GerryShedd wrote:

With the Bears having had to travel back from Durham late last night, it's a bit like the bride turning up late and hung over for her wedding after a night out with the best man.

There speaks a man from experience!!!!!!!!

Do you mean after the durum, durum it's now time to tie the Notts???????? Sorry

Briggs with a wicket maiden. I thought there might have been a change to the plan and let him bowl the next over as a result yet the quicks came back straight away. Couldn't believe how many times the openers played and missed but avoided getting an edge!! The word clinical was used a few posts back with regards our bowling - I thought we were clinical from first to lst ball - excellent.

Robbed again by the weather!!!

I'm inclined to agree - even if no further stoppages Lance would have to score at over 3 an over.

Inside-edge wrote:

If you get the chance make sure you watch the replay of Will Rhodes catch to get Nathan Lyon, it’s extraordinary.

Yes, extraordinary is the word!!

5 batsmen failed to get 30 runs. Just not good enough when Davies can manage it.

Sorry RayB we are going to have to agree to differ!! I take your point about not giving the oppo a lifeline when they are down. What gave them the lifeline was not the decision to not enforce the follow on, it was the dreadful batting performance in the second innings. I only saw two wickets fall - Davies and Barnard and both were truly wasteful.
Had we enforced the follow on and they got their heads down and built up a 200+ lead we could have been in a save the match situation on the 4th day. It was reasonable to assume on day three we would build a lead of over 400 and it would have been Essex having to pick themselves up to save the match.
All down to our second innings.

One question,though. Could things have been different if Briggs and/or Lintott been selected?

Not enforcing the follow on was, in my opinion, the right decision. We should then have batted them out the game a=by getting a lead well in excess of 400 with a day and half to getting the 10 2nd innings wickets.

Looked at the replays over and over and I am confinced Critchley was out

Superb performance - now let's bat them out of the game and declare around tea tomorrow

Gerry - brilliant timing

Right now who was saying or thinking we have not got a decent bowling attack and thought Essex would be tearing us apart?

I just hope the last 4 wickets don't let them escape.

Simple fact in pretty well all sport - the stars are paid far too much. The result of this is two fold. Clubs seek sponsorship/advertising to cover this cost and suddenly the sponsorship ceases and/or advertising reduces. The other is the cost of admission goes up to such an extent that the average supporter stays away leaving behind the prawn sandwich corporate attendees which again starts to reduce when companies feel the financial squeeze.
My local rugby club (purely amateur) has advised they can get tickets for England v All Blacks next November - cost £149 - others are over £100. Similar happenings in cricket. Football pays its players way too much and that bubble will eventually burst.
Until reality is applied to sport's wages bill things will just get worse.

paulbear wrote:

Just had a look at the Met Office forecast and Sunday looks to be be the worst as far as rain goes but the temperatures look awful as well. Anyone going, do not put away your big coats away yet, they could be needed.

Last sentence - replace could with will !!!!!!!!!!!!

Well the afternoon certainly brought a turn a round. Now let's finish 'em off after tea and get a valuable lead

Andy wrote:

Not exactly riveting stuff is it...

225/1 and they can just about manage 2.5 runs an over!!

I was being tongue firmly in cheek following comments over past year or two on this forum. It looks so far that being captain suits Davies - how many times in cricket does becoming captain affect a batsman's game. I know a swallow (or even 2) does not make a summer but this is a great start to the season.

If Davies and Yates aren't careful we will come to expect a century opening partnership every time. When the first wicket falls below a ton certain members will start moaning about the captain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BosworthBear wrote:

I've raised this a couple of times at AGMs and told them its an easy PR and marketing win. The present lot just grin which is an improvement on some of their predecessors.

They seemed to drop the B word as soon as Hundred was introduced.

One memory from last season was the tense game against Essex when the whole crowd was chanting "Warwickshire la la la" at the crucial stage of the match.

Has the crowd ever chanted "Birmingham la la la" ? I think at the end of the day it has been a useless piece of marketing that served no purpose.

Ended the day right on top. Will it stay dry enough to give us time to get 8 wickets?

A scoreline like that in a day reminds me of the Lara season (we forget the 2nd time!)