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GerryShedd

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From The Cricketer:

"Fans of the County Championship are set to be disappointed by the look of next year's schedule, meanwhile. There will not be many four-day matches in the heart of summer again.
The problem is that the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA takes up all but three days of June.
Therefore schedulers are planning to sandwich the Blast either side of The Hundred. In a switch from this year's model of playing the entire tournament in an eight-week block, the Blast group stage will be played before The Hundred begins, with the quarter-finals (probably) and Finals Day (definitely) returning to September.
The One-Day Cup will again be played alongside The Hundred, with the final at Trent Bridge on either September 7 or 28. This year there were two Championship rounds in June, and three in July, a distinct improvement on previous years. Red-ball fans will pray 2025 sees a return to that."

When I arrived at Edgbaston yesterday with my daughter, I had no idea of the surprise that she and the Club were going to spring on me!
https://edgbaston.com/news/80th-birthday-surprise-for-lifelong-bears-fan/
As well as Will Rhodes, I got birthday wishes from the legendary OH-D and also Mark Robinson.
Many thanks to Brigg Ford for making it happen.

Here's an opportunity to air all the moans that have been expressed on here - and maybe even listen to what the Chief Executive has to say:
https://edgbaston.com/news/stuart-cain-to-host-members-forum-during-northants-fixture/

Mr Robinson has his say about this fixture:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66660069
And we learn:: "Robinson hopes Chris Rushworth (hamstring) will prove his fitness but expects to be without Alex Davies in addition to Hasan Ali while Liam Norwell is unlikely to return this season."

My colleague Graham Smith has produced a comprehensive preview of prospects for the Metro Bank One Day Cup:
https://deepextracover.com/2023/07/preview-of-the-metro-bank-one-day-cup/

Interesting that Somerset are fielding almost a second team against Hampshire while their T20 team played a practice match yesterday to prepare for Finals Day - and it looks like they might win the 4 day game.

The signing of Dominic Drakes has caused me to wonder how many fathers and sons have played for Warwickshire.
I can think of the Smiths (Mike and Neil), the Maddys and, from further back, the Santalls and the Quaifes. I'm probably missing a few more so feel free to remind me!
In 1922, Willie Quaife and son Bernard played for Warwickshire at Derby while Billy Bestwick and son Robert represented the hosts.

That wasn't a name that I had expected but it may be a good signing:
https://edgbaston.com/news/bears-sign-dominic-drakes-for-blast-run-in/
A pity that they haven't quite spelt his dad's first name correctly - should surely be "Vasbert".

He comes in for a two week loan period because Danny Briggs has a hamstring injury. This presumably means that he is available for the remaining T20 Group games.

This book should be an interesting read:
https://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/last-corinthian
And a happy 90th birthday to him at the end of June!

Chris Woakes available for the next three matches is good news:
https://edgbaston.com/fixtures/first-xi/durham-vs-bears-20-june-2023/

Overall, added to Hasan Ali leaving, it's not good news:
https://edgbaston.com/news/injury-update-ahead-of-blast-r/