Completely different lineup for the second warm up game - which throws into question what our first choice team for Thursday will be:-

Yates, Sibley, Davies (again - they must be desperate for him to get some runs !), Rhodes, Burgess, Lamb, Mousley, Ethan Brookes, Simmons, Garrett and Johal.

Pretty much our CC batting and 2nds bowling lineups. Obviously Sibley & Burgess won't be in on Thursday (playing NZ) and I suppose many of the 'CC'ers' are just playing to get their 'eye in for white ball' (for the 50 over), but I guess Mousley might have a chance to be in the T20 squad ?

ajones1328 wrote:

From the warm up game today, it looks like Bethell will open

Seems fair enough from this showing!

Yeah. And in that warm up match (2nds T20 v Northants), Hose is in - and (again - 52 NO from 20 balls !) scored well. Given how well he's done for the 2nds this season, I'm sure he will be playing on Thursday, not Mousley, as Andy speculated.

Bethell is even opening the bowling, with his left arm spin - and took a wicket in his first over.

Highveld wrote:

https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m63e198ae-5872-4958-9df7-3db2bd6d74dd

Looks like Oli Stone has broken down again, as he was unable to complete his second over.

Yep. I'm there today. He looked bu**ered again. As said elsewhere, a real tragedy - he can't seem to complete any game these days. Amazing, that he must go through Nets and Practices without a problem, but whenever he bowls competitively, he breaks down - presumably cos he's fired up for it ?

On the other hand, Norwell is back bowling and has looked OK, but I think Olly's predicament (in the 3rd over), made him slow down a bit in pace from his first over. He is getting hit a bit now (5 an over), particularly by Zen Malik. Malik looks class. A Staffordshire lad, at Malvern College, he has played a bit for the Pears 2nd's - shame, I think our Staffs connections might have brought him to us.

The Brookes Brothers are bowling fairly well today. Henry was OK (1 wicket for 26 off 8 overs), but Ethan looked very good (2 for 17 off 6 so far). George Garrett has been really caned (6 an over!). Che Simmons looks quality - very fast and accurate (4 overs, 1 for 13).

Our team:-
Amir Khan, Shaikh, Ethan B, Hose, Bethell, Maddy (Keeper), Lintott, Stone (Captain), Henry B, Norwell, Simmons and Garrett.

I went to Portland Road today, for my first days cricket this season, having missed the opening First team games at the County Ground. And I picked a cracking day's play to see.
We finished off the Gloucester 2nd innings. A wicket apiece for Furrer, Johal and Lintott. Furrer looked the pick of the bowling - very quick. Johal was not at his best, despite being up against tail enders.
Chasing over 360 in just over 2 sessions play, was a huge task, but we went out with such purpose. Shaikh went early, but Amir Khan (96 - a shame) and Ethan B blasted away (particularly the latter, with 112 off 119 balls) and put on 180 odd in 35 overs. They both got out with still another 150 needed, but Hose and Bethell saw us home. Hose was out just before the end, like AK, just short of his ton.
Ethan B is developing into a very good batsman, alongside offering some decent seam bowling (now going in at 3). Amir Khan is a wonderful prospect (only 17 years old). And Hose could be almost back to the player he promised to be at Somerset.
It was all good to see.

Getting tonked by Gloucester in their 2nd innings. Pretty much all our bowlers are suffering - Johal, over 5 an over, for 1 (late) wicket. Gloucester already 321 ahead, going into the last day.
Our batters did OK, Bethell and Benjamin, both getting tons.
Looks set for a Gloucester win, or a draw if we can bat as well in our 2nd stint at the crease.

Well done EB. It was getting really silly! It's good to know the site has got 97 (or so) genuine followers at the moment.

Hope you can find a more permanent way of keeping the spammers out.

Looking at the number of registered users, I think we're going to get more Russian 'spammers' on the Forum than Bears fans soon (unless we have a huge, mainly untapped, support in Russia !?). About one a day being added. They've even started showing .ru in their username. Streetly talks about silly messages not putting him off, I largely agree, but I am concerned about the sheer number of non-Cricket posters that could be on the site - and uncertain as to what is the point of them coming on. I guess the attraction, is a site named after (what they think are Russian) Bears !

Joel Paris would be my choice of the WA bowlers. Left arm seamer (which we've desperately needed since Barker left), with a decent First Class and One Day average. Equally important, he's not a bad batter - going in at 7 or 8 and having got a First Class century. A ready made replacement for Bresnan ?

Is it now time to put in place our own sanctions - over Russian posters?!

Well, Davies won't be batting (or keeping wicket) in the 50 over, he's in the 100, with Southern Brave.

I think Matt Mason will be a decent appointment. His County experience at New Road & Grace Road and his work with Western Australia & Perth Scorchers, means he does have a good Coaching pedigree. Also, his work with the ECB (and with Mark Robinson in the England Womens Team - I guess a reason for the choice) only adds to his CV.

As regards the Cricketer quote about us, "being close to another coaching appointment, which could come as early as next week", being interpreted by BR as another coaching addition, it could just mean Matt Mason's appointment. It depends upon how you read it. It might mean a new Batting Coach though - nothing against Frosty !

Is it just me, or are others pi**ed off by all these 'dodgy' posters we seem to have inhabiting our site ?! All with very obvious 'troll' names. I hope Admin can do something about them.

I'd go with AD or Tait. Steyn was a great bowler, but so little Coaching experience.

At face value, Donald would be the best for me, but I wonder whether his Bears background might actually be a HINDRANCE. With Trotty coming back and Farbs on record as saying that being ex-WCCC shouldn't guarantee a Coaching job with us, I wonder if appointing another ex-Bear in a week, might be a 'bridge too far' ! I really hope not, AD has by far the best track record for this job - and I'm sure he'd love to come 'home'.

Tait would be a good fall back option, with a decent Coaching pedigree. However, I think the fact that the Cricketer report says, "Donald and Miller, impressed", would mean it is between them.

Good call Highveld. I did post some news here a couple of months ago, which I had heard - the fact that the Club were actively looking at left arm seamers, as the Overseas signing. They considered Shaheen Afridi, but didn't pursue, as he couldn't commit to a full Championship season. This South African guy looks to be an ideal recruit, to me. And I think South African Internationals should be available for a full season this year?

The ramifications of Azeem Rafiq's testimony will flow over to us, in regard to what he says about TB. I see we're going to start an investigation into his involvement. I guess that COULD well lead to Tim's 'early retirement'?

I'd heard rumours that we had been talking to Shaheen Afridi, about an Overseas berth next season. Farbs and MR have identified a need for a Seam bowler - preferably left arm - and he fitted (and his Edgbaston links through the 100 helped). However, he couldn't commit to a full Championship season because of International requirements and so we pulled out. He's signed for Middlesex now - playing in the Championship and T20 until mid July.

Absolutely wonderful. I've been waiting 9 years for that!

Last night I never thought we'd do it (we never seem to exploit last day wickets!), but what seam bowling from all. The joy on the faces of Miles & Norwell and all the fielders, when those 2 last wickets went down, was a sight to behold!

And we mustn't forget, an awesome batting display yesterday.

This (mainly young) team (with probably just a decent Overseas signing - and perhaps a new Batting Coach?!), could really be up there, if they can maintain the progress of this season.

U Bears!!

Andy wrote:

Manraj Johal 10fer, he's finishing the season strongly.

The game had a good stream on Play, so I managed to see a fair bit.

Yep, Manraj was the stand out performer, but there were also some very decent bowling performances from Booth and Ryan S. Garrett was OK, very economical, but didn't cut through much.

I think the last couple of 2nds games will give management some difficult decisions for the bowlers. Stick with Sidebottom and Garrett for a bit longer, give Booth a contract?

With the exception of the increasingly promising Amir Khan (and to a lesser extent, Velani and the departing Pollock), the batsmen (like the 1sts) didn't pull up any daisies. Probably a difficult wicket for batting (the time of year ?), but few others stood out. Hose got 23 (in an hour and a half batting !), so the jury is very much still out on him and Ethan B looked OK (though he had a cracking game in the previous 2nds match against Hants, so his future is assured).

Callum Hawkins looked good behind the stumps - and will probably compete with George Maddy, to take Kelley's role as our 'coming through' keeper.

55 for 5! That's it, season over!

Andy wrote:

Woakes is in. Johal drops out of the 13.

I hope management know the only change needed from the Hants game, is that Woakes should come in for Holder - and they don't keep him in, just because he's being paid big('ish) money as one of our (wonderful?!) Overseas signings.