GerryShedd
Super Moderator
Middlesex, who recently had an SGM, say:
"The view of the Club’s Board, which is aligned to those of the members and other stakeholder groups, is to retain the current structure of the Rothesay County Championship and to maintain the current volume of four-day cricket played at fourteen matches, whilst recognising the need to reform the Vitality Blast to improve player welfare across the schedule."
Looking at the table, and seeing how bottom team Yorkshire beat top team Lancashire last week,it's clear that any team can, on their day, beat any other team.
At least Lancashire members are being given a vote, though I agree that if there is no option that preserves the County Championship, that is hardly a vote at all.
Yes,I've just spoken to a friend who is there. He has watched (and played) a lot of cricket but has never been to a Blast match before; and he couldn't believe the number of full tosses.
There can't have been too many other Blast innings when every bowler conceded more than 10 runs an over.
Losing will be bad enough; but unless they get close,the Bears' net run rate will suffer, which might be crucial in deciding qualification.
I was relying on what Wisden said. And as for crowds, I think as a ground Griff and Coton did ok. The highest crowd was 6,000 for a john Player game.
I think that Derek Randall's wickets represent one of the less acceptable features of three day cricket when captains would conspire to set up a finish by putting on "joke" bowlers to let batters get easy runs before a declaration and a target. That is undoubtedly what happened in this case - Randall bowled 13 overs for 103 runs and in the process took three wickets as the batters went for quick runs. In the event, it was all in vain as the match petered out into a draw.
There were some big stars in that game on both sides - Dennis Amiss, Richard Hadlee, Alvin Kallicharran, Clive Rice, Derek Randall etc. There were also a few also-rans that would struggle to get into the Bears side today - Robin Ian Henry Benbow Dyer, to name but five, plus Dean Hoffman and, on the Notts side, Callum Fraser-Darling
Those who were complaining about the below par total need to have a word with George Garton and put him right because he said: "We got up to a total that was a little bit above par."
Apparently, Craig Miles is set to re-join Gloucestershire - probably a good move for all concerned.
Wormsley - a beautiful ground,well worth a visit.
GerryShedd wrote:
The autobiographies are coming thick and fast:
https://fairfieldbooks.co.uk/shop/the-king-of-spain-and-i/?mc_cid=72dc2ebb94&mc_eid=2a0bc6389c
And he's signing the book:
"Former England star Ashley Giles will be here at Edgbaston on Tuesday 22 July during the Warwickshire v Worcestershire County Championship match.
Ashley, who played 54 Test Matches 62 One Day Internationals, will be signing copies of his autobiography 'The King of Spain and I' during lunch and tea in the Tom Dollery Lounge, where you can also purchase the book."
I think that LE has hit the nail on the head. We could shorten this whole discussion into the five words: "The Hundred messes things up."
Taz Ali also in the squad.
Glad to see that Adam Hose has made such a success of his move:
https://worcesterobserver.co.uk/sport/cricket-worcestershires-adam-hose-wins-pca-player-of-the-month-award/
To be fair, I recall that he was given quite a few red ball opportunities with the Bears and didn't really take advantage of them.
The autobiographies are coming thick and fast:
https://fairfieldbooks.co.uk/shop/the-king-of-spain-and-i/?mc_cid=72dc2ebb94&mc_eid=2a0bc6389c
Attendances have not been high - just a few hundred at the Somerset game.
Surrey are supporting the retention of a 14 match County Championship but will be voting for a reduction in T20 Blast games.
They say of the County Championship: "We have seen crowds double in just five years here at the Kia Oval and huge numbers of younger fans come through the gates and learn to love the format." That's not something that Warwickshire could say.
https://www.kiaoval.com/statement-on-the-domestic-schedule/
At Edgbaston on Tuesday, 19th August, 2.00pm, The Cricket Society are holding a meeting with Andy Moles. Andy will be signing copies of his new book and talking about his career.