I'd give Simmons a go. He was hardly pulling up any trees last year before his debut and he had a good game then. Did well pre season just gone by all accounts.

Pretty sure Dobell mentioned in a recent article that Booth doesn't qualify until after the 2025 season. I'll go back and take a look if I can find it.

Webster seems like a pretty useful cricketer, he also bowls off spin, he's bowled it in Tests, and he's a decent slip fielder.

*Edit to say: Booth not registered as a local player until next season.

Yeah he's massive, not particularly a quick bowler or anything but definitely a cricketer in form he's had a good 2 or 3 years.

I'd rather back Taz Ali who has shown promise in his 2 appearances this season.

I assume the players will be taking pay cuts if this all happens?

Play due to start at half 3

The umpires disappeared up their own arses. They were appallingly weak.

Disgusting from Essex at the end there, Porter cheated.

Some bloke called Ethan Brookes is playing a lovely little innings down at Chelmsford right now...

You look at the scores on paper and its easy to poke at the batters, I get it. But from actually watching the game it's been clear that the biggest gap in quality has been the bowling. Tongue, Hutton and O'Neill have been brilliant. Tongue is genuinely quick, looks like he's up at around 90mph and accurate with it. Compare him to Booth, great kid, huge heart, doing well but Tongue is levels above him, quicker, taller, more penetrative. He hasn't played any First Class cricket for a good while up until a fortnight ago, imagine him at full pelt?! The figures may look unremarkable but every time he's had the ball in his hand he's looked a menace. Hutton has gotten more out if this pitch than OHD and Bamber (he's had a bad game) combined, I'd say his got a bit more nip than them both too. He's challenged the front pad throughout. O'Neill, I mean when you compare the Notts overseas bowler to our overseas bowler it's complete one way traffic. O'Neill is a bit quicker, a good bit taller and considerably more accurate, barely bowls a bad ball. Sets his own fields too and clearly has a good grasp of the game situations.

Imagine if Stone and Pennington played?!

Yes, the Notts bowling attack is way better than ours, but only a touch more experienced I'd say. We just lack pace, like last season, if it doesn't come with the new ball then it doesn't come at all. It's gonna be a problem at home particularly because the Edgbaston pitches are notably low and slow.

There's probably not that much between the batting line ups in terms of quality, and there is definitely something in this pitch, the Notts bowlers have been good enough to exploit it though, ours haven't.

A word on the batting, they did show fight at least, we may have got blown away this evening had we been in this situation last season. Maybe.

white-lightning wrote:

Josh Tongue looks sharp. Did we not try to sign him before he left Worcestershire?

Dunno. We were in for Fergus O'Neill this winter.

edit to say 'Fergus O'Neill' apologies

Frustrating to lose a wicket close to tea just as we looked like getting settled.

We beat the bat loads, shame we just chucked in the odd 4 ball here and there.

McCann never looked comfortable, hopefully Vish can get on a roll...

Conditions are clearly better now but we've bowled poorly. Still finding the odd edge here and there mind...

Much better overheads now, sunny.

Feel like Barnard played a poor shot. Hain decision looked harsh.

Terrible batting conditions though, the ball has gone passed the bat loads, particularly from the bowling of Tongue. Good bowling attack this.

Really not a lot Yates, Davies or Shaikh could do about their dismissals but that was poor from Mousley.

Forecast would suggest we may get a full day tomorrow. It is changeable though and would seem (seam?!) it's gonna be overcast all day.

Shame we lost that toss.

Green pitch and ball swinging.