Warwickshire CCC unofficial fans forum
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Still not happy with the 'Birmingham' part of our name and never use it to the point of correcting people (In a nice, soft, cuddly and delicious way) when they say it at work but I think the Hollies stand now like to live up to a certain level of expectation based on reputation alone and it can get out of hand sometime. I would never want to watch cricket in that stand and sometimes I think the game comes secondary to the actual behaviour that is projected.

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I think the crowd was around 17,000 last night.
The Club do seem to have dropped the Birmingham name for the T20 team and just talk about "Bears" which is halfway towards going back to Warwickshire.
Incidentally, although I am very much into being a Warwickshire man, I was interested to re-read the Club history written by Leslie Duckworth almost 50 years ago. In it, he makes it clear that, when the Club was founded in 1882, it was a coming together of the existing Warwickshire and Birmingham factions. The original committee had four representatives from the Birmingham and District Cricket Association, three from the Warwickshire Gentlemen C.C.. two from Coventry and one from Rugby. It was William Ansell, who was secretary of the Birmingham Association, who masterminded the formation of the Club. So whilst taking pride in being Warwickshire supporters, we should maybe acknowledge that, without the role played by a Birmingham man and his Association, the Club would not have existed as a recognized fully fledged county club.

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Yes, no one on here I think would try and push aside the importance of Birmingham to the club and it was obviously a good idea to put the club into a big city rather then just anywhere else in the county. Would it be the same if we all had to travel to Nuneaton or Leamington or indeed, how many would. No disrespect to either of those places.

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Re Davies - I have been a critic, and still have reservations about his batting.

But cannot question his T20 captaincy so far, he seems very well suited to the role. Rubs a few up the wrong way but gets results.

And his bowling changes (Brookes aside) are logical and effective

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GerryShedd wrote:

I think the crowd was around 17,000 last night.
The Club do seem to have dropped the Birmingham name for the T20 team and just talk about "Bears" which is halfway towards going back to Warwickshire.
Incidentally, although I am very much into being a Warwickshire man, I was interested to re-read the Club history written by Leslie Duckworth almost 50 years ago. In it, he makes it clear that, when the Club was founded in 1882, it was a coming together of the existing Warwickshire and Birmingham factions. The original committee had four representatives from the Birmingham and District Cricket Association, three from the Warwickshire Gentlemen C.C.. two from Coventry and one from Rugby. It was William Ansell, who was secretary of the Birmingham Association, who masterminded the formation of the Club. So whilst taking pride in being Warwickshire supporters, we should maybe acknowledge that, without the role played by a Birmingham man and his Association, the Club would not have existed as a recognized fully fledged county club.

Not sure that quite right. The meeting was held in Leamington and the major players were rural Warwickshire. Nuneaton cricket club founded in 1829. But William Ansell did push for HQ to be in Birmingham because of the population which is fair enough. But best in mind Birmingham was an intrinsic part of Warwickshire and still is. Many many Brummies went on to serve in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

The B word was definitely mentioned over the tannoy last night!

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It's probably not worth arguing about what happened 140 years ago, especially not on a sunny Sunday. But Duckworth, rightly or wrongly, paints a picture of the Warwickshire element as being a bunch of disorganised toffs and Ansell being the guy who pulled it all together.
Anyway, maybe it was a Warwickshire gentleman (and an Old Boy of my school) who came closest to the truth when he wrote:
"What's in a name? A bear by any other name would roar as loud."
(Or maybe that wasn't quite what he said - but that was the sentiment.)

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GerryShedd wrote:

It's probably not worth arguing about what happened 140 years ago, especially not on a sunny Sunday. But Duckworth, rightly or wrongly, paints a picture of the Warwickshire element as being a bunch of disorganised toffs and Ansell being the guy who pulled it all together.
Anyway, maybe it was a Warwickshire gentleman (and an Old Boy of my school) who came closest to the truth when he wrote:
"What's in a name? A bear by any other name would roar as loud."
(Or maybe that wasn't quite what he said - but that was the sentiment.)

I’d definitely agree with that version. We were a nomadic side and we’re starting to look at an HQ and Rugby and Leamington were looked at.

Ansell was definitely the organising genius (a pity he’s lost his stand at Edgbaston btw) but Birmingham was v much part of Warwickshire so all concerned we’re meeting to come together and act for the good of the county.