Yorkshire guaranteed a home quarter final but will play it at Chester le Street owing to their pitch issues

Wouldn't be a bad shout. I know people scoff at his suggestion but he played a vital role in the win at Trent Bridge and by late August will be more in tune with English conditions and would be handy to have around on late summer spinning tracks like Taunton or Old Trafford

The restrictions overall have probably saved 150-200,000 UK lives the vaccines so far have saved about 30,000 lives you are quite right we now have to hope that switches and the vaccines can do the job that restrictions have done up to now and kind of hold that line. It is open to question whether that will be the case though. Proof will be in the pudding we can only pray. I hope it pushes the virus back from our shores over time and then we can set about helping the developing world countries drive it back there too

I'm not sure the season will end properly. I'm far from certain football will go ahead as per normal (although the Premier League will have the finances to do what the NBA have done no other sport here has that kind of funding available). This is summer and there is a misconception that this virus is less severe this time of year it isn't it can spread just as easily. The experiment we're being ushered through next couple of months is a scandal and I know we have to cross a tipping point at some time but I do fear we will just go round in a circle and be back to uncertain times next spring with another huge toll behind us and no nearer this thing being gone.

Andy wrote:

Praying for Scarborough away. If the season is still going...

Yates and Malan pumping their averages here.

Anyone know what week Scarbados will be? Is it August Bank Holiday or one of the September weeks I'm guessing the latter

We don't need lockdowns. New Zealand doesn't need them too often. Took them 12 weeks initially and since then a week now and again when Auckland has to lockdown. I want the freedom here that they have in New Zealand. I just don't think we will ever achieve that the way we have been going and look set to go next 3/4 months. Hopefully I'm wrong and the virus magically goes away or becomes as harmless as a cold. Very few people have flu and go about their business if people get flu they are very ill in bed. Very few people under the age of 40 have had flu in their lifetime it is less contagious than Covid and far less harmful

You've answered your own question. Proper season of cricket in prospect this winter in New Zealand if you can get over there. They were prepared to make the tough but necessary decisions and stick with it to minimise the impact early on and now reaping the rewards. We could and should and eventually will have to do the same

Flu kills very few people in the hundreds normally and a few thousand occasionally. To reach tens of thousands you have to include Pneumonia as well as flu. That mainly affects very frail/old people too not people Neil Etheridge's age

Fixtures for the next phase will be released by the end of next week according to reports

Should happen in the workplace though. Neil Etheridge the Blues goalie is in hospital with it

Usually because there are several positive cases not just the one. That I'm afraid is only likely to get worse after July 19th

Worried about September too. Full steam ahead for football? I think not. Dogs dinner of a season created by the ECB. I think in the back of their minds when they came up with the current blocky format they had something like this in mind - the idea that some chunks of the season might get curtailed or not happen at all. If it extends to September could mean no County Champion once again and you'd have to feel for Somerset who would be strong favourites at this point

As it stands points wise Division One when they restart August 30th

If Gloucestershire avoid defeat today
Bears 21 points
Lancs 16.5
Gloucs 16
Somerset 9.5
Notts 5
Yorkshire 4,5

If Hampshire beat Gloucestershire today
Bears 21 points
Somerset 18.5
Lancs 16.5
Hampshire 8.5
Notts 5
Yorkshire 4.5

The 4 fixtures are scheduled as below

1. Monday August 30, 31, Sept 1, 2
2. Sunday September 5, 6, 7, 8
3. Sunday September 12, 13, 14, 15
   T20 Finals Day Saturday September 18th/19th
4. Tuesday September 21, 22, 23, 24
   BWT Final Tuesday September 28, 29, 30 October 1, 2 venue tbc

I expect Bears 4 fixtures will be away, home, away, home but remains to be seen

Barring a freakish set of events over the next 28 hours Bears are through with Notts.

Durham now 12 points behind Warwickshire so need to beat Notts tomorrow which is very unlikely and they also need Warwicks to lose tomorrow.

Notts should beat Durham sometime tomorrow and reach 159 points but will only carry 5 points through to the next phase starting August 30th.

Warks will hopefully secure the draw with Worcester there is no point setting a run chase up with the bowling at our disposal unless it is ragging square for Lintott, Yates and Lamb. Warks will finish therefore on 145 points but will carry 21 points through to the next phase.

A huge advantage at this stage. I wonder when the fixtures will be released? Scarborough away and Bristol away would suit me so long as Gloucestershire hang on against Hants tomorrow

Durham deducted 2 points for slow over rate on Monday. I noticed they were -4 behind the over rate for most of the day and going into the final half hour. No spinner used with Borthwick in the side?? Also unlike Notts they didn't have a couple of backroom staff stationed on the square leg boundary to ferry kit and equipment on and off the field between each over which would have sped things up at that city end

Exiled Bear wrote:

Will those substitutes have to be from the original 13-man squad? If so we're a bit stuck as OHD and Bresnan are both injured!
No they can utilize the seconds team at Portland Rd. Durham will have to drive one of their youngsters up from Beckenham. They had Covid in their camp a few weeks ago so are a bit threadbare.

Hain, Yates, Burgess, Briggs in consideration?

Stokes, Carse for Durham

Streetly_Bear wrote:

Yes I thought that as well, a very vocal side in the field and I agree a bit over the top.

It’s something I’ve seen mentioned on other counties forums and blogs about Notts.

Very excitable I'm not that bothered really unless it turns unsavoury. Overall Notts v Warks games over recent seasons have been good contests and played in an excellent spirit. I see no problem with how they were today personally. Actually good to see they enjoy it. I've seen sides over the years a lot worse in terms of vocals. Hants when they had Warne for starters.

BristolBear wrote:

Today has been very much our season summed up. Failure to finish sides off, and letting them get 50-100 too many. Alongside poor top order batting not setting a platform or taking advantage of the situation.
250 target you’ve got to think is the minimum. 300-320 would have been the plan.

We bowled better today than we did on Day 2. Upped the tempo batting wise before lunch as pitch is easier to bat on than Day 1 (although still not all that easy) but back into our shell's after tea. Couple of good balls from Chappell to get Hain and Rhodes and Lamb got done over by Fletch after treading water for an hour. Great spirit shown from Burgess and Briggs. All results possible. Highly enjoyable contest to follow

BristolBear wrote:

The wonky camera is awful. Also, this live stream makes the one at Edgbaston look like sky sports.

I quite like this angled view in fairness. There is a depth to the tactical game that is often missed by constantly having umpires view. Far rather see the entire slip cordon in the shot and quite like seeing the bowler running in too. The cutaway by the Essex editor from bowler running in to batsman and slips awaiting the delivery is far superior to Warwicks editing where countless times we get left with a square leg view for 2 or 3 deliveries at a time.

Not sure about this pitch although we did choose to bat and overheads must be playing a part.

Given today's comments from Johnson regards the 1m+ rule being able to be dispensed with from June 21st does that open up possibility of full cricket grounds from then? Or will social distancing still need to occur at mass gathering events. If it is the former is it even worth bothering with the rigmarole they are setting up for this trial event versus Notts? Sure it worked fine that one day of the friendly vs Worcester they had set up for us to go inside last year but would they still be bothering with these pilots if 2/3 weeks later they could dispense with all restrictions?