Yeah I've seen one of the drops this year and agree. I don't know enough about wicketkeeping to be sure of this but he does look slightly unnatural, jerky movements, etc. Fails the test about not noticing the best keepers. Because you notice it.

I'm not really in denial about this, just genuinely hope these things are improvable and I think they are. A late career Burgess or Alec Stewart always looked like they had learned the skills but were proficient. I think his batting records are probably slightly ahead of where Mousley was at this stage of his career so could go bat only, but that would probably be a luxury, his tempo, shot selection et al is just like a counterpunching number 7 in the mould of Prior, Gilchrist or Bevan.

Andy wrote:

Clearly a bad toss to lose, the most perfect bowling conditions we've seen for a while at Edgbaston. As has already been acknowledged this pitch will likely flatten out and slow right up on days 3 and 4.

Team selections probably about right, Woakes was never gonna play every game in this block, thought he bowled v Surrey but when he took that 2nd new ball v Sussex on Monday morning he did look jaded...he'll be back.

Kai Smith has made even further improvements with the bat this year particularly from a technical point of view but his glovework, and I appreciate this won't go down well here, remains way off im afraid. He too will be back though.

Pleased to see Zen's form for the 2's rewarded.

I remember Burgess standing out as being really untidy when he first came. Kai is not only that but he's actually dropping catches as well. Having said that Burgess improved so much it was scarcely believeable, he could actually affect the game from behind the stumps, brilliant keeper. Kai can improve, I reckon he will, he has too if he's gonna keep regularly, lets be honest. Re. his batting, he looked like a white ball batter playing red ball last season to me, however this season he looks far more assured outside his off stump and is developing a back foot game that he didnt really have last year. Can he bat in the top 5/6? We'll see.

Let's hope the rain is in for the day now, so we can reset tomorrow morning. With Hain still in, we have a chance of a half-decent score providing Barker, Bamber & Gilchrist can hang around for a while.

Right. He needs to be a five or a six in order to not be a luxury. A non-keeping 7 just ends up with Davies keeping and getting knackered again which is no good for anyone. Despite the fact it's what's happening in this very game.

Andy wrote:

I remember Burgess standing out as being really untidy when he first came. Kai is not only that but he's actually dropping catches as well. Having said that Burgess improved so much it was scarcely believeable, he could actually affect the game from behind the stumps, brilliant keeper. Kai can improve, I reckon he will, he has too if he's gonna keep regularly, lets be honest. Re. his batting, he looked like a white ball batter playing red ball last season to me, however this season he looks far more assured outside his off stump and is developing a back foot game that he didnt really have last year. Can he bat in the top 5/6? We'll see.

Totally agree. It would do the lad a disservice if he was just as a batter only at 7. Which actually happened last season a couple of times. If he doesn't keep, it should challenge him to progress his batting even further.

He's in a good place.

Play abandoned for the day

Webster was reckless with playing a T20 shot when he got bowled. He played a similar shot earlier and got away with it. He should've been far more patient like Sam Hain.

A recovery of sorts. I can’t help but worry the pitch is drying and slowing.

Given the priority should be staging cricket matches I do worry the drainage we installed has caused great problems!

Terrific effort from Hain under the circumstances.

As long as the conditions are the same when we bowl, we might get early wickets but as we know, it is sometimes harder to get numbers 7-11 out.

Not sure how we'll go after lunch. Batting looked quite easy this morning. Here's hoping the cloud stays for the rest of the day.

Definitely a bit less in it today. Essex were pretty relentless to be fair.

Clouding over again...

Bamber looking a different level to Barker. Not sure why he took the opening over or bowled with the new ball at all!

Not sure I like the Essex commentary, with becomes 'Wiv', through becomes 'Frew' and third becomes 'Fird'.

paulbear wrote:

Not sure I like the Essex commentary, with becomes 'Wiv', through becomes 'Frew' and third becomes 'Fird'.

Don Topley - I've kind of got used to him over the years.

3 games without the ghastly Melinda Farrell though so far - feels like I'm winning!

SC_Bear wrote:

paulbear wrote:

Not sure I like the Essex commentary, with becomes 'Wiv', through becomes 'Frew' and third becomes 'Fird'.

Don Topley - I've kind of got used to him over the years.

3 games without the ghastly Melinda Farrell though so far - feels like I'm winning!

Topley is well meaning but incredibly biased. It feels like the cricket is interrupting his conversation a lot of the time!

They do appear to be very over-the-top with praise and when anything major happens.

I've no issue with Farrell. Atleast she's well researched and enthusiastic for county cricket.