Usually very harsh on the T20 setup but credit when it is due, that was a really big win. Also, begs the question why did Gleeson not play against Durham?

A really excellent performance last night. What i noticed was there was a real togetherness about the team, a real determination in the batting, bowling & fielding - it was great to see. Mousley, Hain & Barnard were superb with the bat, while Garton's first two overs were incredible - getting rid of their three most dangerous batsmen in 12 deliveries.

Hopefully we can take this performance into tomorrow night's match at Worcester, 2 more wins should put us through to the quarters.

Andy wrote:

It's the lack of front arm that gets me, how is he generating so much pace from that. He's utterly rapid.

yeah exactly there really doesn't seem to be much bodily effort going into it (compared to say Garton who has a huge gather and seems to put a massive stress through his back and shoulders), like i say my best guess is he's a big man travelling through the crease very quickly and loses minimum possible speed from his quick run-up through his delivery stride, it seems very efficient in that way and like I say very similar to Hassan

its fascinating, watching bowlers, how many different actions there are, how everyone exploits their bodily mechanics in different idiosyncratic ways. you could put a blacked-out shadow of Hassan Ali bowling projected against a wall and I'd know it immediately.

I was there last night. A very good performance when you consider Lancashire had England players Buttler, Salt and Wood plus the experience of Jimmy Anderson. On that point, why couldn't England release Bethell last night to play for us as he's not selected for England at Lords today? He hasn't played for about two weeks now - isn't there a danger of him being a bit rusty if called upon? The ECB prevent our players from playing for the Bears too much!

white-lightning wrote:

... why couldn't England release Bethell last night to play for us as he's not selected for England at Lords today? He hasn't played for about two weeks now - isn't there a danger of him being a bit rusty if called upon? The ECB prevent our players from playing for the Bears too much!

Yes, this bothers me. Since coming back from injury, Bethell has spent a lot of time not playing for RCB, not playing for England and not playing for Warwickshire. He's lost half a year's development which could be very damaging. England should be desperate to find him a game somewhere.

UrsaMinor wrote:

white-lightning wrote:

... why couldn't England release Bethell last night to play for us as he's not selected for England at Lords today? He hasn't played for about two weeks now - isn't there a danger of him being a bit rusty if called upon? The ECB prevent our players from playing for the Bears too much!

Yes, this bothers me. Since coming back from injury, Bethell has spent a lot of time not playing for RCB, not playing for England and not playing for Warwickshire. He's lost half a year's development which could be very damaging. England should be desperate to find him a game somewhere.

Same issue with Woakes being repeated

Surely Bethell could be released to play for us tomorrow & Sunday? Also, unless Pope fails miserably in the current test, i just can't see how Bethell is going to get picked for the England team this series unless someone gets injured. Why they think he's better off sitting in the pavilion kicking his heels for 5 days instead of playing for his county side i do not know.

Bethell situation is different to Woakes, Woakes has had a bad knee condition for years, he added pace which cost physical effort and has meant he's needed his loads managing for a while. Bethell I find maddening right now as he has nothing like the stresses on his body. It's looking like he might not play a single test this season, so getting two T20 games in right now probably sets him up well for the 100 and then the England white ball games in September - which he's far more likely to play.

Devon_Bear wrote:
. Why they think he's better off sitting in the pavilion kicking his heels for 5 days instead of playing for his county side i do not know.

What, you don't think he will grow as a cricketer and, indeed, as a man, just having the chance to be around the stardust-sprinkled charisma, leadership and tactical nous of England's Talismanic Captain, Ben Stokes?

Gus Atkinson is expected to be released to play for Surrey (and he’s coming back from injury!), so it’ll be bizarre if they don’t also release Bethell - but then he doesn’t play for a fashionable county like Surrey…

ITE7376 wrote:

Devon_Bear wrote:
. Why they think he's better off sitting in the pavilion kicking his heels for 5 days instead of playing for his county side i do not know.

What, you don't think he will grow as a cricketer and, indeed, as a man, just having the chance to be around the stardust-sprinkled charisma, leadership and tactical nous of England's Talismanic Captain, Ben Stokes?

Maybe young Bethell can practice sitting on the balcony in his shades, putting his feet up and looking totally disinterested in the play that's going on in front of him.