Highveld wrote:

ECB regulations state that games should be played within the county, or at a venue with established links.

Kidderminster and Stourbridge are both in Worcestershire, so are not viable options, likewise I can't see Derbyshire agreeing to Warwickshire use their ground in Derby.

The only ground in Worcestershire that Warwickshire could legitimately use would be Barnt Green, which is a wonderful club ground, one of my favourites, and has an excellent wicket, however it does not have the facilities needed to host a first class or list A game.

The rule that a County has to have "established links", to move to a ground outside the County, clearly allows for us to have games in Staffordshire. We have a very close development relationship with Staffs. There must be loads of good quality grounds in the Black Country, or elsewhere. Staffs MC play in Stoke and Stone, I know Wolverhampton, Walsall and West Bromwich (Dartmouth) used to have great facilities - but its been many years since I've been, so don't know what they're like now. Thoughts?

It's been a few years since I last went, but I remember Cov & North Warwicks as a lovely ground, a good wicket and decent spectator/visitor facilities.

Of course, Cov has a big population on tbe doorstep, starved of County Cricket for many years. And if Dan M was playing, that might bring a few more in!

BosworthBear wrote:

Needs better planning - but Nuneaton, Stratford, Kenilworth, Cov and North Warwicks, Rugby would all do the job and actually fulfil the function the Club is supposed to (its in the constitution) to take games around the County.

Unfortunately we've become too short sighted and obsessed with Edgbaston including branding.

And Stratford certainly didn't cost a fortune because controversially it was underwritten by the Warwickshire taxpayer.

In the days when Griff and Coton held an annual fixture it always had Warwickshire's highest attendance of the season - which used to be listed in the Annual Report.

Completely agree either you BB. The Club has been shocking in its use of 'Out of Town' grounds in recent years. I think the odd Limited Overs game at Rugby School is all we've had.

I remember going to many matches in Cov (Courtaulds and Cov & N Warwicks) and Nuneaton - and as you say, Griff & Coton was a wonderfully well attended game. Happy days, but there is no reason not to have some matches around the COUNTY - even if it is just the 50 Over competition. Personally, I'd love at least one CC game out of Brum - Middlesex, Surrey, Lancashire and Yorkshire all seem to manage it.

ajones1328 wrote:

Off the top of my head

Rhodes
Barnard
Yates
Burgess
E Brookes (first team ish)
Miles
OHD
Rushworth
Lintott

Basically not many, like to think we'd bring in at least one overseas.

Has Jake Lintott not been selected for the Undead this season? Last year I thought he played in quite a few Southern Braves games.

paulbear wrote:

Should we really be surprised? Every year. Why bother to finish top when it makes no difference. I always agreed with Neil Carter who thought sides finishing top should go straight to finals day but instead you have to play a side who scrape into 4th place and get to knock you out in a one-off game. but seriously, another poor batting display on a wicket where 180 looked good. Too many batsmen giving outfield catching practice and yet another overseas 'Star' who didn't shine, not one fifty to show all campaign. All the turning up, hoping for a place to park somewhere and watch us play well to get through and what I hoped would be a successful finals day only to see 4 other teams going to OUR ground to have their day in the sun.

Completely agree with you PB (and Neil Carter), Group Winners should go straight to the Semi's and 2nds and 3rds in each Group should play off for the remaining two SF places.

Maxwell was another Overseas 'waste of space'. Benjamin should be nowhere near a place in the team (anyway we probably won't see him again for the 1sts this season). Davies is a crap keeper (what a miss that catch was!) - it should be Burgess. OHD is no T20 bowler.

The only players who showed ability last night were Sam and Jake, though Henry B did better than I expected.

https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m917c248f-8fb1-47f9-b56e-e36a2cc01f4c

Team as expected. 4 front line bowlers (I think you have to count Henry B and OHD - although their recent T20 record isn't great!) plus Maxwell & Mousley. Sam H back.

We lost the toss and were put in!

Bald_Reynard wrote:

13 man Squad:-
Rhodes
Hassan Ali
Barnard
Bess (!)
Bethell
Henry Brookes
Burgess
Davies
OHD
Lintott
Mousley
Rushworth
Yates

I wonder who will be left out - a spinner like Lintott, a seamer like Brookes (who has been pretty rubbish - for us - for a while now), or a batsman like Bethell ?

Well I was a little bit right - 2 seamers - but I wouldn't have predicted OHD.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

13 man Squad:-
Rhodes
Hassan Ali
Barnard
Bess (!)
Bethell
Henry Brookes
Burgess
Davies
OHD
Lintott
Mousley
Rushworth
Yates

I wonder who will be left out - a spinner like Lintott, a seamer like Brookes (who has been pretty rubbish - for us - for a while now), or a batsman like Bethell ?

T20 for Bess would be good. He looked the pick of the Yorkie bowlers on Thursday and no slouch with the bat.

13 man Squad:-
Rhodes
Hassan Ali
Barnard
Bess (!)
Bethell
Henry Brookes
Burgess
Davies
OHD
Lintott
Mousley
Rushworth
Yates

I wonder who will be left out - a spinner like Lintott, a seamer like Brookes (who has been pretty rubbish - for us - for a while now), or a batsman like Bethell ?

I was there last night, my first T20 in years.
Impressions:-
1) A deserved win, but it should never had been that close.
2) Some very strange bowling selections by Davies. Taking bowlers off / swapping ends when they were doing well, not bowling the better guys for their full quota - and of course -
3) Letting Henry B bowl more than 1 over when he was clearly a liability - and letting him anywhere near the last over. The guy clearly hasn't got it, in any form of the game, after SO many opportunities.
4) Nice to see CW's still 'has it'..
5) Wonderful bowling by our best spinner (far far better than the 'front line' Briggs & Lintott). DM's bowling was a revelation to me - the paciest spinner I've seen for a long time. And unlucky getting out, when his batting looked very promising
6) Patience from Yates was good, Benjamin rode his luck, but at least took his chances.
7) Maxwell was very so so, bowling and batting.
8) Why is Bethell batting so low? His recent record deserves him to go in at latest 2 higher. And WHAT A CATCH he took - up there with some of the best I've ever seen.

All in all, I'm so glad I went - with my son, who has never followed in his Dad's footsteps for love of cricket, but has now been quite enthused by it all - and even was crying out "You Bears" with me at the end!

Bald_Reynard wrote:

13 man squad:-
Rhodes
Hassan
Barnard
Benjamin
Briggs
Henry Brookes
Burgess
Davies
Hain
OHD
Mousley
Rushworth
Yates

I suppose Benjamin and Brookes will be left out?
Good, Burgess is back, even if its just for red ball.

As expected - Benjamin and Brookes left out.
We won the toss and chose to bat.

13 man squad:-
Rhodes
Hassan
Barnard
Benjamin
Briggs
Henry Brookes
Burgess
Davies
Hain
OHD
Mousley
Rushworth
Yates

I suppose Benjamin and Brookes will be left out?
Good, Burgess is back, even if its just for red ball.

BristolBear wrote:

The problem is Robinson has pinned his colours to the mast now. Does he have the strength, but also the support within the dressing room to hold his hands up to making some selection mistakes, and change some things within that side.
He’s given Moeen and Davies the leadership roles. One who performed awfully last year, and there was never any guarantee of performances. And the other first year back at the club, hadn’t even practiced with the team. Just parachuted in and expected to know everything about everyone.

You’ve got some players on decent wages and recent extensions like Benjamin, Miles, Brookes, who if not picked, you wonder what they’re at the club for, as it seems they have no chance of playing in the red ball side. Whilst players like Barnard & Rhodes seem to have earned their chance aren’t getting a fair shot, or even the likes of Burgess who for whatever reason has been written off in this format altogether. So you wonder if this is starting to become an ego thing with Robinson, refusing to back down from his decisions and in denial that he’s made some selection mistakes. As it seems we’re picking on reputation rather than performance. Yates being dropped after scoring a rapid 70, whilst Benjamin and Davies staying in after being very slow and scratchy for a while now, being the perfect example.

Can't argue with any of that BB (Note to Mods - I wish we had a 'Like' button, as we did on the old site!). I think we've all had doubts about Robinson's approach to selection for a while now and while Farb was there, it was tempered a bit. I hope GL starts to impose a bit more control over that.

LeicesterExile wrote:

I might be on my own but I hope he does go to England. We can return to the balanced side that won the first 4 games in the Blast. I feel his arrival has upset the balance of the side including dropping Yates just so he can open the batting. And let's face it he has contributed very little in the two games. If he does go off to England then if he returns later on it should be solely as a member of the team and not as captain.

I completely agree with you, LE. I won't be put out if he takes up the England invitation. Good for him, England - and us (at the moment) - a return to a winning T20 lineup is needed, not least to restore a bit of confidence.

We will be seeing him again - and I'm sure will be recompensed financially.

Yep, unchanged team tonight.

Northants won the toss and put us in.

Only Henry B disappointed. I do think he needs to be left out, I guess he would be if Hasan was fit (if he's still out for the next match, I think OHD's 'economy bowling' is worth a go - even at the expense of his No 11 batting).

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

Exiled Bear wrote:

14 man squad:

Davies (c)
Benjamin
Briggs
Ali
Brookes
Bethell
Barnard
Hain
Lintott
Miles
Mousley
Woakes
Yates
Stirling

Brookes, Bethell and Mousley to miss out? Or do we Brookes to be a fifth seamer, or the fourth in place of Miles?

Given the performances in the 3 Seconds T20 games this week, I think Briggs, Brookes & Benjamin will miss out.

We'll go with one frontline spinner (Lintott), with backup from Mousley (who has been used as the first change bowler) - Briggs did nothing in his two 2nds games. Bethell has done more than Benjamin in all the 2nds games this season (red & white ball). Brookes will only come in when Woakes goes off to England.

I'd pretty much go with TLB, certainly re Briggs and Brookes. I think it will be a toss up between Bethell and Benjamin. Benjamin has the experience, but has had a poor Seconds season, with the exception of a trademark quickfire 42 from 17 balls on Wednesday. Bethell is still learning, but fast and he has had a great season for the 2nds already.

From your report on the 2nds T20 against Northants, TLB, it sounds like Miles didn't do himself any favours today? Though I think he did enough against Gloucs yesterday and he would still be the man selectors would choose - at least in the first few Blast games.

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

As Gerry says, there are a few pointers I think in today's 2nd's T20 team:-
Yates
Davies (Captain & Keeper!)
Mousley
Benjamin
Bethell
Burgess
Woakes
Barnard
Ali
Lintott
Miles.

I'd guess that a good number of those will be in be First team on Saturday. Certainly Woakes won't be there (England duty) and Hain will probably be in for Benjamin (who's form this season for the 2nds is atrocious). Stirling could come in for Burgess (given Davies having the gloves today). Miles will probably stay in and if Henry B is available, he might come in for CW. I'm not sure whether Briggs would come in, Lintott may stay (with Mousley & Bethell, we probably only need 1 front line spinner?).

2 wickets for Lintott (with 2 stumpings for Davies) this afternoon, probably might indicate that Jake will be preferred over Briggs and with no need for Burgess, Stirling could well be in for him (is he available now?).
Mousley has bowled 3 overs (for 14 runs) this afternoon - as first change bowler - so I agree with TLB, Lintott, supported by Dan and Bethell, would probably give enough spin options and Briggs would miss out.
Is Henry B available for us in the Blast?