Bald_Reynard wrote:

Very interesting, we're opening the Second Innings with Briggs and Rhodes ! I wonder if there's a reason, like injury to Yates or Malan, or it's an experiment with someone who might fill that bill. Briggs is a decent bat (though as far as I know, never been that high up the order !) - and perhaps management might feel he could do the job long term (and possibly thinking that he can't justify being in the side simply as a spinner at the moment, given how little wickets help him at this time of the season !) ?

I assumed that he was a nightwatchman, sent out to face the one over last night - but I could be wrong.

Weather prospects look pretty grim for today.

Solbear wrote:

I wonder what's happened to van Vollenhoven - he did pretty well in the one game he played for us and I would have expected to see him back in the team.

A bit off piste but it doesn't look as if Josh Poysden is getting many outings with Yorkshire and I can't help wondering whether he really has much of a future there. Be disappointed if that was the case, always liked him when he was with us and hoped he'd go onto better things.

Yes, I really liked Josh Poysden both as a player and as a character. I interviewed him right at the start of his Bears career and was very impressed with his attitude and his commitment to his cricket. I just hope that he will get his chance in white ball cricket later this season, otherwise, as you say, his Yorkshire career may come to an end without ever really taking off.

Contract extension for Craig Miles:
https://edgbaston.com/news/fast-bowler-miles-signs-two-year-contract-extension/
He must have made some good progress because the season before last, his signing looked like a big mistake.

I leave it to others to comment on this:
https://edgbaston.com/news/lady-sanity-will-perform-at-the-hundred-this-summer-bringing-live-music-back-to-birmingham/

The first 10 minutes of this are interesting in relation to what Vihari was doing in England other than playing for Warwickshire:
https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/video/hanuma-vihari-on-covid-19-relief-group-wanted-to-make-good-use-of-social-media-presence-1803020-2021-05-15
The narrow view might be that he would have been better practising his forward defensive; but the wider view says "well done!"

It's being reported that the English IPL players won't be picked for the New Zealand Test series, so maybe Chris Woakes will get to play a few Bears matches.

It's not mentioned in the interview; but in the latest Wisden, I read that last year, during the pandemic, Rikki became an NHS volunteer, delivering shopping and medicine to the vulnerable.

It may be just a coincidence that the Club has posted an explanation; but I do think that the Club keeps an eye on views expressed here and may have felt the need to respond.

An interesting interview with Rikki Clarke here:
https://www.ecb.co.uk/video/2137296/county-conversations-episode-4-rikki-clarke?tagNames=LV=
He discusses his time at Warwickshire in the middle section of the interview and is generally very positive, especially about Jim Troughton, who he describes as the best captain he has played under, plus Ashley Giles and Graeme Welch. Also, he says that, before he went to Derbyshire, he was on the brink of joining Warwickshire but then Mark Greatbatch who had recruited him got sacked.

Whatever next? Who would be a bowler?
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/cricket-bat-bamboo-willow-b1844718.html

Yes, I mentioned in the Worcester thread that she was quite a lady. As well as meeting her from time to time at Edgbaston, I also saw her at a few away grounds - Headingley and Old Trafford spring to mind.
As George mentioned, she was in a way living on borrowed time for the last 20 years or so - and she certainly made good use of that time. The illness that finally claimed her is a particularly cruel one but I hope that she went peacefully in the end.

Yes, a nice report from George, paying tribute to Jane. He told me a week or so ago that she was very ill. She was a formidable lady and a true Bear. RIP.

I'm assuming that both sides will be accepting that it's going to be a draw today and are just playing for the points available - no declarations or joke bowling to set up a target as in the "good" old days.

My take on the day was that honours were even:
https://deepextracover.com/2021/05/honours-even-after-day-one-at-edgbaston/

I didn't think tomorrow's forecast was too bad but Saturday looks dire. My money is on a draw.

Apparently he's out of quarantine - but also out of practice! Even so, he is likely to be in the squad for this week's match v Worcestershire.

What seems really daft is that he won't be able to leave his hotel to train or compete during quarantine, which he would be allowed to do if he was going to play in the T20 Blast or if he was competing in other sports events like the World Ping Pong Championships.

Interesting that Andy Umeed is getting a chance with Worcestershire:
https://wccc.co.uk/andy-umeed-named-in-seconds-squad-for-barnt-green-encounter/
He undoubtedly has some talent though that hundred against Lancashire during the ill-fated day-night match was exceptionally boring. Anyway, good luck to him, though it looks like he may be spending a fair time waiting for play to begin.

Streetly_Bear wrote:

Well, it’s a new day and a new opportunity.

We have shown a lot of character over the past couple of matches so I am hoping to see the same today. It’s not going to be straightforward as the weather looks mixed in Durham today.

If we can bowl them out today with a lead not too excessive that would be a good effort. There is a lot of time left in this match, we need to keep our heads up.

I admire your optimism. I hope it is justified but I fear that for it to happen, we would need to see not just clouds but pigs flying over the Riverside.