Very disappointing. All seemed a bit flat. Slow used wicket and huge number of empty seats. After the Lord Mayor’s Show.

Credit for Barnard for this campaign!

Daft decision to not pick Booth and Bamber. I think they thought Sussex would easy to beat. After all the effort in previous games where we've done well, they throw it away!

It's gonna take some getting over isn't it?!

Did all that hard work on the road away from home in Liverpool and then v Durham. Rocked the boat away at Taunton the week before to then throw in that one today.

When Barnard and Davies were going the way they were at about half 4 i was thinking how we were starting to get stronger and stronger with each game and maybe we could go all the way...jeez

I assume it was a used pitch. Have a feeling people thought we'd be put on the edge of the square like we were for 2 games in 2023 but I'd imagine this pitch had been recently used in the other comp. Played alright for used pitch, decent carry, presumably a hybrid pitch. Took some turn. Was definitely holding up a bit in our innings, think the dismissals of Barnard and Davies maybe reflected that. I'm sympathetic towards the team selection, we played Friday, Sunday then today of course with the prospect of playing Thursday and maybe again this Sunday. Something had to give. Don't matter now though and admittedly it doesn't look good. Sylvester bowled poorly, our only bowler to go at more than 6 an over, if yer gonna keep banging it in short the batter will be set for it...

Can't say much more about the collapse than has already been said, can't defend that. Such a shame as we've batted so well lately in run chases. Thought Lenham bowled pretty well to be fair to the lad.

Was surprised by the crowd today, very decent, way more than we've seen in the CC at times. Plenty of families too. Even the West Stand was open! Good for a Tuesday. I've enjoyed the outgrounds, having visited Scarborough, Rugby x3 and Liverpool but its nice to sit in actual stands again with a clearer view.

Ed Barnard is such a thoughtful and responsible cricketer and suddenly looks in sparkling form with the bat again after looking a bit iffy only a week or so ago. I'd be in favour of him becoming our captain in the future he still have some learning to do though. Today the Sussex left handers kept hitting our spinners, when they bowled from the City End, over or through mid off for boundaries and Barnard simply wasn't reacting to this until Lintott (not bowling at the time) instructed him to bring Zen into the ring from deep backward square (I don't think he touched the ball once there) and put Hamza back on the long off boundary and bring himself in closer on the one. 2 balls later, the Sussex batter (Alsop, I think) had to change his hitting area then holed out to Yates at long on. The field change brought about the wicket, needed to happen 20 mins sooner though. We're learning. And I must stress before people get emotional, this isn't a criticism of Barnard or a praise of Davies or whatever, just saying we should give Barnard time to learn the role when the change does come.

Also Lancashire, i watched the end of that, they weren't trying an inch, we'll remember that!

Gutted personally, I really enjoy this format, I'd done 6 out these 8 ODC games and I wanted more.

To win 5 out of 8 and not go through to the knockouts feels a bit unlucky, no? Maybe it's just me.

We'd have been at home Thursday had we have won. Ageas Bowl unavailable due to the Hundread apparently. Middlesex v Hampshire at Radlett on Thurs.

That would have been excellent, another home tie but having said that, playing at home does not appear to give us any advantage at all. Sometimes it is possible to get 5 wins and go through depending on how other results go but we should have won today and we also blew it against Middlesex so perhaps we didn't deserve to go through. Though it does have to be said that in most cases, their game with Lancs would normally have been over at 6 down but as Lancs couldn't get any further, they were not exactly 'on It' so to speak and Middlesex had no choice but to keep playing shots. Sussex to a degree didn't look interested until the 5 wicket went down, another 40 runs and they would have just gone through the motions. Bloody awful day.

Final averages after game 8

https://countycrickethub.net/team-averages.html?teamid=16&comp=2&year=2025

The figures show some "senior" players did not contribute as much as would be expected from experienced players. The video clips of dismissals on Nv Play also show the nature of dismissal, and that in many cases they were playing shots that were totally inappropriate for the game situation.

Some of our "specialist" batsmen should be ashamed of their lack of performance during the competition.

Nothing really changes with the management over the last few years and this current crop of players. Frequently play some good stuff, get themselves in to great positions, pressure comes on and they bottle it. Management bottled it with team selection and senior players were found wanting. Oh well, we move on and go with hope to Somerset. Its the hope that kills you.

Regarding team selection, Ethan Bamber was apparently not available for personal reasons (no idea what); and Michael Booth is a tricky one with his recovery from his ankle injury. I think he should have been picked; but maybe then he would have been in doubt for the quarter final less than 48 hours later. Comparing what Bamber and Booth had to offer, George Dobell puts it kindly when he says: "Adam Sylvester, at this stage of his career at least, wasn't able to offer quite the same package of skills."

The whole scenario should have been to play the BEST side possible to win the game and worry about a quarter-final if it happens. It is like a similar dilemma when there are 2 overs left in a one-day game, 15 runs to win and you have a good bowler and a part-timer left who can bowl. You choose the part-timer to bowl the penultimate over on the basis that the best bowler will be able to defend most things but the part-timer goes for 12 and the best bowler is irrelevant then. I cannot believe we couldn't give Sylvester's place to someone else. Would Che Simmons have been a better bet and is George Garton in the Hundread but to bank on Sylvester was a real gamble which went badly wrong. Should we be surprised, the same as most games when we lose in a chase, batsmen who are set and are scoring above the rate, deciding to stick it up in the air rather than just knock it about as they have been doing, at one point we needed 4.4 an over with about 7 wickets in hand but as usual we see an innocuous bowler come on and decide to give him wickets.

I'm going to throw a bit of a hand grenade in here but I can't help noticing the double standards regarding Davies and Barnard

Davies gets a T20 team to the knockout stage for the 2nd consecutive year and gets a dog's abuse for it- and he got us to the knockout stage last year with a basically unbeaten record in his tenure as captain, recovering the team after a terrible start after we looked appalling losing (i think) every game (or virtually every game) under the lacklustre 'guidance' of Moeen.

He visibly injected energy and purpose into that dismally failing T20 team last year, until the usual QF bottle job which has roots deeper and wider and longer than Davies has been at the club to be blamed for. (for a start, and I'll throw another hand grenade in, our best batsman by far Sam Hain is a big-game bottler who has only once made a contribution in I think 8 T20 knockout games it is now. I say this as someone who near-worships Hain, but facts are facts, he has a horrendous record in knockout T20, just the 2017 final knock against Notts to his name amidst a series of limp, anxious failures).

(I also recall distinctly Davies getting 1000 CC runs last year and it scarcely causing a ripple of recognition on here.)

And St Ed of Barnard, forum darling, his team snatches competition failure from the jaws of success, to seemingly near-universal acclaim.

Look, I love Ed and he's had another good year in this comp but not nearly up to previous standards, and until the ton at the weekend was having a pretty mediocre competition with the bat. He also got out especially early in the comp playing shots certain other players (mentioning no names) would be taking abuse for playing.

I think there are a couple of factors specific to T20 in play here, not least that nowadays we go into the QFs with our best two batsmen robbed of time at the crease and form and touch by the 100, not Davies's fault.

I also think that on here and among members particularly, T20 (for various reasons in my opinion, some pretty churlish) is willfully downgraded as the least important comp, so I suppose i can see why not getting to the knockout stage in 50ov can be counted equivalent to doing so twice in T20. In fact, not just equivalent but better, just about everyone praising St Ed's captaincy and looking forward to the next campaign after what was ultimately an unsuccessful debut as captain, nobody doing the same for Davies for getting to 2 QFs.

I'm being both a little facetious and exaggerating just a little for effect. But only a little, 'well done Ed, credit for the this campaign!', I see above; credit for what? having his worst 50ov tournament with the bat in 3 years (pretty sure his wickets were down too), and captaining a team that failed to get to the knockout stage?

Imagine the reaction if he'd got us to 2 consecutive knockout stages.

I'll leave the mini-rant on this thought, Barnard and Davies have exactly the same number of match-winning centuries in the 50ovs this year. The reaction to those centuries was a comical study in contrasts. Its not a complement to say the seemingly constant need for club supporters (of any sport) to find a whipping boy makes the club supporters concerned look just like football fans. If there is a club, and a forum, there will be a whipping boy, and there will be a darling. Its like BBC 5live on Saturday at 6pm on here half the time, which really, really isn't a complement.

Andy wrote:

Can't say much more about the collapse than has already been said, can't defend that. Such a shame as we've batted so well lately in run chases. Thought Lenham bowled pretty well to be fair to the lad.

agreed, he varied his flight nicely, i though at least one of the wickets was as much due to that as it sticking in the pitch

Today the Sussex left handers kept hitting our spinners, when they bowled from the City End, over or through mid off for boundaries and Barnard simply wasn't reacting to this until Lintott (not bowling at the time) instructed him to bring Zen into the ring from deep backward square (I don't think he touched the ball once there) and put Hamza back on the long off boundary and bring himself in closer on the one. 2 balls later, the Sussex batter (Alsop, I think) had to change his hitting area then holed out to Yates at long on. The field change brought about the wicket, needed to happen 20 mins sooner though. We're learning. And I must stress before people get emotional, this isn't a criticism of Barnard or a praise of Davies or whatever, just saying we should give Barnard time to learn the role when the change does come.

its so telling, that you needed to stress this. Imagining gnashing teeth and sour countenances, 'A MAN ON THE INTERNET JUST SAID SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT ALEX DAVIES, NOOOOOOOO'
'but surely, he was talking about Barnard?'
'THAT'S JUST IMPLIED PRAISE OF DAVIES IN ANOTHER FORM GRRRRRRRRRRR'

what a stunning catch by Hamzah, by the way. Like having Jim Troughton back

ITE7376 wrote:

I'm going to throw a bit of a hand grenade in here but I can't help noticing the double standards regarding Davies and Barnard

Davies gets a T20 team to the knockout stage for the 2nd consecutive year and gets a dog's abuse for it- and he got us to the knockout stage last year with a basically unbeaten record in his tenure as captain, recovering the team after a terrible start after we looked appalling losing (i think) every game (or virtually every game) under the lacklustre 'guidance' of Moeen.

He visibly injected energy and purpose into that dismally failing T20 team last year, until the usual QF bottle job which has roots deeper and wider and longer than Davies has been at the club to be blamed for. (for a start, and I'll throw another hand grenade in, our best batsman by far Sam Hain is a big-game bottler who has only once made a contribution in I think 8 T20 knockout games it is now. I say this as someone who near-worships Hain, but facts are facts, he has a horrendous record in knockout T20, just the 2017 final knock against Notts to his name amidst a series of limp, anxious failures).

(I also recall distinctly Davies getting 1000 CC runs last year and it scarcely causing a ripple of recognition on here.)

And St Ed of Barnard, forum darling, his team snatches competition failure from the jaws of success, to seemingly near-universal acclaim.

Look, I love Ed and he's had another good year in this comp but not nearly up to previous standards, and until the ton at the weekend was having a pretty mediocre competition with the bat. He also got out especially early in the comp playing shots certain other players (mentioning no names) would be taking abuse for playing.

I think there are a couple of factors specific to T20 in play here, not least that nowadays we go into the QFs with our best two batsmen robbed of time at the crease and form and touch by the 100, not Davies's fault.

I also think that on here and among members particularly, T20 (for various reasons in my opinion, some pretty churlish) is willfully downgraded as the least important comp, so I suppose i can see why not getting to the knockout stage in 50ov can be counted equivalent to doing so twice in T20. In fact, not just equivalent but better, just about everyone praising St Ed's captaincy and looking forward to the next campaign after what was ultimately an unsuccessful debut as captain, nobody doing the same for Davies for getting to 2 QFs.

I'm being both a little facetious and exaggerating just a little for effect. But only a little, 'well done Ed, credit for the this campaign!', I see above; credit for what? having his worst 50ov tournament with the bat in 3 years (pretty sure his wickets were down too), and captaining a team that failed to get to the knockout stage?

Imagine the reaction if he'd got us to 2 consecutive knockout stages.

I'll leave the mini-rant on this thought, Barnard and Davies have exactly the same number of match-winning centuries in the 50ovs this year. The reaction to those centuries was a comical study in contrasts. Its not a complement to say the seemingly constant need for club supporters (of any sport) to find a whipping boy makes the club supporters concerned look just like football fans. If there is a club, and a forum, there will be a whipping boy, and there will be a darling. Its like BBC 5live on Saturday at 6pm on here half the time, which really, really isn't a complement.

Difficult to argue against any of this to be honest.

My only other comment is individuals failing to take personal responsibility given certain match situations, this seems to be the Warwickshire way, and is consistent with whoever is captain.

As an aside, Worcestershire are only charging £10 for semi-final tickets for Sunday - has to be a good deal.

I tend to think that Ed opening the bowling and batting, plus captaining the side is just too much. Noticeable that he has stopped bowling the closing overs, presumably so he can prepare for opening the batting. Yesterday he inexplicably only bowled 5 overs, whilst we watched Sylvester being deposited around the park.

I seem to recall various members on here calling out Alex Davies for opening the batting, keeping wicket and captaining, but no similar comment re Ed……..

It is not easy going into a competition when you have three toally inexperienced batsmen, plus your two senior batters underperforming, and consistantly getting out to poor shot selection. Senior experienced players are meant to provide leadership and set an example to the younger, less experienced members of the team. Can you honestly say that was the case this season?

Ed Barnard was carrying a greater load this season, and apart from Kai Smith, Michael Booth and OHD didn't really have anyone else in the side he could be sure would deliver a good performance every game. He showed great leadership qualities throughoutthe competition, and would, in the opinion of many, be an excellent club and team captain going forwards. Ideally from Today.

Very disappointing result yesterday, failure to chase 280 and not getting the 218 to beat Middlesex cost us dear. Chasing, particularly chasing tricky mid range targets, does seem to be a problem. The positive from the tournament would be the performances of Kai Smith, Michael Booth and Taz Ali - all of whom seem to be making the step up from good young player to just good player - Booth in particular is this season's pleasant surprise. I think Taz benefitted from Barnard's captaincy, where he was used as an attacking bowler, I think Davies is always a bit worried he'll get whacked around. But captaincy, like everything else, is easier in the Metrobank 50. Obviously none of the three has made it and T20 cricket, whilst giving players lots of opportunity, does make building a career harder, but the signs are good. The more experienced players weren't great but it seemed to me as if Alex Davies threw himself into the competition which was impressive as being blanked from The Hundred must have been a blow to the ego and bank balance. Our season now all seems to hinge on the Somerset quarter - final.

I forgot to mention what a positive I think the competition has been overall.

we have discovered a potential star in the making in Taz Ali- should be in the T20 squad for the QF?
Michael Booth has announced himself as an excellent all round white ball player- should be in the T20 squad for the Qf

the 3 young batsmen have all shown enough flashes to confirm their potential and deserve another sustained opportunity next year, although, they each of them do need to kick on a bit next year and show more than flashes. Hamzah's run of 40,70, 50 in the 3 games up to and including Sunday was encouraging for him. Hamzah and Malik both seem very good fielders too especially with the absolute blinder Hamzah took yesterday.

Kai Smith continued to develop.

I'm far more optimistic about all of the above than I was at the start of the comp so I will happily take that