So, Woakes and Barker opening the bowling. Do you think Jeetan Patel fancies a comeback?

Is Chris Martin on that list as well?

Callum MacLeod is another MacCricketer.
And Alex Loudon played one ODI but no Tests.

Very good.
I'll add Dan Mousley for Q1.
Scarborough and Tunbridge Wells are the outgrounds.
Is No 7 Deryck Murray?
As for Scotsmen, I'll start with Jim Allan, Andy Umeed, Freddie Coleman and Dougie Brown.

That's very promising. We have quite a few young and/or mid-career seam bowlers who could learn a lot from Pop. I'm suddenly quite optimistic about next year.

Somewhat one-eyed responses from the PCA: "You won't agree with us so you don't care about player welfare"; and I'm never convinced by those who argue that the way to save cricket is to stop playing it.
We're in transit to a world where franchise cricket is entirely separate from domestic competitions. They could then be played simultaneously with the franchise players having no County affiliations and the domestic players perhaps actually playing some cricket in June, July and August rather than sitting on their backsides and occasionally bowling a few overs in a white ball game. We just have to keep the County Championship going long enough for this split to become clear. Now that vulture capitalists are running The Hundred, I don't think it will be long.

If England want Bethell to prepare for his role in the Ashes, perhaps we should make him 12th man?

Clone Ed Barnard.

He was very much a fixture in the Warwickshire sides I remember from my youth. He also gave a lot back to cricket after his playing career ended, as umpire, pitch inspector and administrator. Sadly missed.

But Chesterfield....

Huge sigh of relief. I was getting scared that his captaincy debut against Ireland could be gruesome, coming off the back of no form. Now he should be full of confidence. Good!

Bad day at the office for England yesterday. It can happen in limited overs cricket but there are, as often, some matters arising in respect of the strategy of England's management.
First, the wicket keeper. Notwithstanding his strong batting, Buttler is, by international standards, a poor keeper. Smith, on the other hand, showed signs that he might become quite decent with the gloves during the India Test series. What he lacks is experience. So, whatever colour the ball might be, why don't you give the bloke you are trying to develop (who is already better than the alternative) a chance to learn a bit more? Why go with yesterday's man?
Then second, I don't mind them having a look at Sonny Baker, who is promising. But was it wise to pitch him in with a captain who is a batter and nobody amongst the bowlers who could mentor him when things started to go wrong? The choices might be limited with Woakes injured and Stokes avoiding 50 over games but maybe in that case you hold Baker back until a wise old head is available.
Neither of these points would have made any difference to yesterday's result, of course. They just add to my worries about England's ability to think strategically.

paulbear wrote:

Well, we need a strong side and as we will have our players back from The Hundread so we should be alright to put out a full strength side.

I'd have Sam Hain and Danny Briggs back but Bethell will be with England and I'm not sure that Mousley merits a place ahead of, say, Shaikh. Who's available from the Overseas players?

ExiledBrummie wrote:

They're all determined to win this game in less than 30 overs, ridiculous.

Maybe they've got their eye on the Net Run Rate - could be crucial. Still need to win the game, of course.

My only visit to Aigburth was when Rikki Clarke held seven catches in an innings and nine in the match - a record at the time.
The strange thing was, I didn't realise what had been happening right in front of me until I saw the scorecard in the paper!

His departure from Edgbaston was strange, his return even stranger. I don't think he's played for Hampshire all year and another notch on the calendar isn't going to improve his fitness.
Is there something else to this? A coaching role?

A really entertaining game with the advantage shifting from side to side throughout the day. As others have said, I thought the game was up when Shaikh was out but, cometh the hour cometh Jake Lintott.
We were only really on top for the first 10 and then the last 10 overs. Somerset had their periods of ascendancy but for most of the day the game was very well balanced. Winning in the last over was the icing on the cake of a very good day out.

I don't think we've done badly to be honest. Rew and Lammonby aren't world beaters but they are established first team players who know how to build an innings. And that's what they did, taking no risks until they were well set.
It's a fast scoring ground so 300 is gettable if 2 or 3 of our batters can get "in".

He was commentating at one of the Undead games this week and using his left arm surprisingly freely. Maybe not so bad as feared.

Whether he should be playing in the Ashes is another question.

You have to wonder what all this is doing to the poor kid's head. We've seen players of his age making waves in the past but by now they would normally have a record of achievement under their belts. All I see with Bethell is assertions of exceptional talent - but where's the evidence? I suppose it's hard for him to show that if he hardly plays any cricket.
You have to wish him well. And good luck captaining Jamie Overton.