GerryShedd wrote:

I think the crowd was around 17,000 last night.
The Club do seem to have dropped the Birmingham name for the T20 team and just talk about "Bears" which is halfway towards going back to Warwickshire.
Incidentally, although I am very much into being a Warwickshire man, I was interested to re-read the Club history written by Leslie Duckworth almost 50 years ago. In it, he makes it clear that, when the Club was founded in 1882, it was a coming together of the existing Warwickshire and Birmingham factions. The original committee had four representatives from the Birmingham and District Cricket Association, three from the Warwickshire Gentlemen C.C.. two from Coventry and one from Rugby. It was William Ansell, who was secretary of the Birmingham Association, who masterminded the formation of the Club. So whilst taking pride in being Warwickshire supporters, we should maybe acknowledge that, without the role played by a Birmingham man and his Association, the Club would not have existed as a recognized fully fledged county club.

Not sure that quite right. The meeting was held in Leamington and the major players were rural Warwickshire. Nuneaton cricket club founded in 1829. But William Ansell did push for HQ to be in Birmingham because of the population which is fair enough. But best in mind Birmingham was an intrinsic part of Warwickshire and still is. Many many Brummies went on to serve in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

The B word was definitely mentioned over the tannoy last night!

I went last night. Normally don’t because of Birmingham Bears thing.

A little bit shocked with behaviour in the Hollies. Seemed to be a Birmingham City element and stewards handled it well but it did seem to be on verge of tipping over. Maybe because of being a Friday night?

Thought our players performed well!

I think we can be proud of the test match and the pitch. Good for England and our County.

I think Gary has a perfect right to answer back (via Twitter).

I also think a lot of the criticism of the pitch started when the Aussies weren't getting wickets on the first day.

BristolBear wrote:

Is that 4 or 5 chances Bairstow has blown now? Not sure who’s selection has been a bigger bust him or Moeen.

I think the stats show it was a perfectly good pitch. a few too clever by half commentators called it wrong. George Dobell has been sticking up for it contrary to what was posted earlier. Most of the moaning came from amateur Aussie commentators on the first day when they weren't taking wickets. great test match!

Wish they would use Warwickshire rather than West Midlands!

So frustrating.

good news for the Club!

Really hope we can make this dominant position tell.

4 bonus point so far isn't it.

And Surrey score looking v promising.

mad wrote:

realcounties.org.uk

I'm sure you'll be aware of this campaign bosworth. It is interesting the way county identity has slipped in the much of the UK in a way that hasn't been the case in for example Ireland. Ireland has done a better job of retaining county identities in the contemporary age where in Britain people are far more likely to identify with their city or town. Britain being more of an urban metropolitan country these days with vast suburbs housing two thirds of the population. Similar to the USA and Australia post 1950's prior to which even in America there was far clearer distinction between town and country

I am aware of the work they do to highlight the historic counties. Its often forgotten that when the administrative counties like West Mids were set up the legislation specifically stated this wasn't supposed to change traditional loyalties or sports clubs.

Birmingham seems to have a problem. Manchester still willingly describes itself as Lancashire. Leeds and Sheffield describe themselves as Yorkshire. somehow Birmingham lost its identity in the traditional county of Warwickshire.

But even putting that aside I'm not sure I've ever met anybody from anywhere who welcomes the change to Birmingham Bears.

It just seems like the Club knows it made a mistake. The then Chairman of ECB told me they told Warwickshire not to do it and how important Warwickshire was as a brand. But rather than admit they were wrong the Club are trying to call them "the Bears" as a half way house. But it doesn't work because of the formal listings. This is such an easy won for them if they embrace it and change the name to the Club's actual name!

LeicesterExile wrote:

Wasn't it done to satisfy the city council being as they provided a large sum for the ground improvements. They wanted WCCC to promote the name of Birmingham.

Publicly the city council stated they weren’t pressuring the Club. In the days when Brian Halford could speak his mind in the Evening Mail.

But even if privately it was true they now have the Birmingham Phoenix.

This is such an easy PR and marketing win for WCCC to revert back to playing as Warwickshire Bears!

GerryShedd wrote:

BosworthBear wrote:

I always feel a bit alienated in T20 due to the Birmingham Bears shambles.

But delicious to hear Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton, Shan Masood, Sam Hain and Steven Finn all refer to a great “Warwickshire” victory.

Surely now is the time to correct the historic wrong and play as Warwickshire again? Such an easy win for the Club! That’s our name, our identity and our heritage!

Although it's only a halfway house, it does seem that the Club has dropped the Birmingham title and just refers now to The Bears. Maybe the Warwickshire name will creep back in.

They definitely seem to be referred to as “the Bears” in Club communications and CEO confirms this. Maybe due to Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred.

However the formal name still comes up as Birmingham so that’s still the listing on Sky etc

I can’t think of another team in world sport which doesn’t play under its own name!

I always feel a bit alienated in T20 due to the Birmingham Bears shambles.

But delicious to hear Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton, Shan Masood, Sam Hain and Steven Finn all refer to a great “Warwickshire” victory.

Surely now is the time to correct the historic wrong and play as Warwickshire again? Such an easy win for the Club! That’s our name, our identity and our heritage!

There's a little bit here:

https://edgbaston.com/news/bears-in-the-ashes-mjk-smith/

It was pioneering at the time and led to the redevelopment of Edgbaston. Manchester United were so impressed they copied it to develop Old Trafford.

mad wrote:

The Warwick pool that kept Essex or was it Surrey? afloat in the 1970's? Or helped rebuild crumbling Oval or Chelmsford at that time?

Essex and Chelmsford. Trevor Bailey always expressed gratitude.

I think it was more complaints about the four West Indians and signing Willis etc at a time when Counties were expected to produce their own players.

paulbear wrote:

Reabank wrote:

Great result, made my day. Don't know who was responsible but (4 games in) looks like we made some really shrewd decisions over the winter. As for negative views of Warwickshire, seems to come with the territory - every time we've won the title in my life time it's been met with a mixture of backhanded compliments and downright whinging. Makes it all the sweeter when we come through.
I agree, there are always negative comments when we win anything, in 2004 we got a lot of comments because we won only 5 games. We did draw 11 but lost none and by July, it was obvious that a side who would go on to have a lowest score of 265 in the CC were not going to lose any games and during July we were so many points ahead of 2nd, that all we had to do was keep accumulating points. No other side had the nerve to declare too many behind and try to encourage us to set up a finish so what were we to do. In 1995, Mike Brearley said our pitches were green-tops prepared for our bowlers. If your first 3 bowlers are Donald, Small and Munton, you are going to win a few games and it doesn't explain how we played 2 spinners every game, any 2 from Smith, Davis and Giles. And in 2021 we got all the "They only won because it was a different format and Essex and Notts had better records" - Tough, all the counties knew the score from ball 1 and if they didn't play well enough to get in to the top tier and carry forward any points, then that is their hard luck. We have won more trophies during the modern era and if you take any block of a 5 year period going back to the mid-90's we are in the top 3 of trophy winners in EVERY period, I suppose the other counties think this is all a fluke as well. Happy Bank Holiday everyone.

Before my time but even in 72 we were accused of buying the title (after the success of the Warwick Pools) and called the United Nations because we had so many overseas players.

Meanwhile Henry Brookes has 5-8

Hope I am wrong but this squad doesn't look great at all.

Resting Ali suggests we aren't confident at all.

He was a wonderful appointment. Absolutely first class!

Doesn't look that different to what they showed before. Presumably just an attempt to get central government money.

It's not great that they are calling the County Ground, Edgbaston as Edgbaston Stadium and that they acknowledge Birmingham but not the rest of the County.

Bit worrying they see members are one of a range of stakeholders rather than literally the only stakeholder.

Of course paid employees can advise but the Board is answerable to the owners of the Club - the members.

Also worrying they seem to be trying to dilute membership by allowing Hundred ticket holders full membership rights.

It's Warwickshire County Cricket Club!

Cant see any point in shutting up shop at any point.

Best thing that could happen is a few sixes.

Provided we bowl Hamps out first innings which we should.