On the whole I think this was OK, all div 1 games were draws and we got max bonus points so we strengthened our position. I admire the intent in going for the win by enforcing the follow on, just couldn't finish it off. Not being able to finish a side off is a familiar story but being aggressive going for the win is actually a welcome development from the not-to-distant past. It's getting better I would say...

So 85 runs in 24 overs this morning, almost exactly the 3.5 rpo they have scored the entire match. I don't think they will want to set us anything but it isn't that far away from that being the only outcome from this match that isn't a draw...

Have seen none of today so can't really comment on play. Seems from the card though by enforcing the follow on made it a more complex route to win. Seems to be a case now of get the last six wickets in 30 overs or less and then chase no more than 250 of 60 to a little over in overs. Does still leave Notts a chance.

I can't say I normally follow 2nd team results but was looking at this, mainly to see where Kai, Taz and Che are stacking up. Looks a very interesting game, I don't really know any of the Essex players but it seems a stronger bears side and Jani seems the difference between the two teams.

Yeah, it was good to see bowl a side out in timely fashion, albeit on a helpful surface. I watched a fair chunk of Sunday and a little midday Monday and seemed some of the middle order batting looked quite assured (Malik, Webster in the main). Attack looked a bit more orderly. We always talk about the two weak spots in the side, no real need to moan about it, but it seems the bowling is moving in the right direction. A sensible rotation for the next side could well be Woakes, Barker, Booth and Bamber alongside the Beau and Barn. That looks a bit more balanced and incisive. Ali and Che are getting through some work in the seconds, I'd hope they're being prepared for a run in the side as well.

Right. He needs to be a five or a six in order to not be a luxury. A non-keeping 7 just ends up with Davies keeping and getting knackered again which is no good for anyone. Despite the fact it's what's happening in this very game.

Andy wrote:

I remember Burgess standing out as being really untidy when he first came. Kai is not only that but he's actually dropping catches as well. Having said that Burgess improved so much it was scarcely believeable, he could actually affect the game from behind the stumps, brilliant keeper. Kai can improve, I reckon he will, he has too if he's gonna keep regularly, lets be honest. Re. his batting, he looked like a white ball batter playing red ball last season to me, however this season he looks far more assured outside his off stump and is developing a back foot game that he didnt really have last year. Can he bat in the top 5/6? We'll see.

Yeah I've seen one of the drops this year and agree. I don't know enough about wicketkeeping to be sure of this but he does look slightly unnatural, jerky movements, etc. Fails the test about not noticing the best keepers. Because you notice it.

I'm not really in denial about this, just genuinely hope these things are improvable and I think they are. A late career Burgess or Alec Stewart always looked like they had learned the skills but were proficient. I think his batting records are probably slightly ahead of where Mousley was at this stage of his career so could go bat only, but that would probably be a luxury, his tempo, shot selection et al is just like a counterpunching number 7 in the mould of Prior, Gilchrist or Bevan.

Andy wrote:

Clearly a bad toss to lose, the most perfect bowling conditions we've seen for a while at Edgbaston. As has already been acknowledged this pitch will likely flatten out and slow right up on days 3 and 4.

Team selections probably about right, Woakes was never gonna play every game in this block, thought he bowled v Surrey but when he took that 2nd new ball v Sussex on Monday morning he did look jaded...he'll be back.

Kai Smith has made even further improvements with the bat this year particularly from a technical point of view but his glovework, and I appreciate this won't go down well here, remains way off im afraid. He too will be back though.

Pleased to see Zen's form for the 2's rewarded.

Just a bit of a laugh - and it does make sense to use him as a fielder. Whether the club wants to be seen as producing this mirth, however, is conjecture. I had genuinely forgot he was with Warwickshire and think it's a bit of a shame he hasn't kicked on in other formats. He's brisker than the mean average of our right-arm seam cohort, a lefty and a good fielder. Would really fit into the four-day side if he wanted or was able to do it.

Also good banter re his mum / mom negotiating his contract to this regard.

KingofSpain wrote:

Garton pretending to be a red ball cricketer for one game a season so he can go home for the weekend is an absolute joke.

Yeah I just saw too. I remember the commentators made the point last year he uaed the trip to see friends and family and check up on his flat or something. And he was a good fielder so helpful as a sub.

Having said that, a quick left armer would help the variety of the seam attack. Can't see him playing seeing as there were two otber southpaws in the second team game that finished today that weren't him.

It could have been worse. According to BBC, we're second with 16 points, big haul for a draw against a strong side. Interestingly I see BBC has Sussex on 10pts despite their win. Are they carrying a points deduction from last season? I didn't see enough to conclusively assess it but thought the bowlers all brought something different, despite the fact it was six right arm seamers below express pace. I too think there will be one change for Sussex, though I guess they assess pitch before deciding if it's a spinner or not.

ECB / England has no influence over what these Indian franchises do so not blaming them so much right now.

Of course it begs the question what he's doing in the IPL in the first place. Last season I thought it made sense as he seemed to be pointing toward white ball focus. Might still be the case that England see him as a white ball specialist so very concerning that Eng / ECB are happy to sacrifice a test match just so Jacob can have a shot in what is essentially an Indian domestic competition.

Kind of hope he does get left out of the first test of the summer now. Who replaces him don't know though.

Ha. Yes I was thinking to myself that the benefit of not bowling them out was we weren't going to have to bat first thing tomorrow against a new ball... Better to have finished them off though.

I watched a bit of the first 90 mins yesterday ans agree at that stage the bowlers seemed to complement each other. Did it get a bit samey through the day though? I'm not too bothered about the composition of the attack as it's all quite similar in ability (Strength or weakness?) but did note that none of the point of difference bowlers were playing.

Exiled Bear wrote:

Well at least we wrapped it up quickly at the end there. I’m a bit worried about the first hour tomorrow though.

With the first game tomorrow you'd expect the team out today sometime. Interesting to review people's thoughts on bowlers, seam specifically, as we seem to have a lot of them without much clear hierarchy. I think we'll go with Kai Smith keeping at 7 and Barnard at 6. So that means four seamers, can't see playing a specialist spin this time of the year. I'd like to see Woakes, Barker, Gilchrist and Bamber with Simmons and Booth to slot in for subsequent games - but it's tricky, there could be any combination and it wouldn't be significantly stronger or weaker.

Is Webster missing for the first game?

Having re-Googled seems all the sources are quite unreliable. Also seems the tournament itself is on quite shaky ground with actions in the gulf, limited venues, no spectators etc. I'd be quite confident of him playing CC now.

Right. I googled this last night and it does seem that he's playing PSL which will go until April end. Seems very inconsistent with playing a full load of pre-season here though and the tournament starts tomorrow with his team's first game on Saturday. He's leaving it late to arrive...

white-lightning wrote:

Is Woakesy playing for the Bears from the first game? I've seen some comments suggesting he's playing franchise cricket in the Pakistan Super League for the first month??

Only just read, but like the report, as always, reabank. WRT the "playing pillar" I wonder if they only included playing matters, success of otherwise, when there is a financial impact? For instance, win the ODC and nothing much happens to the financial position. Win the Blast and it changes things? Don't know - just hypothesising.

Yeah I wonder if this is another turning point. Come in and got a crucial 40, so hard to see a way back for Pope next summer. Yet Jacob is off to IPL and will miss red ball games to warm up for the summer series. What does he do now? Until this point I suspected England were looking at him for test back up but essentially a white ball focus. For which IPL would have been beneficial.

Certainly fair to question who we appoint on these contracts. Even the Galacticos might fail a cost-benefit analysis. I think Maxwell and McCullum both got one great innings mixed up with smaller contributions but don't fault the ambition of shooting for it. I guess the art of doing it is being late enough but still early enough to secure someone who matches our weaker spots. I guess Sams is good for left armer duties but it seems like we will have lots of all-rounders in the team by then.

UrsaMinor wrote:

I don't mind finding another word for it but I still think it is valid to question whether a short-term import with no real "investment" in the club is as effective as one might like to think. If we can get a galactico like Maxwell or McCullum then I get it, but Sams? Good, yes but stellar, no.

Hassan's been very good for us, has played multi-format and has always looked like he's putting in full effort, no problems there. Just that there's always so much inconsistency with his injuries and the Pakistan CB. That's the only part.

In any case, I get a bit weary of the talk of "mercenaries". It's too strong a term, we're not talking about hired killers here. The Global game requires these short-term, contract-based players now all T20 competitions are played in some sort of block. We probably have had a few too many who haven't worked out, but I don't think that is a critique of the concept. Getting an OP who can stay longish term and play multi-format is more of a bonus than a minimum requirement now.

Reply to Richard and Gerry, indeed, I remember far more clearly Birmingham City Council's placatement over the naming though there was definitely media mention that naming a team after the city would be rewarded by the looming city-based franchises. Either way, that argument's gone now so just the council getting upset we have to worry about!