That last paragraph, the shot he played to from 40 to 44 was sublime. Shot of the day.

BosworthBear, i dont know what your talking about there or who its even aimed at.

We've all had a good day in great weather in a nice atmosphere at a lovely venue that can be made even better still with some minor tweaks and changes. It's so encouraging. We all enjoy outgrounds. We all have our gripes about Edgbaston too, none more so than me.

And you're in here howling at the moon. To call peoples comments pointless and ludicrous etc is totally out of line.

Who's hurt you?

But go on, ill bite, did you not see my comments about Alex Davies and Taz Ali? Hain availability? Or Zen Malik ups and downs? Think I've discussed a bit more cricket than you here my friend...

*borders i think you mean.

Very aware of that thank you.

A familiar cry baby.

Brilliant performance. Good day. Pleased for Alex Davies, it's a match winning knock really. Listen, I said years ago I'd have never signed him and he wouldn't be my choice of 4day captain right now but the stick he gets sometimes is way over the top and people are never so readily forthcoming with praise when he does well. The lad tries and it was great to see him play such an excellent knock today.

Taz Ali was terrific, barely bowled a bad delivery, excellent control. Outbowled Chahal who is a fantastic white ball leggy. Can clearly bowl genuine wicket taking deliveries and he has a googly, so encouraging. Looks like he can hold a bat too. Also, the reaction from the team collectively when he got his 5fer was brilliant, they were all over the moon for him, lovely.

Rugby School, the food and drink situation don't bother me that much but if that's right that you can't get a beer on tap then that needs rectifying. Would prefer more comfortable seating (folding chairs for 7 hours are uncomfortable) and better toilet facilities. A temporary stand wouldn't go a miss. At Scarborough we were practically sat with the live stream commentators at one point so for the whole media/hospitality area to be cordoned off at Rugby is just bizarre. The lack of PA system grated too, more than i thought it would. I'll get slated for saying this but I love outgrounds (ill be at Aigburth too) and want them to be good, we should have high standards on this sort of thing. Heard some grumbling about the walk from the train station but its closer than New Street station to Edgbaston tbf. Apparently Northants play some 2nd team games at Rugby School which makes us being the home side seem a bit funny in a way. Like I say, it ain't bad, but it definitely be improved. That's a good thing.

Hundred. Hain is missing his 2nd game in a row now so that means he's available for our game on Wednesday? Dunno.

Might be something, might be nothing. Probably nothing. But that's 2 games in a row where the white ball really has nipped about a lot in the first hour of the day. Maybe just a coincidence...

Zen Malik has gone 0,0,0 since his epic 142 v Worcestershire. Cricket, a great leveller.

His control for his age is terrific.

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

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.

Davies ton, is the forum OK with this?

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.

They've all looked out to me apart from Hamza Shaikh, that decision from umpire Harris is scarcely believeable.

That decision on Hamza Shaikh is absolutely outrageous.

Not sure we've looked to slog?

Guthrie played in our 2's last year, a left armer who's rapid and swings it (if a little erratic) and is eligible to play as a non overseas, why weren't we on this? Cheers Robbo/Larsen.

Zen miss a full bunger then?

He had to play at that, bit of a brute first up.

Excellent news. Out of all the overseas players we've used this season he's the one I wanted back the most.

Unrelated but did anyone see the decision Josh de Caires got in the Middlesex Somerset game? Good grief.

Lol

Did my morning walk across Scarborough's South Beach before excitedly walking up North Marine Road getting in the ground just before 11am...so to see us one hour later 38-7 was somewhat confronting...

Trafalgar Square End was definitely the end to bowl from today, there was a patch just on a length where some balls stuck in the pitch, some were almost rearing up, some were shooting though, think 5 out of the first 6 dismissals were from that end. Interesting that Kai was considered to be unlucky by 1 poster on here as he was the one batter who I looked at throughout his brief innings and dismissal and found myself wondering "Why such hard hands?" especially after seeing how the others before him went.

Fair play to Vaansh Jani, rode his luck a little bit early on, was dropped on 2, I'd never deny a lad a bit of luck on his List A debut though especially when walking out to such a dire set of circumstances. His timing looked crisp and his power hitting was a welcome surprise.

Thought we competed well with the ball (welcome back Michael Booth) and in the field but let's face it the damage was done after the first hour.

I still had a nice time. Sun, sea and cricket in front of a large, knowledgeable and enthusiastic crowd at brilliant place to watch cricket.

Oh god, go on then I'll bite.

Nobody is complaining. Even in this thread we've acknowledged that 1 one day cup game and 1 County Championship game played at outgrounds would be ideal. To use more than 1 outground would be even better in order to really take the game around the county. 3 one day cup games all in 5 days all at Rugby School is too much though, surely you can acknowledge that? Could have had 1 at Rugby, 1 at Edgbaston (so 2 with the Sussex game) and then another one at Nuneaton or Coventry or wherever.

Nobody is complaining but there is a terrible anti Birmingham/Edgbaston rhetoric in here all too often. Everyone is in agreement outgrounds can be brilliant, we've all enjoyed them. If you don't praise Rugby School to the hilt and bow down to it yer seen as a moaner though. Don't dare try and debate outgtounds, only praise Rugby School.