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

In the squad for first Test v India, along with Chris Woakes.

In The Cricketer, George Dobell attempts to explain the Isaac Mohammed move.
He says that the Ali family offered Warwickshire first refusal on Isaac but there was no contract on the table whereas Worcestershire gave him a rookie deal to be followed, in November, by a full three year contract.
George stresses that the Club's relationship with the family is "far better than it used to be." But he says that Warwickshire are failing to utilise a resource on their doorstep - the Ali family's MA Academy,

Chris Woakes is in the squad for the England Lions match v India on Friday but Dan Mousley isn't.

The Cricketer has pointed out that from the beginning of June, players in the last year of their contract can talk to other counties.
They have mentioned:
"Among those nearing the end of their contracts are Gloucestershire and England Lions seamers Ajeet Singh Dale and Zaman Akhter, both of whom are understood by The Cricketer to have interested suitors beyond Bristol should they choose to move on, while Kent pair Tawanda Muyeye and Nathan Gilchrist are also likely to be in demand should they opt not to remain at Canterbury.
Kasey Aldridge, the Somerset allrounder and another who has represented England Lions, is currently on loan at Durham for the T20 Blast and is expected to have plenty of takers should his future lie beyond Taunton. It is also anticipated that Shoaib Bashir will move on from Somerset."

Cricket Archive are now crediting Dan Mousley with a first-class hundred so have changed their mind about the status of his latest match.

Another excellent podcast:
https://www.reportsfromarbroath.com/podcasts/alan-donald

Andy wrote:

Did he play for Worcestershire on loan?

Yes.

Warwickshire are mentioned in this article about where Bashir may go - " While no approach has yet been made, Surrey - where Bashir played his age-group cricket - could be a potential suitor, as could Warwickshire and Worcestershire."
Personally, I think it's unlikely; but who knows?
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/shoaib-bashir-set-to-leave-somerset-when-contract-expires-1488763

Ian Westwood, looking a bit downbeat, reflects on the losses and, and one point, says:
"We need to find our formula", which is quite a revealing comment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lui6iZkXpPQ

sdobbs wrote:

Andy wrote:

Genuinely the bowling line up here is probably better than what we sent out the weekend just gone.
Agreed
I agree, though it looks as though Bamber did a Sylvester - 20 runs off his first over.

Cricket Archive seem to be out of line on this. The ACS (Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians) are on the case.
There are probably a few bowlers playing in the match who would quite like their figures not to be added to their first-class record.

Congratulations to Dan, though apparently, Cricket Archive are saying that the match is not first class (but others are saying that it is - the jury is out and the world holds its breath).

I hear hollow Pears laughter at the thought of anyone from Warwickshire complaining about poaching of players.
I agree that there needs to be some serious soul searching within the Club about this. There could be a whole story that we don't know; but a player of such promise shouldn't have been lost.

I think all options need to be on the table, including giving Latham the gloves. But I don't think we should write him off as a T20 batter - a T20 career average of 28.5 and a strike rate of 129.5 puts him at least on a par with (for example) Alex Davies and Moeen Ali.