GerryShedd
Super Moderator
A quick return to action today.
I will be interested to see the crowd size today compared with last Saturday when there was a really good crowd. I'm all in favour of encouraging women's cricket and back-to-back women's and men's games seems like a good idea. But whether playing a Bears match on a Saturday evening rather than in the afternoon will work is another matter.
I'm probably biased because I don't want to face an almost two hour journey home late at night so am put off attending.
I agree with most of what has been said.
Although Derbyshire aren't the best team in the Group, I think that Mickey Arthur has done a good job there in creating a team where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts so it's no disgrace to lose to them - but let's not get into the habit!
Useful to the Bears' chances that the multi-talented Lancs side lost again last night.
Moeen in the squad so will presumably play and captain the side:
https://edgbaston.com/fixtures/first-xi/derbyshire-falcons-vs-bears-2-june-2023/#match-match-previews
Averages here:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/vitality-blast-2023-15160?team=1479
Sam Hain averages 204. One day, if he works hard at his game, he might just be good enough to play for England.
It's a bit sad now reading the interview with him where he says: "It is an amazing feeling to be back in England colours and I am ready to give it my all,"
Every time I have a pessimistic thought about the Bears, I put a £1 coin in a jar.
It's currently half empty.
I know that he's the man that we love to hate on here; but I have to say about Alex Davies that:
- he kept wicket well
- he made some excellent bowling changes and sticking with the spinners even though the ball wasn't turning too much was a master-stroke
- he batted really well
BristolBear wrote:
I might just be a sceptic, but as fantastic as that was. It terrifies me for later in the competition.
Especially when they get Salt, Gleeson and Butler back in.Just hope this isn’t a peak too early sort of season (again).
One of the great things about this site is the range of opinions expressed; and I realise that few people would mistake the average Bears fan for a ray of sunshine. But this is a very pessimistic view.
Whilst I agree that we have a decent chance of getting to Finals Day, the reality is that we have so far beaten two of the weaker teams in the Group in Yorkshire (played three, lost three) and Leicestershire (played two, lost two).
Tomorrow will be a big test.
Here's a preview from the Lancashire perspective, though they have some nice things to say about Sam Hain:
https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk/news/2023-news/match-preview-birmingham-bears-vs-lancashire-lightning/
The answer is Gary Wilson, who played a first class match for Ireland against UAE in the Intercontinental Cup on 2-5 June 2015, which ended when UAE were bowled out after four balls on the fourth morning. Wilson kept wicket in that innings.
He then flew to London where he played for Surrey v Essex in the T20 blast, making a fifth ball duck!
Incidentally, Stirling scored a hundred for Ireland against Essex today.
All wrong, I'm afraid.
Unless someone comes up with the right answer, I'll put you out of your misery a bit later.
Regarding Paul Stirling being on the team sheet of two matches on the same day (Ireland v Essex and Bears v Foxes), I thought this would be unique. But someone has pointed out that another Irish player managed the same feat - and unlike Stirling, he actually got on the field in both matches, which were in separate countries!
Anyone want to hazard a guess as to who it was?
That was a pretty good win overall, with Maxwell looking like a great signing and Sam Hain and Danny Briggs each doing what they do so well.
Henry Brookes had a horror match both with his bowling and his fielding - difficult to understand the change from the Yorkshire game other than to say "that's cricket".
Bizarrely, Paul Stirling is playing for Ireland at Chelmsford and also for the Bears. He didn't take the field today for Ireland but will presumably be there tomorrow to bat.
Me too!
Sometimes I wish it wasn't.
Tim Bresnan fined £4,000 plus given a three match suspension in the unlikely event that he plays again.