I was probably thinking ahead to Rugby on Sunday which I bet will be a dust bowl. In any case though, spinners have been doing slightly better. Did forget about poor Charlie lad as well, despite him having my name, he's probably more deserving at Edgbaston than Ali, then revert for Rugby.

Andy wrote:

Tbf you could probably get away with 3 seamers and 3/4 spinners at Edgbaston this time of year, that XI looks ok.

Yates
Barnard
Wylie
Davies
Smith
Garton
Jani / Malik
Booth
Lintott
Bamber
Ali

There's an awful lot more flexibility with Wylie, Barnard and Booth playing. As per Andy though, can't see them doing it. Probably need one more seamer.

I'm warming up to my Eddie Jones / 3rd season theory a bit more now. Seems white ball has barely been thought about this year, there has definitely not been a discernable change in approach or an improvement of approach. Could be the case they just prioritised it behind the County Championship. If we place well in the CC (I don't think we are realistic winners), then I think I can take one poor season of white balls if it does bring about some sort of change the next season. Then it's time for a judgment on Westwood as a whole - I get the argument he's an insider and only really continuing the work of the year's before right now.

I can see how someone would be upgraded from being a bit sore and rested to then being fully injured. Thing was I think this also happened with Hain last year and then he ended up being away for a while with something undisclosed.

Tough watch isn't it? Gave up a number of hours ago, come back, watched a four heaved over cow, a scurried two then a catch in the ring. Lintott batting but shouldn't be on him.

One difference between this and the Notts game, from what I've seen, is they've mentally lost it as well. What occured to me earlier today is there are just too many unnatural white ball players in the team to look like they have a game plan. I remember Eddie Jones, ex England rugby coach, saying that you need a third season to get the squad you want (first season is effectively just continuing the prior regime). On that basis next year is judgment time on all squad's format. There's been some criticism of Jani and Malik, rightly, but both were recruited as 2nd XI batsmen so there must have been acknowledgement they wouldn't be able to be effective at the top level.

Whether that's the fault of recruitment or the academy I don't know but we do seem to struggle to bring batsmen along and to make them better.

They're paying for the feed and we're consuming for free. Can't really complain. Taylor has looked alright so far. Clearly the fastest and although they've gone after him he's created a few chances.

I hadn't noticed that Bamber and OHD had only got one wicket between them, which infers we haven't controlled much in the bowling PP. That Lintott, Taz Ali and Yates are top three in the average with some pretty high averages, tells you not much control in the middle overs as well. Looking at those figures now only makes it clearer that Lintott in for Wylie was a bowling choice and one that was worth sacrificing Wylie's promise with the bat. Re-enforcing the bowling makes the batting weaker, though this was papered over exceptionally by Garton and Bamber in this Notts game. Basically weaknesses all round and one weakness is affecting other disciplines. Having said that, I still think we have seen some good displays in this competition and we might not be that far away. Even if this is now echoing the Blast campaign.

I watched about a dozen balls towards the end of the innings. Still couldn't really see how the pitch was playing but I did see Garton hit a six, his third, then collapse on the floor, not sure with what but could have been his back. Was moving about a bit awkwardly afterwards. Might just have been cramp I suppose. As others have said, with his first pro century maybe not used to batting for so long. Fair play to both him and Bamber.

Took a look at the feed. A bit hard to see what's going on but looks like quite hard work out there...

Is it Welbeck Colliery?

Evocative - but not really in a bucolic way. Sort of Sean Bean evocative. Guardian wrote about giant Pylons there.

Andy wrote:

It looks a nightmare and, frankly, a bit of a dump to be honest.

I think this is an important take. Indeed, there were some good parts to yesterday and remember Northants have just won a white ball trophy - not a bad team. As someone said, a batsman going on for another 30 runs on the board (350!!) or even as little as three overs of strangle bowling it could have been different. Not bad seeing as that was a fresh introduction of a few players.

Highveld wrote:

even though the result wasn't the win we wanted, there were some significant positives from the game.

A very good debut from Theo Wylie, and Jake Garlic showed he was worth the chance.

A good innings from Sam Hain, and contributions from almost everyone else.

There is a lot to be positive about.

That's interesting re Kerrigan's take. (What's his role? Is he one of our coaches?) I just had the spider sense Garton was having his contract run down ahead of release, this seems like they're actively trying to give him more involvement than you'd expect as standard. With Simmons, I really wanted him to come into the side as (like Garton) he's a point of difference bowler. Whether through injuries or whether he just hasn't kicked on, it's hard to see him having a future here if he sits the 2026 ODC out as well as 2025. I think seamers will be rotated and Gilchrist comes into the side - if he's fit - for latter games, just wonder if that applies to G&S.

Very tight this, they're almost exactly mirroring our innings. What doesn't re-assure is we still need to fiddle some overs out of someone here and it seems like they have taken a liking to Yates and, for one over, to Jani... Wonder how Wylie's ticker is!

Seemed as soon as anyone tried to accelerate, they got out. I've only watched about 5 overs in two little spells but the pitch looked OK, wonder if it was just a little harder to bat on than expected or at least it required some graft and application. Could yet be a good score.

I didn't see it but good work Theo to overcome that nervy start. I think that's the right position, having said that though, not sure he's a player who comes in and scores with tempo straight away, whereas Kai, Garton and Davies probably can later in the innings. Best to give him a bit of time to settle.

I think I mentioned it (or if I didn't I thought it) that we're an all rounder short this season so extrapolate from this that if Garton can bowl he plays and if not it's Wylie. Can't see Garlick playing unless another injury.

Seems they are romping to victory here and it's mainly Jani that's doing it, back to back centuries with some good scores on other recent games as well (ie 2XI T20). I'd say that inks him in as Rob Yates opening partner for the first MB game and Malik will be in there somewhere. Was intrigued to see Davies keeping but paired alongside Kai in the batting order and Davies has scored more runs (though not yet a lot of runs). Might not be determined that Kai keeps in the competition and I have always seen Davies playing in this. Given he hasn't bowled and yet batted, I think that's Garton out now, at least for the first few games. My take was Gilchrist was defo in for this competition hence not playing now, OHD also but the seam bowlers will probably rotate and from the looks of it not including Booth or Simmons, which I think is a bit of a shame as that's all the sharper bowlers out now. One I genuinely don't know about is Theo Wylie. A week ago I would say he was in but having not played in these last two games you kind of assume not now.

I've been thinking something like this. I would have had Garton up top but I don't think he can bowl, so I think he has to miss out. If he could he would be straight swap for Barnard in my fantasy selection, who frequently didn't bowl all ten overs last year (ie we only need 4-5 from Garton). Given fireworks yesterday I would say Jani but it is so tight with Malik could be either. Don't think they could rotate game by game but both should have a role. I think the seamers will definitely rotate and, as you say Andy, happy to see an academy seamer get a few games as well:

Yates
TBD, but development player
Hamza
Davies
Hain
Smith (w)
Wylie
Booth / OHD
Simmons / Gilchrist
Taz
TBD, but development seamer

Haven't picked a captain as really not sure. Davies included without gloves. I don't know how the other counties are but it does seem like we have quite a lot of potential first team players in the seconds and this works well for us in this competition.

My take on this game was it was possibles rather than probables for ODC, the team last week was in my mind the key audition for the probables. What is worth pointing out that a few weeks ago we eulogised Yorkshire for having academy products, they had an arguably stronger team and we still won by a load. Again we already know, but it seemed we did rely on the experienced bowlers in the field, but some good contributions with the bat.

Looked at Kai's contributions this camapign. Averaging 37 but only two catches. Probably the nature of the game. Hope that sets him up nicely for the metro bank. Shame couldn't get more out of Hamza and Jani (though couldn't fault that latter's strike rate). From what I saw a very odd game though seemed both teams were over it. Still some results to come in but looks like our group was the strongest