Chelmsford - 39 on Monday, 38 on Tuesday. For Brum they appear to be dropping the prediction for Tuesday due to possible thunderstorms. I'm sure there's more to it than that but if the storms don't show temps could be not far off what they're predicting at Chelmsford across a swathe of the country.

Nothing to panic about. I think people will happily take advantage of the air con in the dollery and shade in the Hollies at Edgbaston for the first two thirds of the day. It's that sticky bit 3pm till 5pm that will get uncomfortable if the storms don't arrive

One problem I guess is the vagaries of the English weather and how sure they can be that Tuesday will be as bad as predicted. Would players object to moving to Wednesday start and thus only having Sunday off before the next game?

I also wonder if Gary Barwell has been asked to prepare a very short boundary wicket on the Raglan Stand side so as to lose some of the suns intensity behind the west stand after about 5.30pm and bring the ropes right in so the fielders have less work to do. Would this counter any home advantage we might have over Kent?

Also team selection. Surely wise to pick 9 all rounders for this match - I'd certainly be looking to bring Jacob Bethell & Ethan Brookes in

Suffolk county board are advising their clubs to avoid play between 11 and 3 tomorrow and Sunday. Also to prepare shorter boundaries than the norm and also to allow 12 or 13 players so fielders can be rotated more frequently. Some of these may relate more to their under 18's and recreational cricketers

https://www.warcricket.org/wcl2018/news.php?news=3314

Is slip-slap-slop going to be sufficient advice for spectators (many of whom will be elderly) and ancillary staff on Tuesday if we get to 40+ I wonder?

Free ice cream for all members would be a nice perk hint hint

Just realised Leicestershire's game starts next Wednesday because they host a womens ODI on Monday. I just wonder if that's the first game that will be affected as temps expected to top 38 degrees on the Monday as there is very little shade at Grace Rd

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/catastrophe-feared-40c-death-valley-27485470

In view of impending 'death valley heatwave' conditions I wonder if there are contingencies in place to respond to extreme temperatures next Tuesday when folks are advised not to be outside. From player, staff and spectator duty of care surely there needs to be thought given to altering the hours of play or postponing the start of this next round of fixtures if/and it's a big if the heat is as bad as they fear? With football they could bring kick off times forward to 11am or something is the same possible for cricket? Are we looking at 9.30am starts and a cut of of 2pm and an extra day (Friday) to complete the overs?

Suppose the easiest thing would be put each fixture back to a Wednesday start instead of Tuesday.
Leicestershires game starts Wednesday next week already. Risk then is there'll be interruptions due to the other sort of weather we're more used to here

Time to start writing to the club after this mornings ominous news re: reckless extension of the sky deal. They probably think they can ram through massive cuts to the County season as it's an Ashes year next season but they need telling in no uncertain terms. The way Bears have played this season I probably won't renew anyway but if we lose 8 days CC cricket they can do one frankly

Email the club. I didn't get any codes originally. Mind you I renewed first thing in October. They sent me some 3 weeks ago after I asked about them

Tremendous effort that last session. Well played McAndrew, OHD and Garrett

Cheers!

Considering we're now in mid summer and weather's gorgeous the county championship fixtures this week are abysmal. Nothing at all in the Midlands out of a full fixture list of nine matches. Was a time way back in the day when spectators were considered when they drew up these fixtures. Not any more. Used to be reasonably reliable to expect if Warwickshire were away Worcestershire would be at home and so on around the country.

Couldn't make today but hoping there'll be something to watch in the week if anyone knows of any fixtures nearby please forward suggestions

Worcestershire U18 Boys v Warwickshire U18 Boys 11am start at Old Hill CC today
50 over match. They beat Staffordshire in the previous round with a century plus 2-6 by Hamza Shaikh

https://ecbu18.play-cricket.com/website/cup/56885

Bit of a preview of it on Worcestershire's website too
https://wccc.co.uk/edavalath-and-home-back-as-academy-take-on-local-rivals-in-ecb-county-cup/

Are we guaranteed a home QF now?

Yorkshire's last four chairmen launch blistering attack on ECB on eve of Headingley Test
Colin Graves, Steve Denison, Robin Smith and Roger Hutton have demanded an independent inquiry into the handling of the racism scandal

By Ben Rumsby

Yorkshire’s last four chairmen have launched an extraordinary attack on the England & Wales Cricket Board on the eve of the Headingley Test, denouncing its handling of the club’s racism scandal and demanding an independent inquiry into the whole affair.

In a dramatic intervention ahead of an occasion the county was previously banned from staging over the crisis to engulf it, Colin Graves, Steve Denison, Robin Smith and Roger Hutton united to declare the ECB unfit to expose the full story behind Azeem Rafiq’s damning accusations of abuse and the botched handling of them.

They did so after voicing a litany of concerns over the disciplinary proceedings opened against the club and individuals charged last week over the scandal, something into which they said they had little input despite leading Yorkshire between them for almost the whole of the period spanning Rafiq’s allegations.

Among those claims about the case that threatens to completely overshadow England’s return to the scene of some of their greatest triumphs were:

That the ECB inquiry had taken too long and was “putting people through even more pain”;
That there had been no sign of Rafiq being punished himself over an anti-Semitic slur that emerged in November, despite him admitting to it;
That Yorkshire were being “tried twice”, having already been stripped of major matches and forced to make sweeping changes to get them back;
That the names of those charged had been leaked even before the ECB announced they would not be identified;
That Mark Arthur, Martyn Moxon and other senior figures at Yorkshire had escaped action for allegedly triggering the scandal by failing to deal properly with Rafiq’s complaints;
That the ECB’s inquiry completely ignored its own refusal to investigate almost two years ago.
Graves, who was himself chairman of the ECB for five years until 2020, rescued Yorkshire from financial ruin two decades ago before becoming executive chair of the county between 2012 and 2015.

Proclaiming he would “fully support” an independent inquiry into the current scandal, he said he was “very disappointed” charges had been brought against both the club and the likes of former England players Michael Vaughan, Matthew Hoggard, Tim Bresnan and Gary Ballance.

“I just find it unbelievable that they’re putting these people through even more pain,” Graves said.

“Once again, these people’s names are dragged through the mire, which I think is unfair.”

He added: “It hasn’t been handled very well at all. It could’ve been handled much better, much quicker, and I think it’s leaving a lot of nasty tastes in people’s mouths.”

Colin Graves said 'it’s leaving a lot of nasty tastes in people’s mouths'
Denison, who succeeded Graves at Yorkshire before stepping down in 2018, said: “The ECB don’t move fast enough and they’ve been so scared of their own shadow that they’re almost paralysed and can’t act.”

On the governing body’s silence over whether Rafiq faced action over his own anti-Semitic slur, he added: “I’m sure that the ECB’s thought process was: ‘S---, we’ve got a cut-and-dried case here. But if we hammer him now, he’s perceived as the victim in all of this, so it’ll look like we’re hammering the victim before we’ve got round to having a go at the “perpetrators”’.”

Denison said he had emailed both recently-departed ECB chief executive Tom Harrison and Yorkshire chairman Lord Patel last week to offer to help “in any way that I can” with exposing the full story behind the scandal.

He added: “They haven’t even bothered to give me the courtesy of acknowledging the emails – which kind of says it all, really.”

Smith, who returned to chair the club between 2018 and 2020 having also served in the role between 2003-06, said: “It seems to me that the club is tried twice on the same facts.

“It just breaches a fundamental principle of jurisprudence. No one can be tried twice on the same facts. It’s very, very unsatisfactory.

“I’m personally on notice from the ECB that conduct of mine will be subject of the proceedings but that I’m not personally charged, nor will there be any personal finding against me, which is rather a hybrid situation.

“It needs a good, independent judicial look at it. Until all these facts go before someone of unquestioned repute and impartiality – a judge, retired judge, someone of that standing – the full truth will never emerge.

“The ECB have already decided on Yorkshire’s guilt and imposed these sanctions. How on Earth can they now, in this second set of proceedings, take a contrary view? It’s just not going to happen and everyone knows it’s not going to happen.”

Hutton, who quit as Yorkshire chairman after the scandal erupted in November, said he would be assisting the club with responding to the charges but was forced to approach them himself to do so, adding that he had heard nothing from the ECB.

He said the latter’s handling of the case was “so far from any judicial process, it’s breathtaking”, adding: “I’ve spent my life in the law; I’ve never seen anything quite like it myself.

“I’m not quite sure what the scope of the investigation is, but my best understanding is it doesn’t relate to any of the actions or inactions of the ECB itself.”

Concerns were also raised about Yorkshire’s own handling of their toxic legal battle with staff sacked in the wake of the racism scandal after it emerged earlier this month the club had admitted unfair dismissal complaints lodged against them were “well founded”.

Just last week, England limited-overs specialist David Willey accused the county of prioritising repairing their reputation at the expense of their own players’ well-being after it was confirmed he was returning to his native Northamptonshire at the end of the season.

Denison said: “I’m not sure whether it’s the club or whether it’s just Kamlesh trying to protect his own reputation but well played, David, for saying that.”

The ECB declined to comment on an ongoing regulatory process, although a source pointed out Harrison had left before Denison had emailed him. Lord Patel did not respond to a request for comment.

Excellent thought provoking piece by Barney Ronay this morning. Stop trying to counter the IPL dominance with pointless new formats, work with what cricket has - it's traditions and the groundswell of good will amongst the public that remains in spite of the games shockingly poor governance in recent years if not longer - and an end to central contracts. Bairstow showed it can be done so can well see Ben Stokes having 2 months at the IPL and then returning to go straight into the Ashes next year. Whatever replaces the ECB should have as it's priority the aim of growing the game not swelling the ECB's coffers.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2022/jun/19/cricket-end-ecb-spin-governance-comment

Captain has to take that loss on the chin.

The way the game unfolded and the cavalier approach we took at the close of Day 3 declaring with 100 overs left to bowl suggests to me that the players/management already know there is no relegation this season to give up 8 points in so cavalier a fashion. Hindsight a wonderful thing and fair play for being ballsy but it's 8 points down the swanny cos we didn't bat till close

Potentially as big a result for Lancs this is as our double over Notts was to us last season. Fair play to them and I hope it carries them towards a title tilt

Say one thing that boy Williams looks very good for Lancs. I was wondering how bowling 2 days out of 3 would affect him after his impressive figures Day 1 and fresh into the county game but he did fine again. Hopefully Norwell can withstand the same rigour of bowling 2 in 3 after his extended lay off

Well done also to Andy Umeed who scored 125 for Somerset 2nds earlier today

According to the BBC report on today's game Croft had made just 3 runs v Bears in his three previous innings

Also a suggestion that Dane Vilas "may have had a point" being aggrieved at being given caught round the corner off Briggs. The video suggests no such thing - if anything it is very inconclusive. Could just as easily conclude he feathered the ball with his bat or glove

Good game this. Lancs are seasoned veterans at these low scoring dog fights but Bears in recent seasons have shown they can slug it out too

Very intersting line up today

https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m8b923f7b-4f9f-4806-8feb-30e183c48e09

Dan Mousely off to a flier

Isaac Mohammed who is 13 and highly regarded relative of Moeen I've not seen him yet but a couple of the lads at Moseley a few weeks back were raving about him. Moeen actually spoke a bit about him with Aggers on TMS during tea at the test yesterday. Also Kobi Herft who when I spoke to a couple of Lichfield players on Saturday they reckon he's different class. 18 year old Aussie kid playing for West Bromwich Dartmouth

No Woakes yet though he was on about playing some 2nds cricket soonish

Sibley not going on to get big tons is a slight worry for me. There is an opening slot up for grabs in the England team with Crawley surely on the verge of being canned and Dom is going to have to go big in the 2nd half of the season to try to force his way back into the test squad now. He was in such good form pre-season but keeps getting out when set