It looks like we did anticipate a flat pitch given Yates was bowling so early in the first session.

But it’s strange because as I mentioned here the ground staff told me at lunch that day they had prepared the pitch v late to make it more lively.

I can’t stop being annoyed at that first evening. When I left they were 230-8 and it looked an excellent day for us. By close we had let them get 300 and we lost two openers.

I think that then decided the rest of the game.

A shame as we show good signs.

I don’t think Davies is a captain and I’ve said so all season. He doesn’t seem able to shape a game or think outside the box.

Are we fighting our way back into it or are the ground staff’s comments to me about lack of pitch preparation coming to pass?

This argument. Doesn’t make much sense. If the first 8 wickets go for 230 they shouldn’t be reaching 300 whatever the calibre of 10 and 11.

When I left yesterday we were in such a good position. We just haven’t applied ourselves.

Went on the square at lunch time and ground staff were telling me how dry the wicket was. Said something like 200k litres of water put on it but the drainage is so good it just takes it away.

Said they tried to prepare this wicket differently to make it more lively and left it until late.
A good effort by our bowlers but I guess spin more and more vital as game goes on.

13 man squad

Davies (c)
Taz Ali
Bamber
Barnard
Hain
Hannon-Dalby
Latham
Malik
Rushworth
Simmons
Smith
Webster
Yates

Not sure who drops out - probably Ali (which I think is misguided) and a seam bowler. Depends how fit Rushworth is?

Might need to bowl first to get 20 wickets?

Love George but he seems to be suggesting here to make first class cricket unwatchable till we find a quality fast or spin bowler.

Great effort by the team who played.

I am afraid my fears about selection and pitch proved true.

A shame as I reckon we’ve been the better side here.

It is a shame because this match was set up to be a terrific contest.

I love trips to Edgbaston but have seen two dreary days on Saturdays this season.

I think we probably declared far too late and Davies isn’t the most imaginative captain.

Including so many seamers again also bizarre given how Edgbaston has played this season.

But the pitches this season are awful and it was predictable without some action in the winter.

I guess we take the draw and move on but questions now asked of Edgbaston.

Troughton at lunch time was interesting and entertaining although Qs from the audience weren’t allowed denying me to ask him how he felt about having the play as Birmingham Bears.

He was alleging Warks have doctored the pitch to ensure a high scoring draw because of surreys bowling attack.

Really hope we can bring them down a peg or two!

Surrey assuming pitch is dead again. Resting a bowler and bowling first. Just hope we can apply scoreboard pressure. Lacking a spinner again if we need variety.

Given the heartening results it’s a shame if Edgbaston is hampering us.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

13 man squad:-

Taz Ali
Bamber
Barnard
Hain
OHD
Latham
Malik
Miles
Mousley
Simmons
Smith
Webster
Yates

You’ve missed out Davies

Be obliged if anybody can tell me which three miss out!

Hope to be WFP tomorrow!

Narrow favourites according to Mike Taylor on commentary but I thought we deserve more than that. A wonderful day’s cricket from us!

Good to see test players playing in the Championship. Shows what we miss so much!

Need a good start tomorrow. OHD to dig in and these two to bat for at least half an hour.

GerryShedd wrote:

Another to add to OHD's list of heroic innings - 62 balls faced to achieve a draw.

I was thinking earlier of the game which might have been his debut when he held on batting injured I think at Taunton

This is what I feared and why I thought they were sensible to get the extra runs!

My forecast only suggesting 30 per cent chance of rain after 5

The Holy Trinity of posts!

GerryShedd wrote:

No doubt about having been outplayed, even allowing for the big advantage of winning the toss. I'm not so sure about the suggestion of having been out-thought - Notts may have made a major blunder in batting too slowly and for too long on day three, which puts them at the mercy of the weather gods on day four.

I’m praying you are right Terry but I don’t see how. We still have to score another 111 runs. They batted at 3.88 runs per over. We batted at 2.5 and 2.7. We picked five seamers. They already have a spinner with a wicket.

My forecast is showing only a possibility of rain in the morning and even that clearing around 3pm.

I’m not impressed with our coaching, captaincy or selection this season

I look forward to being wrong tomorrow!

Another wicket gone and still some play tonight

Hope some of you are right about forecast but my phone is showing only a possibility if rain in the morning and a clear afternoon.

In truth we’ve been completely out thought and out played here and have some thinking to do!

We’ve been completely out played.

Whatever happens we are going to need a thorough review!

If the forecast has improved doesn’t that make overcast conditions less likely? It’s unlikely we bowl until Sunday hopefully.

Normally a balanced attack would be three seamers and two spinners. Until the West Indies changed cricket four seamers was pretty rare. Ours are batting 8,9,10,11 so does seem a bit excessive unless we know something about the pitch.