I dont watch a lot but whst I have seen this season is a lack of confidence and not much sense of purpose.

The confidence might be a hangover from last season when things fell away a lot at the business end. Purpose is harder but you do see the comparison with the smaller teams where everyone knows their role, plays it (maybe it doesn't work) and tries their best for the team. N'hants here got beat by Yorks same as us but came out here knowing what they wanted to do and busting a gut. We looked introspective.

Having said that, Smith and Davies have played well and do seem to know what they're doing. Busting and pushing and taking the 1s and 2s, then boundaries when they're there.

meashambear wrote:

Barnard looked a bit unlucky there, although there have been a couple of other close ones.

I keep saying it, something is not right.

We scrambled through a poor standard T20 group, 2 of our 3 championship wins have been extremely unlikely results that on most occasions would have been the opposite and we are currently 4 down for nothing vs Northants 2nds (and we have on paper a strong team out).

It seems like every game we are looking for someone to drag us out of the mire.

Somebody needs to come into the club, raise the standards and set expectations much higher than they currently are within the squad. We are better than this but are being allowed to slack far too often.

Yeah Hamza got a bad decision there. He's walked halfway down the track and we'll outside the line. On the scorecard half an hour ago it was showing caught behind

Poor Jani, the worst ball of that over and he hits it straight to a fielder.

Silly from Jani there

I know he is young but he saw out 5 balls from the over and went for one slightly wide.........why? Just see the over out and go again.

Once again, we pull ourselves back into a game & within minutes give the impetus to the opposition with two poor shots from equally average deliveries.

Good partnership from Smith & Davies though.

Andy wrote:

Pretty strong Northants team too to be fair Meash, 2 overseas players in it, one of them the IPL's all time leading wicket taker. Proctor, Broad, Guthrie, Vasconcelos, Keogh etc all first teamers.

Yeah, fair enough. I commented when the opening bowlers were still on. Didnt realise Charhal was playing for them today.

Poor experience at the ground. Only 1 entrance, spectators limited to half the boundary (rest is reserved for VIPs/hospitality and radio), no announcements, no on tap beer, members discount...not taking a day off work on Wednesday to be made to feel unwelcome

Davies ton, is the forum OK with this?

sdobbs wrote:

Poor experience at the ground. Only 1 entrance, spectators limited to half the boundary (rest is reserved for VIPs/hospitality and radio), no announcements, no on tap beer, members discount...not taking a day off work on Wednesday to be made to feel unwelcome

I agree Dobbs. The fact that we're only limited to half the ground is terrible, it's not a great viewing ground anyway. I want this outground experience to be good but I can only tell it how it is I'm afraid. Need more toilets too, there already filthy. Lack of PA system has bothered me more than I thought it might, you don't realise how much you rely on the little announcements when a player brings up a half century or the introduction of a new bowler etc. Needs sorting ASAP.

Blimey, 291, couldn't have foreseen that when half down. 32 for 4 & 142 for 6, were meaning 200 would be a good score. Congrats to Davies though - he has come good (perhaps the lack of Captain's responsibility IS the answer!). Plaudits must also go to Smith, Lintott and Booth though.

Excellent finish, crazy innings which saw both sides go from the sublime to the ridiculous amd back regularly.

Fair play to Davies, that was a great innings. Perhaps batting at 4 suits him better than opening?

It looks spectacularly good on the livestream and far superior to the view of 20,000 empty seats at the concrete bowl Edgbaston

Given we’re limited to half the ground it’s strange I’ve sat all day next to the Pavilion in the shade under a gazebo.

Lovely welcome and shown to disabled parking for my 98 old dad even though we hadn’t reserved a place. Sausage roll for £3 and loving the cricket!

Mixed reviews about Rugby but at some stage I might have to go. What a turnaround, with 4 down I was expecting another poor game but we are now in charge.

Very impressed with Taz’s bowling at what seemed like the key stage of the innings. He could be v useful in the 3 games on this pitch!

BosworthBear wrote:

Very impressed with Taz’s bowling at what seemed like the key stage of the innings. He could be v useful in the 3 games on this pitch!

He does look good and he has broken the 5th wicket partnership with a cracker.

His control for his age is terrific.

Excellent stuff from Taz Ali

He is forcing false shots/decisions from the batsmen. Bowling close to the wicket with a bit of zip and a great length

BosworthBear wrote:

Given we’re limited to half the ground it’s strange I’ve sat all day next to the Pavilion in the shade under a gazebo.

We were moved from the right hand side if the sightscreen, 1st thing this morning. Told apologeticly only media and VIPs to the right Spectators to the left the screen.
No one in the space we started in all day

A really good performance today, well done to young Taz he should get a good run in the side now.

Let's stick with Barnard as captain & Davies batting at 4!