Well, well, well - the return of Mr. Norwell - 4-21.

Barnard four overs for 67 runs and out for 0 - not exactly making a case for promotion to the full Bears team.

KingofSpain wrote:

A few observations on yesterday's game:

The batting is obviously a concern.
The fielding is sharp.
Davies captain's really well in this format.
Garton. The jury's out but he could be a game changer once he finds his rhythm and has a few shots in his locker.
Mousely needs to find some consistency with the bat.
Benjamin is a liability currently.
Get rid of that awful stadium announcer screeching "bring the noise" every ten minutes. Bring back Becky Wood.

The announcer asked us to indulge in what she called the Vitality clap. Apparently it's not, as I first thought, an unpleasant disease.

I think the sales would have been at the lower end of expectations.
There were lots of empty seats in the Wyatt stand so I'm very surprised if it showed limited availability on-line.

The screechy voiced announcer says:
"Come on, you bearsfans, who wants a "Sack Benjamin" t-shirt? Let's hear you. Like me, you're here to make a lot of noise, not to enjoy the cricket. Let's hear your chants of "We want Burgess" and "Where's Barnard?" And how about a loud "You bearsfans!!!!"

PS - her next door neighbours say: "Don't sack her. It's so peaceful here when she's away at the cricket."
PPS - gerryshedd would like to make clear that the above post is not sexist in any way. He would be equally sarcastic about a male announcer with a high pitched, screechy voice.

If I'm reading correctly on here, we have a pace attack who are all crock, one player who is a complete passenger, another who can field but otherwise doesn't deserve a place and we have the wrong wicket keeper. And all but two of the batters play too many stupid shots.
How on earth will we ever manage to win a game?

You could be right!
Just parked my car next to two blokes who are putting on nun’s clothes. Either they are going to the cricket or there’s something very dodgy going on.

With the Bears having had to travel back from Durham late last night, it's a bit like the bride turning up late and hung over for her wedding after a night out with the best man.

Daft, isn’t it?

Yes, sorry to hear that.

Durham will be looking to bounce back from the beating they took last night.

With the start of the Blast imminent, I have to say that what I wrote back last November is still my opinion - having a day that launches the tournament after it has started is daft; and I pity those Bears finishing at Durham late on Friday evening and then having to play again at Edgbaston the following afternoon.

I think Michael Rae is on an open-ended contract, depending on when others become fit.
It's irrelevant now; but I was annoyed at the end of day two when Lintott took a wicket with the first ball of what was scheduled as the last over of the day. There were still ten minutes left before the scheduled finish time of 7.00 but the umpires called close of play. I understand why they do that when the finishing time has passed or is just a minute or so away; but surely Lintott was entitled to get five balls at the new batter. Or maybe the umpires know the regulations better than I do.

I don’t know the answer. I was relying on the collective wisdom.

Great effort from Alex Davies. Who was the last man to carry his bat for the Bears?

Amused that one of the prizes in the Lancashire raffle at Old Trafford today is a signed Alex Davies montage.

I think we could do with a more general update from the Club re missing and/or injured players and when they are or are likely to be available. Maybe it will be included with the squad announcement which I assume we will get tomorrow.

Good news about Hasan Ali.

Che and Rae reflect:
https://edgbaston.com/news/che-and-rae-reflect-on-wicket-taking-debuts/

Regarding the batting in the second innings against Essex, I reckon at least five were out to "why did he do that?" shots - Davies, Mousley, Burgess, Bethell and Simmons. Barnard was unlucky to be caught down the leg side and the rest were out to reasonable deliveries.
Harmer is in a class of his own as a spinner in UK domestic cricket but an ordinary spinner like Matt Critchley getting 4-24 is a bit of a joke.