Solbear
Member
Andy wrote:
I know, its just been an unbelievable drop off, 3rd highest run scorer in the division in 2024 and named in the PCA team of the year, our highest run scorer in the Blast in 2025...to this. Its remarkable.
And, sadly, some supporters have revelled in his demise.
Very fair points Andy. I can’t help feeling for Davies at the moment, nobody goes out to bat wanting or intending to fail but that is what is happening every time he takes guard. He should certainly be dropped for his sake as much as anyone else’s, his confidence and mental health must be taking an absolute battering. The club owe him a duty of care and for this reason as much as his terrible run of form, he should now be ‘rested’ for the remainder of the season to give
Kai a chance and to safeguard Davies’s wellbeing.
I also think that it’s in everyone’s interests for him to move on at the end of the season - if another club want him I should imagine he’d jump at the prospect of a fresh start somewhere else.
Looks like a very impressive effort, and great to see Taz doing so well after what feels like quite a lean season for him.
Does anyone know what has happened to Theo Wylie? I saw he played club cricket at the weekend, so I don’t think he’s injured, but he doesn’t appear to be anywhere near either the first or second team at the moment. Hope there’s some explanation and that he’s still in the mix as I think he’s quite a bright prospect.
Thank you, Exiled Bear, for the work you do to maintain and keep this forum going; I'm sure I'm not alone in being massively appreciative of what you do!
Some candid comments from Alex Davies following Sunday's victory. He's full of praise for Vansh Jani too:
Ludicrous to persist with Davies and to leave Ali and Wylie out of the team. I just don't get the logic.
A disappointing result, albeit with a few positives, notably the performance of Kai and GG. Always felt we were a bowler light and so it proved at the end. I guess the main difference was their overseas pro, again, disappointing that the powers that be failed to address this when it was likely we would lose a fair few to the hundread.
I was really hoping that Taz Ali would kick on this year after doing so well in last season’s competition, but sadly that hasn’t yet happened. Hopefully, he (& the likes of Theo) will get a chance in the remaining games now there is nothing to lose.
Well if it was a toss up between us and Notts and Simpson is headed to Trent Bridge, presumably that means Cox may well be headed our way. Cox may be a decent player but he’ll be 35 next year and has a FC career average of less than 30, much of it accumulated in division two. I’m afraid I don’t see this being a step forward for the team at all.
Shame about Patterson-White but no great surprise. I do find the interest in Cox strange, unless as KoS suggests, perhaps Davies is on his way out. If we really want a seasoned pro, though, why not aim for John Simpson of Sussex, who I would suggest is a more accomplished overall player. With the issues at Sussex he may well be in the market for a new club but perhaps already has something lined up.
According to the post on Facebook, he definitely is in the squad.
How much longer can Key hang on for??
I read on a Leics CCC forum that Ben Cox is heading in our direction next season. This could of course be spurious and frankly, I hope it is because signing another keeper in his mid 30s doesn’t make a lot of sense, unless he’s going to add significantly to our batting line up. I’m not sure Cox ticks that box.
Good result and encouraging team effort, Tariq is an absolute wizard, need to sign both him and Beau for next year and beyond! Slightly concerned about Kai’s wicket keeping, albeit an improvement on Friday when he looked really quite poor. Bit bewildered about the reluctance to bowl Yates, I don’t follow the logic of that.
As a slight aside, the absence of Craig Miles prompted me to take a look at the Gloucestershire website - seems he’s taking a break to focus on his mental health wellbeing. Sad to read this and hope he is ok, professional sport can be cruel and unforgiving and he always struck me as a wholehearted individual who gave of his best, do hope he bounces back.
He doesn’t look like the finished article, although he’s been around a while with stints at both Somerset and Kent behind him. If anyone is able to get the best out of him you’d think Pop Welch is the man. Hopefully, he will do just that. Would also be nice to give Che Simmonds another go, he’s looked promising in the past and, like Gilchrist, someone who’s potentially got a bit of ‘umph’ about him.
meashambear wrote:
What on earth is Mousley doing there?
Honestly, I despair at this team.
So disappointing to see DM get himself out in such a tame fashion, yet again. He doesn't seem to learn.
I’m surprised at Somerset’s conservative approach this morning, thought they’d look to get runs on the board quickly, stick us in well before lunch and aim to bowl us out. As it is, it looks as if we’ll need to negotiate two sessions, which surely we can achieve … can’t we??!
Apologies, my mistake, but the fact remains that Somerset are making very good use of the new rule.
Andy wrote:
They subbed out Gregory for Ball last game. Again, not really like for like.
You certainly feel that Somerset are abusing the substitute rule - today's sub, Ogborne, having himself been subbed for Ball part way through their last match. He's clearly made a very fast recovery! Be interesting to know how many substitutions they've made (esp of bowlers), I may be wrong but don't think we've done so at all yet.
I’m far from being his greatest fan, but I can’t help feeling slightly sorry for Davies. His confidence must be in absolute tatters and when you’re in such terrible form something needs to change to allow some degree of form and confidence to return. Westwood is, in my opinion, guilty of burying his head in the sand and hoping things will magically get better but as Albert allegedly said, ‘insanity is doing the same thing over and again and expecting different results’.
I know this is the last CC game for a while, but for his own sake and that of the team, something really does need to change.
Oh dear, I really hoped he'd finally come good today but Davies is out already. For the sake of the team and for the good of his own mental health, he really needs to be removed from the firing line and either dropped down the order or dropped completely to - hopefully - find some form in the seconds.