GerryShedd
Super Moderator
Surrey, Middlesex, Yorkshire, Somerset, Kent, Derbyshire and Essex have said they are uncomfortable with a cut in the number of Championship fixtures. Gloucestershire are prepared to accept a cut but do not like the current suggestion of a bottom division of just six teams.
That leaves those wanting a cut well short of the two-thirds majority required to make a change.
A bit of a rant by George Dobell in The Cricketer, arguing that Jacob should be back with Warwickshire scoring runs in county matches which at the moment would benefit his career much more than playing one-day cricket for England.
Yes, sad that he has never quite fulfilled his potential.
To be fair to OH-D, he has to represent the views of his members, who not surprisingly have voted for less work for the same money.
Not sure why there is nothing about this on the Club website or anywhere in UK based publications:
https://www.nation.com.pk/01-Sep-2025/warwickshire-and-lahore-qalandars-announce-long-term-global-venture
As a total aside from the discussion about Warwickshire's out-grounds, I was sad to read about the demise of the St Helen's ground in Swansea.
Today is the 57th anniversary of Sir Garfield Sobers hitting six sixes in an over there– and the last day that a cricket match will be played on the historic ground.
paulbear wrote:
Freddie Calthorpe, he was captain and a decent allrounder, distantly related to Henry Blofeld.
Freddie Calthorpe guarantees that Jacob Bethell won't be the luckiest Warwickshire player ever to captain England - he was captain on a tour to West Indies in 1929/30 when, in one Test, England had a first innings lead of 563 and Freddie decided not to enforce the follow on. Then it rained and the tour party had to catch the boat home. Freddie took just one Test wicket and with the bat averaged 18 in his four Tests.
Apparently, plans to sell the Kenilworth Wardens ground for housing have been shelved and the Club plans to focus on improving the existing facilities.
It's many years since I played there so I don't have a clear memory of it other than it was a nice ground to play on.
In the latest edition of The Cricketer, Richard Gibson reports that:
"Warwickshire continue to discuss the potential for developing a second ground in the county to relieve some of the pressure on the square at Edgbaston. Pickwick CC in neighbouring Moseley has been mooted as it would mean keeping cricket in the Birmingham suburbs, maintaining accessibility for supporters."
I'm sure I don't need to point out the conflict between "in the county" and "in the Birmingham suburbs".
As is so often the case, members and supporters don't seem to have been consulted. Has the Members' Committee discussed this?
Further developments - The Cricketer reports:
"Plans circulated by the ECB suggest that, if the counties agree to a cut in the number of County Championship games, they will effectively be compensated by an increase in the number of games in the 50-over competition. At present, each county is guaranteed to host four ODC matches with scope for further games if sides achieve a home quarter or semi-final. For counties which do not host Hundred games, this can result in as few as four days of cricket at their grounds in August.
The new plans would guarantee each team a minimum of five home games. This would see the counties split into three groups of six and playing the other five in their group home and away."
Not bribery by the ECB, of course.
As Warwickshire's oldest member said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
George Dobell in The Cricketer reports that:
" it seems probable - though not certain - that the counties will vote on a proposal which would see the Championship schedule cut to 12 or 13 games (six teams contesting promotion, relegation and the championship title would play 13 matches) in the coming days. If that proposal is rejected, the schedule will remain as it is now with 14 matches per team per season."
The reprieve that we gave them hasn’t done Middlesex much good - beaten by Hampshire today.
If he's not already on his way from New Zealand, I guess he'll have to leave right now.
He's signed a contract extension:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c5ypj4wjkz7o
Taz Ali is equal top wicket-taker with 18 wickets in the One Day Cup at the end of the group stages
Not sure how well Nathan's loan to Middlesex has gone. On the one hand, he's been part of a side that has reached the quarter finals. On the other, in four games he has averaged 1.5 with the bat and 103.5 with the ball. A pity it's not the other way round.
As an aside, Worcestershire are only charging £10 for semi-final tickets for Sunday - has to be a good deal.