Occured to me a few times over the weekend. I think he may still be on parental leave, companies give big long breaks for this now and Sam hasn't played in over a month now. Adam Hose has taken his place for the Rockets in the 100 but Hose got one of those horrific knee injuries the other night. Could well be that Hain comes in for him now. If he doesn't, then it is worth speculating if he comes back at the end of the One Day cup and hopefully doesn't go into the T20 QF totally cold.

I read something, can't remember what, that concurred no operation in order to be fit for the Ashes. Alsonread somewhere else, also unremembered, that said he might be a decent, non-playing ashes pick. So it could be these two anecdotes are combined for a one-test appearance on tour and Warks have two tourists both of which are back ups...

As always like the analysis Andy, very much what I saw as well. Seems the wrist spinners were the danger today, Hollman- never seen bowl before - put the skids on the innings.really. Very difficult to chase on this ground, I've seen five games on it now (at the ground and on the stream) and batting first has won all five. The ground was much drier than this time last year as well, not going to help.

Having said all that, at least three of our top order chucked wickets away playing loose shots immediately after scoring. Just mentally a bit flaky. I think at some level they can all do it - with one exception, Rob Yates. Just can't seem to move the ball into space for singles or turn 1s into 2s. It's fine at this level and he brings much more to the side but it does indicate he shouldn't be aiming for a bigger T20 role in the future.

Finally, very good day at the venue. Thought catering better than last year, toilet only used once early doors, was almost fragrant. Beer wasn't an issue, even if a draft would improve things, given the excellent Merchant Inn opposite that had a good range and decent toilets. My son decided he was supporting Middlesex (fair do's he was born a mile from Lords) but great field to have a throw, kick and Frisbee on. Excellent stuff.

It only really works if that's him white ball only for the next year or so. Means he misses red ball games which would be part of his Ashes prep, I presume they don't want a repeat of the last India test.

I think being held back for when the ball gets softer still and presumably harder to score with. Seems Kent making a better go of their chase than Northampton did. It seems to be the case our scoring slowed after around the 25th over so maybe the same here...

LeicesterExile wrote:

strange bowling selections. No sign of Sylvester and Yates on ahead of Taz.

It's his nephew I think...

ITE7376 wrote:

there's a Jaydn Denly playing for Kent- is Joe Denly old enough to have a lad in the Kent team? I guess he probably is?

I knew Sheikh, Malik and Yates weren't in the runs - but I didn't realise they only had one run between them in the competition before today.

As the two posters above me seem to suggest though, there's no back up so they have to stay. It's also the right thing to do: both are picked for a reason, have shown potential and we need to give them the chance to feel a bit more comfortable in the role and then hopefully get some runs.

Highveld wrote:

Stats for the first two games

https://countycrickethub.net/team-averages.html?teamid=16&comp=2&year=2025

I'm on the train - think I'll be OK.

Highveld wrote:

The main playing field actually has space for two seperate games to be played at the same time and additional space as well, so there should be ample space behind the ring of seats surrounding the boundary.
As for the lack, or otherwise, of beer, it's not an issue for many people, especially if it's a very hot day, avoiding alcohol, especially if you ae driving is probably the wise decision.

Two important questions about Rugby...

i) Is the field still open at the Chapple end there and available to run around on? I have my seven year old travelling up with me on Friday and be good to have a bit of a knock around on there.

ii) Someone mentioned no draft beer. Is there any alcohol available? In cans, etc? There was last year just wasn't very good. I need to factor in what I take myself for recovery after those run arounds...

Someone mentioned Alex Davies up the thread and delighted for him he got a score today. We need him to be playing well in a green middle order. He paired up well with Kai I thought - in a weird way. Davies started very skittishly but that morphed into busting energy, trying to engineer runs. I think Kai at the other end playing the same way calmed him down a bit and made him act like the senior partner.

Good win. Hopefully they take a lot of confidence from that, they battled back a few times. The end of this Rugby festival run on Friday I think we'll know for sure where we are with Middlesex just above us and Kent below. I'm confident we're looking up now though and I think we should be favourites for those games.

I was also wondering where we stand with the 100 players. As I see it its only Mouseley and Bethell playing with no game time for Garton, Briggs or most surprisingly Hain. Of those, I think its only Garton I could see coming into the side as rotation. Hamza and Malik haven't had any runs yet and we know our middle order is quite weak. However I think they need the chance to turn it around. With Sheikh today, maybe a duff decision for an lbw (was it? In the end?) but it was a loose waft he shouldn't have been playing. A temperamental fail.

I dont watch a lot but whst I have seen this season is a lack of confidence and not much sense of purpose.

The confidence might be a hangover from last season when things fell away a lot at the business end. Purpose is harder but you do see the comparison with the smaller teams where everyone knows their role, plays it (maybe it doesn't work) and tries their best for the team. N'hants here got beat by Yorks same as us but came out here knowing what they wanted to do and busting a gut. We looked introspective.

Having said that, Smith and Davies have played well and do seem to know what they're doing. Busting and pushing and taking the 1s and 2s, then boundaries when they're there.

meashambear wrote:

Barnard looked a bit unlucky there, although there have been a couple of other close ones.

I keep saying it, something is not right.

We scrambled through a poor standard T20 group, 2 of our 3 championship wins have been extremely unlikely results that on most occasions would have been the opposite and we are currently 4 down for nothing vs Northants 2nds (and we have on paper a strong team out).

It seems like every game we are looking for someone to drag us out of the mire.

Somebody needs to come into the club, raise the standards and set expectations much higher than they currently are within the squad. We are better than this but are being allowed to slack far too often.

This is an amazing anecdote: A building that is less than 70 years old (probably) and no-one knows how old it actually is. Shows you how important record keeping and history is. I guess its just too old for anyone to conclusively remember but in the grand old scheme of things its not too long ago.

My first season watching was in 1993 and I feel like a comparative newcomer, but by the time this work has been completed it will only be the Barnes stand and the Press Box that have been there throughout all my time.

My apologies Devon. 150 wasn't far off...

Devon_Bear wrote:

And well played OHD, doing his best Jack Leach impersonation!

Think 150 is a bit optimistic. Lintott has opened for the seconds the last few games, obviously in preparation for more batting responsibilities for the firsts.

Devon_Bear wrote:

If Jani can keep going and Bamber & OHD can hang on in there for a while, maybe we can get to 150 and at least have something to bowl at.

Can't understand why Lintott batted ahead of Booth & Bamber.

I watched the first four overs and it wasn't a terrible pitch but it did have some variable bounce on a good length. What Cliff and White did well though wad to extract everything possible out of it at good zip. I think we just say it's one of those things.

We wont have long to wait to find out but Davies or Barnard to open with Yates? Cricinfo card has Davies....

I think Jacob's way forward is a bit trickier that Woakes right now. Woakes I think will need over six more likely nine months to recuperate from his injury then I think will do one more season under a Warwicks contact. Relatively straightforward.

Bethell has a decision to make (or England have to make it for him). If he hadn't have played this test, which I think was the plan, he would have gone into the 100 and used that to gain some fluency for England white ball games in September, which then clears him to be part of the Ashes test squad but more likely play white ball games on that tour with the odd red ball warm up. Simple. Now he's got to establish, having now been exposed for this one game, whether he is going to commit fully to being an England test player and as Broad and Vaughan has opined, he's got to do some work to do that. And that work needs to be domestically.

It's a bit like Schroedinger's cat. He's a fine test player so long as he doesn't actually play any test cricket.

Personally, I think his likeliest route to success is white ball only for the next few seasons and then convert back if that doesn't work. In any case, he just needs to nail down something. England did him no favours this year by seemingly saying he was #3 cover then bunging him in at six. Likewise, not deciding what disciplines and formats he will play generally will see him suffer from confusion.

If this is the end for him internationally be interesting to see where he goes. His central contract is up soon and can't see him getting any franchise gigs over the winter because of injury. I think its a touch early for a full retirement - so does he get a full season next year under a Warks contract?

If he makes some runs he could ensure reputation is enhanced. On the whole though, I agree with what you say, it's a limited opportunity. I mentioned on another feed somewhere that it wouldn't make sense (unless for injury) for Jacob to play just one more red ball game, he's going to be white ball only for the rest of the season after.

UrsaMinor wrote:

No specialist spinner and 9 of the 11 having first class centuries to their name: I think we're playing for a draw.
Opportunities for Bethell to make his mark there.