First '50 over' game i've managed this season and have to say it was very entertaining!

Some very encouraging batting performances (Sibley aside and i've made my feelings clear on him already) but still concerning issues with the bowling.

For long periods we don't seem to be able to stem the flow of runs or have real plans of attack (applies in all three comps). The crucial wicket was Patterson-White, which resulted from bowling to a plan: wide outside off stump to the bigger boundary. As a Notts fan I would be fuming with him though - absolutely no need to try and hit a six at that point and he'd massively got away with it the ball before. I think Notts win if he doesn't play that shot.

I'd have Sheikh in (good catch under pressure towards the end) for Sibley next game, push Smith up the order, and possibly rotate E Brookes out. Is Miles available or in The Hundred? I'd give Johal another go if the latter.

It's been mentioned before but the big issue seems to be coaching of the bowling - young bowlers stagnating/regressing and senior bowlers underperforming compared to last year. The only bowler having a better season than last is OHD, who was excellent again yesterday.

Exiled Bear wrote:

Why is Pandya not bowling?

Injured himself batting

Great selection with Sibley again. Surely Shaikh has to play next game.

Rhodes 14 off 40 is a very poor return. I think this is a 300 bat first pitch. Hope to be proved wrong

Perhaps! And he's just got his second fifty in 22 so maybe i'll be made to eat my words.

Would love Yates to go on and get a hundred.

The third player who you would probably put in the same category is Lamb who can hopefully also recover earlier season form.

There is absolutely no way this is sustainable, no. And as it stands the obvious format to disappear is the 50 over (both at county and international).

I agree that would be a shame, and also an issue as The Hundred will not be sustainable as a format alongside T20 - it's too similar. I can't see how they can both run concurrently for a long period.

I'm disappointed that Sibley has been picked. He's leaving at the end of the season anyway and we know his white ball game isn't the best. Commentator just said one century in 22 games and no other scores above fifty.

What's the point when we have so many potential younger options? Really feel we've wasted a lot of the young talent this season.

Edit - didn't realise Mousley had been picked for The Hundred and thought we had just not selected him so maybe not as many options as I thought! But I'd have probably still picked another young bowler (Johal) as there are enough batsmen in this lineup.

I dread to think too. Our batting this season didn't really start off too great, and hasn't got any better at any point. Relied on one man performances in each innings where we've scored okay.

Highveld wrote:

Yet another poor performance by Davies, it must be wonderful to know you'll be selected for everygame regardless of how badly you perform.

Can only assume he's been given a decent contract and they feel like they can't not pick him as a result. Looking like a very poor piece of business so far.

Remarkable from OHD - I don't remember a Warwickshire bowler getting a fifer in the first hour of a match in my time following.

Chat on the 'Contracts' thread about certain players who are getting picked no matter how they perform. Well Alex Davies has another awful dismissal to add to his long list since he joined.

I would say this is worth a read re our group stage/T20 season so far: https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/t20-blast-quarter-final-forget-bazball-adam-hose-is-leading-edgbaston-bearsball-revolution-1323364

ExiledBrummie wrote:

Sky are already showing a T20 International game.

Yeah, which explains why they didn't initially schedule a game for the Thursday and put two on the Friday. Sky doesn't rule for once!

BristolBear wrote:

With the Sibley news today, who else’s contract is up, and may be a potential departure?

As far as I’m aware it’s:
Sibley (gone)
> Stone
Hose
Lamb
Sidebottom
Garrett
Furrer.

Both Hose and Stones apparently both have only been offered white ball only. With Hose potentially following Pollock down to Worcestershire to play some red ball.
Have also heard Sidebottom may be signing for Derbyshire.

These would be the three I would keep on the list provided. Stone has been streets ahead of any other pace bowler in the Blast, and perhaps white ball only is the answer to his injury problems.

It's a funny one with Hose because does he really need to play red ball from his sake? He's had a Hundred contract for two years in a row now, and based on Blast form this season I would expect he will continue to get a Hundred contract. He could potentially pick up some other T20 gigs elsewhere and therefore not need a red ball contract anywhere anyway.

Credit where credit is due, the club have done a great job to arrange a home quarter final, on a day that wasn't originally scheduled to have any quarter final. Definitely preferable to playing at Leicester and definitely preferable to playing well.

Am also pleasantly surprised members are allowed in free, perhaps not expecting a big crowd due to it being on a Thursday rather than Fri/Sat?

Is McAndrew not available for this the RL then?

He was a great captain for Worcestershire in their T20 successes - can only see positives in him replacing Brathwaite in that role.

It does mean a lot of spinners but too many is better than not enough!

Might be a good thing we can't play the quarter final at home based on current away batting form!

Might be a good thing we can't play the quarter final at home based on current away batting form!

It's also interesting that after the Lancs game, Rhodes said he would rather take risks to win a game than to draw it.

Very much batting for the draw atm!

I wonder if the Stokes comments will have any affect on our approach for the rest of the season.