Even Ed Barnard sometimes slips up - a poor last over, showing how difficult it is to bowl yorkers under pressure.

There's an article in The Telegraph today that is both informative and very moving. It's here if you can get behind the paywall:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2025/06/14/cricket-leaving-working-class-white-kids-behind/?WT.mc_id=e_DM607650&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_PrS_New&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Edi_PrS_New20250614&utm_campaign=DM607650
It homes in on the story of James Minto, Durham's youngest player who, aged just 17, is his family's breadwinner after his mother's death.
On a broader perspective, it points out that:
"Last year’s announcement by Rishi Sunak of £35 million to fund state school and grass-roots cricket has not materialised under the Labour Government. It would have paid for inner-city cricket hubs but has disappeared into a spending review black hole."

I haven't seen any reports on Gleeson since it was said that he limped from the (IPL) field with a suspected hamstring injury. Hamstrings can take an age to heal, especially if you are not in your cricketing prime.

I said that "it will be interesting to hear what Warwickshire (and other counties) have to say about how they will consult their members" about the proposals.
In his Chief Executive's letter to members, Mr Cain says:
"We have set up a Member’s Committee meeting to discuss on Monday 16 June. From there, we would like to have a wider Member’s discussion during lunch at the Somerset County Championship game on Monday 23 June."
So let's hope there is a good turn out of members on that Monday.

KingofSpain wrote:

Called up by England under 19s. No young Bears in the squad, which is an indictment of our academy/pathway programme.

https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/4283424/thomas-rew-to-captain-england-men-u19s-in-odis-against-india-u19s

Before there's any more rubbishing of the academy programme (the one through which Isaac Mohammed progressed), it may be worth reminding ourselves that, this time last year, Hamza Shaikh, Tazeem Ali and Theo Wylie were all selected for England Under-19s and Hamza Shaikh captained them and scored a century against Sri Lanka.
I fully agree with the criticism that the Club should not have allowed him to get away from us but that's a different issue.

BristolBear wrote:

What a bizarre innings by Yorkshire. 32 runs short but only 5 wickets down.
They were ahead of us in the powerplay and at the halfway stage for both runs and wickets.
Malan gets out and it was like the brakes slammed on.
Thought we bowled well second half, but they made us look very good with bat and ball in the last 5 overs of both innings.
Similar performance to Northants, the difference in outcome primarily down to the quality of the opposition.

Maybe we were very good in the last five overs of both innings - just saying!

An excellent win.

An excellent win.

Regarding the steering group charged with coming up with proposals, The Cricketer reports:
"No consensus has yet been reached on the options set to be put forward for the makeup of the new men's domestic schedule....The steering group leading the review was hoping to finalise a shortlist on Wednesday (June 11).
However, The Cricketer understands that consensus wasn't achieved on Wednesday, with it hoped that initial proposals will be finalised by Friday (June 13), before the second round of consultations begins on Tuesday (June 17)."

Regarding the lack of cricket in schools, it looks as though our old friend Mark Robinson is going to be doing his bit down in Sussex:
https://sussexcricket.co.uk/news/mark-robinson-appointed-state-school-technical-lead

George Dobell in The Cricketer reports that the steering group looking at proposals for the future shape of county cricket is close to finalising alternatives that will then be put to the counties.
He says:
"There is something close to consensus over the future shape of the limited-overs competitions. The Blast, for example, looks set to be reduced to 12 matches
It also seems highly likely that the One Day Cup will continue to be played at the same time as The Hundred.
There is more disagreement over the future shape of the Championship. Among the likely options on the shortlist is something very similar to the Bob Willis Trophy, featuring three conferences of six teams each, which would mean all 18 teams could win the title at the start of the season.
Another option, favoured by a significant number of counties, features two groups of six. Counties would play all teams in the opposite group home and away (meaning 12 games) before two semi-finals and a final.
The remaining six teams would only play each other, but, mitigating concerns they could be 'left behind', two of them could be promoted each year. This option could involve play-offs against the sides bottom of the other two groups.
The final option will retain a two-divisional structure involving promotion and relegation. It's yet to be agreed how many teams would be in each division. A top tier of seven, eight, 10 and 11 teams have all been discussed, though 10 seems the likely option at this time."

It will be interesting to hear what Warwickshire (and other counties) have to say about how they will consult their members.

paulbear wrote:

Well done Gerry on keeping your posts clean today. Much improvement.

To the pure, all things are pure.

Not seen any news but since it was reported as hamstring, I suspect it could be a while before he's fit.

Update - the wake will now be held at:
Drum & Monkey
177 Four Ashes Road
Dorridge
Solihull
B93 8ND

Ah yes, all those top shelf models.

It must just be your mind, LE! My thoughts are and always have been a model of purity and innocence.
I agree with the views expressed above..
Of course, Chance to Shine do some excellent work in bringing cricket to young people and get some support from the ECB but deserve more.

paulbear wrote:

Nothing I hear from administrators and rule-makers, make me feel any better than I did 10 years ago when some numpty at the ECB was saying that only 50+ people watch the CC then said that we shouldn't have CC at weekends because he wanted to see young people playing cricket not watching - So he said that the youngsters were not watching the CC but we should not have it at weekends because they should be playing in cricket clubs, probably the most stupid contradiction I have ever heard in my life. From then on, I lost face in the ECB. All they are interested in is the same old line about money. Money won't buy success in any sport or else Brazil and Argentina would never win 8 world cup in football, between them. The old line about "Investing in grass roots cricket is what we need...", well, you can have as much money as you like but you need youngsters to WANT to play and not playing it in schools is a massive problem so why not employ ex-players to take it into schools with free equipment paid for by all this money that is made from The Hundread that they say is being made. Also, get more of it on TV, one of the things that got me interested was one day switching on the TV and gradually becoming interested in what was in front of me. You cannot get a young person to become interested in something that they cannot see.

I seem to remember that when I was young, there were several things that I couldn't see that I was interested in - but that's a whole other story and nothing to do with cricket.

I see that Middlesex members are revolting!
https://www.cityam.com/middlesex-members-force-vote-on-county-championship-and-t20-blast/

paulbear wrote:

Please tell me that last comment was a joke. Pleeeeaaaase.

*Also why does it say I joined this site in 2021, it was 2010, not long after the CB40 Final.

The original Bearsfans site closed down so Exiled Bear (with some slight help from me) set up the new site in 2021, hence the date of joining.

Especially for Andy - and maybe not for SC_Bear:
https://www.reportsfromarbroath.com/podcasts/melinda-farrell-make-your-own-luck