Poor man's Woakesy, Jimmy Anderson would be some signing to replace poor man's Jimmy, Keith Barker

Jimmy Anderson 44 has officially played his last game for Lancs

Think you're right I think there might be a bit of uncertainty still (or simply leeway for the organizers) and it isn't odds and evens at all.

It's definitely been pairs play each other twice and then you play one out of each of the other pairings twice and the other just once. Odds and evens would in theory be slightly unfair on the side finishing 2nd previous season

It's probably something like this (if there even is a method for determining who plays who twice)

Pair 1+2 are Warwickshire and Somerset
Pair 1+2 (1 plays 4 twice and 2 plays 3 twice similar to how they organise end of season play offs in the EFL)
Pair 1+2 (1 plays 5 twice and 2 plays 6 twice)
Pair 1+2 (1 plays 7 twice and 2 plays 8 twice)
Pair 1+2 (1 plays 10 twice and 2 plays 9 twice)

That way 1st ranked side isn't always playing weaker teams than 2nd ranked side. And so on for the other ranked sides and it mixes up the seeding somewhat

If the above is true (totally guessing now) then it'll be Somerset Sussex Notts Surrey and Kent twice the others just once

I read on the Yorkshire White Rose Forum as they finished 5th they will play all the other odd ranked teams once (that means us) and all the even numbered teams twice (e.g. Somerset)

So for example we play Durham (number 9) once and Kent (number 10) twice. I knew already we would play Somerset twice as we're paired up (1&2) but didn't know exactly how they determined which out of each of the other pairs we play once or twice.

So we will only be playing Surrey, Yorkshire, Sussex and Durham once next season whilst playing every other side twice

Means we can definitely look forward to trips to Taunton, Trent Bridge, Cardiff, Chelmsford (or Grace Rd) and Canterbury next season

That is unless the Yorkshire lad has it wrong

Spotted Steve Ogrizovic in that B&W photo of the Shropshire side that beat Yorkshire

When I first noticed county cricket following the 1986-87 Ashes tour down under Worcestershire were top dogs and had more titles than Warwickshire. Since I started watching Warwickshire regularly I average a title every 5 and a half seasons which is fantastic. I am so pleased we have an 18 county championship. It just wouldn't be the same at all if we were winning a title every 4 years and there were only 8 or 9 other teams in the competition. Let's start bigging all the other counties up a bit more instead of poking holes in them (that includes me and my irritation with Lancs or moneybags Surrey)

To my mind the 2021 win was brilliant in and of itself of course but it was also a make up win for not winning the one we should have won in 2011 when we enabled Lancs to fluke a rare title that year. Warwickshire really ought to have won more than 1 championship title in that Gilo era

Vish's comments in the article are fair ones. Many of us were thinking at the time Notts just looked a better side than us esp that pace of Olly Stone and their top order runs. I was thinking at that time our only chance is if we can get Woakes fully firing and Hain maintained consistency as I was worried about the rest of the batting tbf albeit tough for the top order.

One of my pals was quite bullish at the time suggesting we were well in this title race. In contrast I only really became convinced when we hit the front last week

Handshakes at Taunton so we win the title by 20 points

runner up on a dismal dank day at Lords against Durham in 2014

Yes a few of us were at Old Trafford Woakes played in that P40 Div 2 title deciding game 1-19 off his 8 overs. We wandered into the pavilion at the end I think this was before they'd turned their square 90 degress

Brilliant. I tend not to count these but was Woakes involved in either of the promotion winning seasons? - I assume he played in 2008 but perhaps not 2018? and did he get any Div 2 medals?

They were still presented with medals however as they must have had spare leftover, Surrey with their 30 man squads have been winning this of late

Chris Woakes joins Dougie Brown as 3 time title winners for the Bears. Just reading about Dougie and Graeme Welch's contributions at Guildford in the 1994 season. Wow. Welch now has 5 altogether 2 as player and 3 as a coach

One thing I hope is and I know the commercial difficulties etc... and I do think the club chair, board, and CEO already do have the best interests of the club at heart but that they now realise even more how important it is not to allow the county championship to in any way be further undermined or reduced at any point in the short to medium future.

At ECB meetings Warwickshire should now (if they weren't already) be on similar page to Surrey, Somerset who voiced opposition to any more cuts over the last 3 or 4 seasons

We've landed on a structure that seems to fit okayish. Sure I personally would prefer more CC matches to watch that's natural but we can't have everything. And next year 2 of these final 6 fixtures are being moved into June/July so that's welcome I don't think folks mind alterations of this nature so much

Craig must've calmed down an hour or so later. Yes 2014 was still a very good season

I imagine Westy must be secure now for another season unless they decide to split the red and white ball roles. This run at the end has been monumental.

Wonder what's going through Woakes' mind today...

Finished 2nd that season just looked it up with 8 wins and not too far behind Durham. Then Yorkshire won 2 in a row didn't they. Very strong championship in those days we arguably should have won more than 1 title with that side so the 2021 was a bit of make up for that as I think we were definitely top 4 and won it like winning a cup fully deserved mind and then thumped Lancs in the BWT Final. This year there will be no doubt

Once we win I'd recommend watching Simon Hughes did an analyst podscast covering day 1 of this week's Somerset v Surrey game. I don't get the animosity towards Somerset personally not just from Bears but Surrey seem to hate them and a few other counties seem to aswell. I know a few had issues there in a couple of the T20 quarter finals but that was a blast crowd and I know their champ crowds can be a bit boisterous I was there a few years ago for a heavy defeat and copping some right stick in the pub by the station. All banter mind.

I will say one thing for Craig Overton who our crowd has had some right set to's with him over the years for his petulance when been given out etc... when we won the title in 2021 of course the away dressing rooms were at city end due to COVID protocols if you recall and he wandered up towards the David Heath suite we wished him well in Australia (although he never got on the field and is probably thankful) he did say "best team we've played this season lads" fair play to him I thought

And it's normal for the London/Manchester based national media to try to undermine when Warwickshire win anything normally it's home flat pitches to scupper Surrey or we bat toooo long or we're Larashire or some shit like that. This year they've resorted to weather ???!?? and it's frankly desperate stuff

Oh yes I'd forgotten he was quite that young. Rikki Clarke seemed to do all the run scoring for about three quarters of an hour that morning

Was an absolute privilege to see his innings today and the extended applause and celebrations were fully merited

I was at Wantage Road way back whenever it was (2014 or 2013?) to see him reach his maiden ton for the county. He began that day 87 not out and was so, so patient taking him over an hour to reach his ton within the morning session showing great ticker for such a youngster against a young Olly Stone, Maurice Chambers and Andrew Hall etc...

Oh gosh yeah so 300 and 208 points is what we need to eclipse their draw getting them 207 points

The three way tie break (if Notts had won Somerset drawn and we'd lost) must still have been on my mind
🤣
Ta

He's livid but a captain's knock from Barnard

Only Leicestershire can stop us now not the weather.

The weather forcing a draw gets us to 215 which is the max Somerset can get and we hold the tie breaker