The ECB, no doubt influenced by the dismal cricket played at Durham, are conducting a review of the future of the game - one of those reviews where the result is known in advance - i.e. the number of four day games will reduce from 14 to 12.

Sky says:
"Discussions with the Professional Game Committee, a county-led body, the Professional Cricketers' Association, supporters, and commercial partners will take place over the next eight to 12 weeks in the hope of finding a solution that appeals."

If anyone spots how the ECB are planning to hold discussions with supporters, I would be interested to find out.

The latest bulletin from the Association of Cricket Statisticians & Historians confirms, in their usual racy style that:
"K Smith and MG Booth set a FC partnership record for Warwickshire v Durham by adding 115 for the 7th wicket, beating the 103 set by R Clarke and KHD Barker at Birmingham in 2015.
EG Barnard and K Smith set a FC partnership record for Warwickshire v Durham by adding 147 for the 6th wicket, beating the 132 set by DR Brown and NMK Smith at Birmingham in 1998."

Cricinfo report headline:
"Barnard builds the castle"
Do you see what they did there?

Yes, agreed about the commentary. They obviously loved their cricket and were very even-handed in their comments.

Well done to Ethan Bamber! Finishing with a six!

5000 watching on the live stream. A great game of cricket whoever wins.

It's the hope that kills us.

Anyone know any good rain dances?

I think that over 300 may be a daunting task tomorrow.
Maybe we can take slight comfort from the fact that Worcestershire have lost by an embarrassing 504 runs. It is starting to look like a question of who will go down with them.

Well we do have Latham to come and maybe a little bit of Bethell.

I agree that, although the match situation after two days is not all that great, we should take some comfort from the batting of Kai Smith and Michael Booth plus Taz Ali's bowling. It's the established players who've fallen short - combined bowling figures of 3-217 from Fernando, Bamber and Barnard plus, with the bat, Davies, Hain, Mousley and Barnard not making a fifty between them. That can all change in the second innings, of course. Plenty of cricket still to be played over the next two days.

....and news of the Durham squad:
https://www.durhamcricket.co.uk/news-and-media/14-in-contention-for-home-opener-against-warwickshire/

Just Simmons added to the eleven that played against Sussex. Lintott and Briggs not in the squad.

I think it's right that Hasan Ali isn't due until the end of May. But the good news is that he has been playing again in March for the first time in a year so presumably his elbow injury is healed. And he has been very successful - in four T20 matches for Sialkot, he has taken 13 wickets for just 135 runs.

Mr Sylvester (senior) may have had a bicycle.

By contrast, fantastic match at Lord’s.

Jack Carson could be the key bowler tomorrow and he says:
“It's quite a flat wicket but there is a little bit of rough offering some spin and bite. "

Meanwhile, at Taunton, there was a triple century for the Bear that got away.

Here's my day two report:
https://deepextracover.com/2025/04/rothesay-count-championship-division-one/

He is not available until 29 May and then only if he has recovered from his elbow injury.