Highveld
Member
Live scores etc link https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m10a69d7a-a16e-455e-ab01-851d48af42e6
Good to see Kai Smith is back in the side.
If you look at the set up at Cheltenham, where about 1/3rd of the boundary is given over to marquees, which will need a kitchen, cooks and waiting staff, as well as the additional stewarding costs, plus the cost of transporting the stewards from Bristol each day my figure would be pretty accurate.
Corporate sponsors will not spend their money for a hard seat and a dodgy burger.
We all have differing views on the subject, I have no doubt that a lot of the logistical issues could be resolved if a comercial sponsor from Warwick, Coventry, Nuneaton or Stratford offered to underwrite the extensive costs involved.
This article lists all the outgrounds used by Warwickshire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Warwickshire_County_Cricket_Club_grounds
Yes Weddington Road did host first class cricket, about 110 years ago so hardly relevent to a discussion of viable sites to use now.
Without a significant commercial sponsor, ideally with a multi year contractual commitment, there is not a viable option for using an outground in the county.
Tazim definately bowls with a leg spinners action, and bowls a googly and top spinner as well as the leg break.
He's a good polite kid that seems to work hard on his game. He is definately a good prospect, but not sure if he's ready for regular county first team cricket now. He'd benefit from a full season of 4 day second team games and working with a good specialist spin coach. Today he was probably pushing the ball through to reduce the change of been hit.
Also, I think he's the first player from the Attock club to play List A cricket
Some of you may want to try visiting this link and testing your judgement on LBW decisions
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cricket-umpire-lbw-game-tg06rcv7s
I don't know how many times it has to be stated, but Nuneaton cricket club is barely adequate for the top division of the Warwickshire league, the facilities are non existant.
Have you ever visited that ground?
Having just spent 3 days at Rugby School, I can confirm it is a wonderful venue, with an excelelnt wicket and outfield, but there are absolutely zero facilities for spectators, no seating, no catering, no parking and no toilets. All would have to be imported at great cost, remembering that playing at an outground means that our main facility will be sitting idle, but still incurring costs for the club. Also, as a business, Rugby School will make a better financial and reputational return on hosting 2 weeks of junior cricket festivals, which also allows it to hire out other parts of its sports and learning facilities than it would from having the site closed for a week to prepare for a one day county game.
With all the extra costs involved, I'd estimate that it would cost well over £100,000 to convert any of the suggested outgrounds into acceptable locations for a List A of championship game.
The ground at Berkswell is a public park, with a poor pavillion, and a car park that is barely adequate for the demands of a club game.
I am not against having a game on an outground, but I am realistic about the financial and logistical realities of outground cricket.
I've umpired him several times over the last few seasons. He's good, not not sure if he's county first team good at this stage. He's 17 now and playing for Smethwick.
If he was available Jacob Bethel would strengthen the side, and it would be better for his development than his not playing in the unwanted competition.
Having spent today umpiring the first day of a Junior county festival at Rugby School today, It's fair to say that while it is a lovely ground, that is exceptionally presented and maintained, and has a very good wicket. the facilities at the ground are not up to what is needed for Professional cricket without massive expenditure on seat, toilet facilities, catering and sheleter. there is also the question of where to park cars for spectators, staff and officials.
todays event, with only families of the young players parking, plus officials and coaches etc totally filled all the available parking areas, there is no way the ground could cope with the numbers needed for a financially successful county game.
Interestingly today I spoke to an ex Warwickshire captain, a former Warwicks wicketkeeper and the grandson of a 1970's Warwickshire bowler.
The on field officials having seen the catch live decided it was a fair catch. That is not going to change, the blurry, out of focus image does not provide clear evidence that the umpires made a mistake.
Rugby school would need to have seating, toilets, catering and media facilities all hired. Obviously at great expense. The pavillion would, just about, be adequate for players facilities, but it would not provide any facilities whatsoever for spectators
Sadly there is not a ground in Warwickshire that would be viable to use, unless a very large sponsor was willing to cover all of the additional costs in staging the game away from Edgbaston.
As mentioned in the other thread, the ground at Stratford is not fit for county cricket, after several major floods the outfield resembles a ploughed field.
postponed till 2024 or 25 he's aiming to exceed Boyd Rankin's percentage of days unavailable during his contract period!
Of course, all those advocating the use of outgrounds will be taking the short drive down to South Wales to support the use of an outground!
From checking on Google maps, it looks like the ground has very limited parking, even for a club game without spectators, and very little shelter or seating.
He was a free agent at the end of the season, Worcestershire made a better offer.
He'll be working under coaches that he worked with as a junior, so they will beleive in his ability.
Outground cricket can be wonderful, but the question is will the income generated from playing at an outground even cover the costs of staging the game.
Remember we have one of the best grounds in the country, that has fixed operating costs even if it is not used. Is it financially sensible to use a ground elsewhere, with all the additional costs involved, if that involves the club making a significant financial loss?
It was a game in the U18's chmpionship, the Worcestershire report is here
ECB regulations state that games should be played within the county, or at a venue with established links.
Kidderminster and Stourbridge are both in Worcestershire, so are not viable options, likewise I can't see Derbyshire agreeing to Warwickshire use their ground in Derby.
The only ground in Worcestershire that Warwickshire could legitimately use would be Barnt Green, which is a wonderful club ground, one of my favourites, and has an excellent wicket, however it does not have the facilities needed to host a first class or list A game.
It is a decision based on the financial realities of hosting a game at a club ground. It costs a lot more to host a game on an outground, as addiditional temporary facilities and equipment will need to be hired.
It would be totally illogical to host a game elsewhere when the result would be a significant financial loss.
For the record, the last first class game at Grif and Coton was 35 years ago, and the last multi day 2nd team game 25 years ago.
Nuneaton CC is barely adequate in terms of facilities for club cricket, so is not sutable for first class or list A games.
The outfield at Stratford is very rutted and undulating so is not suitable. Also where do the spectators park?
The groundsman has changed at Cov & Nw and the pitches are currently very slow and have variable bounce.
Rugby School has no spectator facilities and the ground at Kenilworth CC is too small and they do not even hold county age group games.
The ECB have recently introduced new regulations about the quality of grounds and the facilies on the ground, including the size of changing and media areas,
Sadly, without massive costs, and local authority agreement, there is not currently a suitable club, or school, ground in the county.
I enjoy outground cricket, and have been to about 15 grounds over the years, however times and requirements change.