the direction.

As much as I like Kai, having been to watch a lot of us in person in April/May, I understood why they took the gloves off him at one point. He wasn't having a shocker but he wasn't 'quite' there and there was a couple of drops. I'd have no issue with him keeping the gloves as I like to see young players getting opportunities.

If he doesn't keep though, I don't think he should be in the XI, 4day or Blast.

Edit, to say he kept better on day 2 than day 1.

Current RR is 2.6 with the new ball due soon. Somerset were going at around 4.5 at the same point

meashambear wrote:

Current RR is 2.6 with the new ball due soon. Somerset were going at around 4.5 at the same point

Somerset have been much more disciplined. Less loose bowling. They know a draw on this pitch, with this ball is no disaster, especially as all but Surrey vs Worcestershire is looking like a draw. So they’re being disciplined, not forcing it, allow batters to make mistakes like Davies, drying up runs and getting to the new ball to try take wickets. Almost 300 behind at the new ball, means the follow on is still potentially on if they use it well.

BristolBear wrote:

meashambear wrote:

Current RR is 2.6 with the new ball due soon. Somerset were going at around 4.5 at the same point

Somerset have been much more disciplined. Less loose bowling. They know a draw on this pitch, with this ball is no disaster, especially as all but Surrey vs Worcestershire is looking like a draw. So they’re being disciplined, not forcing it, allow batters to make mistakes like Davies, drying up runs and getting to the new ball to try take wickets. Almost 300 behind at the new ball, means the follow on is still potentially on if they use it well.

Yeah, Reeve mentioned yesterday that we couldn't sustain a spell of bowling tight and drying them up which is exactly what Somerset have done.

Once again we are behind the 8 ball tactically. A couple of quick wickets with the new ball and we are up against it.

Didnt take long tbf, just the 2 deliveries