Am I the only one that checks this chat every few hours, just to see the interesting comments, three days later and I'm still buzzing!

My only regret was not coming down on Saturday to be part of history, watching the celebrations for each wicket, and of course Ethan taking that final one to clinch the deal was incredible.

Great to see the players mingling on the pitch for so long afterwards.

Hopefully this is the start of something special.

Up the Bears

I always thought Hain and Barnard would be the key to this innings, we need at least one of them to get a score.

ExiledBrummie wrote:

This is when I wish I lived nearer and no longer worked but come on lads we can do this! Will be following on tenterhooks from the moment the coin is tossed tomorrow.

This, will be getting regular BBC alerts though, and will be there on Saturday, up the Bears.

Didn't quite expect this, this morning.

I will add my thanks too.

Inside-edge wrote:

So in the end we finished 4th on 16 points behind Leicestershire, Lancs and Notts who all finished on 20 points.

Same position we finished in the Blast.

Hope that’s not a pattern for the CC.

Can't help thinking the Leicestershire result did us, I thought that was winnable.

I was also was calling for him to be dropped, but credit where due he held an end very well, a six for his first runs showed no lack of confidence, he got lucky early on but from then on in looked very assured.

Being at the game, one thing that was very noticeable was how much influence he seemed to have, always chatting to Yates and in the centre of group discussions. The one thing none of us can deny is his is experience, perhaps this is the reason for his continued selection, either way hopefully he can kick on.

Another really enjoyable day at Rugby.

Rayb wrote:

Smith has to be behind the stumps on Sunday, we are playing with a man down. Play another batsman or bowler but at some point surely what is best for the team has to be prioritised. Davies is not worth the shirt, as well as being a depressing character on the field. You cannot ignore the energy that Smith brings to the role of wicket keeper.

Difficult to argue against any of this.

It is not ideal, nearest town is Mansfield, a bus runs between Mansfield and Worksop on the main A60, then a 5 min walk. Not sure how often the busses run, there might be some sort of curtesy bus from Notts, as it is slightly out in the sticks.

Coop wrote:

Been coming to T20 Finals Day , for years, whether The Bears are there or not. Just enjoy the day. Does anyone else think that the latest e-mail for the members window tomorrow is just utter nonsense. The message includes the following:

****When you purchase tickets, it will automatically assign you a seat in the selected stand.

After purchase, if you wish to move seat please contact us at tickets@edgbaston.com or call 0121 369 1994 (option 1).****

How is this supposed to work ? (yes I have contacted the club)

I despair at some of the decisions made by the ticketing department.

How is this supposed to work ?

I agree about finals day, I buy tickets every year but manage to move them on when the bears don't make it.

Glad I didn't bother buying for this year, not only for our performance, but given the teams were only confirmed on Wednesday, I may have struggled to resell my tickets. Interesting watching some of the action on Saturday how many spaces there were around the ground, considering a big section closed off for development.

Previous priority windows were 10pm on the day of the final, normally when attendees would be making there way home (or celebrating) so credit to the club for changing it to the following day. I did think of buying for next year, but as you say there was no option to 'choose a seat' and from experience trying to get through on the phone isn't that easy, so I didn't bother.

Are the T20 matches live on YouTube this year?

Are the T20 matches live on YouTube this year?

My phone pinged just after 11, I 100% knew it was Davies out, then followed another one at 11.15, I knew it was Yates, so bloody predictable.

Always look forward to fixture day, and putting the dates on the calendar. What does surprise me, is that the ECB manage to get them out so quick after the season ends every year.

ITE7376 wrote:

I'm going to throw a bit of a hand grenade in here but I can't help noticing the double standards regarding Davies and Barnard

Davies gets a T20 team to the knockout stage for the 2nd consecutive year and gets a dog's abuse for it- and he got us to the knockout stage last year with a basically unbeaten record in his tenure as captain, recovering the team after a terrible start after we looked appalling losing (i think) every game (or virtually every game) under the lacklustre 'guidance' of Moeen.

He visibly injected energy and purpose into that dismally failing T20 team last year, until the usual QF bottle job which has roots deeper and wider and longer than Davies has been at the club to be blamed for. (for a start, and I'll throw another hand grenade in, our best batsman by far Sam Hain is a big-game bottler who has only once made a contribution in I think 8 T20 knockout games it is now. I say this as someone who near-worships Hain, but facts are facts, he has a horrendous record in knockout T20, just the 2017 final knock against Notts to his name amidst a series of limp, anxious failures).

(I also recall distinctly Davies getting 1000 CC runs last year and it scarcely causing a ripple of recognition on here.)

And St Ed of Barnard, forum darling, his team snatches competition failure from the jaws of success, to seemingly near-universal acclaim.

Look, I love Ed and he's had another good year in this comp but not nearly up to previous standards, and until the ton at the weekend was having a pretty mediocre competition with the bat. He also got out especially early in the comp playing shots certain other players (mentioning no names) would be taking abuse for playing.

I think there are a couple of factors specific to T20 in play here, not least that nowadays we go into the QFs with our best two batsmen robbed of time at the crease and form and touch by the 100, not Davies's fault.

I also think that on here and among members particularly, T20 (for various reasons in my opinion, some pretty churlish) is willfully downgraded as the least important comp, so I suppose i can see why not getting to the knockout stage in 50ov can be counted equivalent to doing so twice in T20. In fact, not just equivalent but better, just about everyone praising St Ed's captaincy and looking forward to the next campaign after what was ultimately an unsuccessful debut as captain, nobody doing the same for Davies for getting to 2 QFs.

I'm being both a little facetious and exaggerating just a little for effect. But only a little, 'well done Ed, credit for the this campaign!', I see above; credit for what? having his worst 50ov tournament with the bat in 3 years (pretty sure his wickets were down too), and captaining a team that failed to get to the knockout stage?

Imagine the reaction if he'd got us to 2 consecutive knockout stages.

I'll leave the mini-rant on this thought, Barnard and Davies have exactly the same number of match-winning centuries in the 50ovs this year. The reaction to those centuries was a comical study in contrasts. Its not a complement to say the seemingly constant need for club supporters (of any sport) to find a whipping boy makes the club supporters concerned look just like football fans. If there is a club, and a forum, there will be a whipping boy, and there will be a darling. Its like BBC 5live on Saturday at 6pm on here half the time, which really, really isn't a complement.

Difficult to argue against any of this to be honest.

My only other comment is individuals failing to take personal responsibility given certain match situations, this seems to be the Warwickshire way, and is consistent with whoever is captain.

BosworthBear wrote:

I wonder where the wicket will be on the square?

Probably use the last hundred match wicket, fairly central if that's the case.

All contenders playing away today, could be an interesting day.

Hopefully a win today and a route to the semi final or at least a home quarter final to play for on Tuesday.

Highveld wrote:

Following the defeat on Friday, this has become a "must win" game at Taunton, while somerset are celebrating the 150th anniversary of their club, in front of a totally sold out, all ticket, crowd.

Averages after game 4 https://countycrickethub.net/team-averages.html?teamid=16&comp=2&year=2025

I'd expect Bamber and Booth to return, which will strengthen the bowling. Sadly, unless Sam Hain is allowed to play, there is no alternative to, what has been a barely adequate, batting line up.

(Live scores link to follow)

I think you may have made the same mistake as me, it's the T20 quarter final that has sold out, tickets still on sale for tomorrow.

Andy wrote:

Wow, wow, wow.

You know, i got there this morning, beautiful weather, Edgbaston looking amazing and thought "if we can get through the first hour unscathed you never know, why not..." but did I really believe it? Well teams were doing this sort of thing to us last season, Essex away then Somerset away for example, we did it away at Durham in April so it can be done...

Thought Worcestershire were good first up, quick and accurate, but Zen and Mousley stood up to it really well. Mousley didn't score a run for about half hour at one point whilst he nd Zen weathered a bit of a barrage but then he seemed to click into gear, I honestly thought he looked certain for his first Warwickshire ton so to get out so tamely, once again, felt so frustrating. He played the first over from the spinner really well, orthodox sweep for 4 to move the man, then reverse sweep for the single, next over from the spinner reverse sweep straight to the man on the 45, such poor cricket after a lovely innings that set us up.

Malik, played second fiddle to Mousley, then seemed to immediately click into gear once Dan got out and take charge dominating the partnership with Webster before and after lunch through til tea. Very much a front foot player he lacks a touch of power and timing off the back foot but its no biggie. Very solid in defence and a total chanceless knock until he got out. Loved it when he danced down the track to loft Foreman for 6, then next ball he anticipated the spinner darting the ball in faster to avoid a repeat so he hung back and cut him for 4. Great batting.

When we got to about 230 for 3 you saw the Worcestershire shoulders slumping.

Webster looks an excellent batter, extremely dependable, and you get the sense he's never really gonna be out of form for long if he has a bad score or 2. Gets squared up a touch but he ticks over as he milks the spinner and has power against the quicker bowlers, able to pull the short ball flat along the deck. I'd like to see more of him in a Bears shirt. Was delighted to see him get a deserved ton.

Lovely little cameos from Barnard and particularly Smith. Smith has proved he can make tough runs and is strong square of the wicket.

Someone on the Dollery balcony shouted at Taylor "Keep this up and you might get to play for us next season if yer lucky!" incredibly patronising and embarrassing I thought, next ball out, thought it was a fair enough reaction from Taylor, he hardly went over the top. Still 80 odd runs needed at the time, looked like game on.

Big picture we have different batters putting their hands up each game. If one guy fails another will perform. Yates, Latham, Davies, Barney and Hain made runs v Sussex for example, Smith, Zen (hugely), Webster and Mousley made them here. We've chased almost 400 without Hain and Latham for goodness sake. People slate our batting but for me they're bailing the bowlers out quite a bit this season...

I say it again, we were losing games like this under Robbo. Under Westwood we've actually done a few comebacks on teams and won a couple, he's got us fighting at least.

4th in the table, imagine if we got over the line v Worcestershire at New Rd?! Extra 8 points

A great day at Edgbaston and a famous, memorable win that nobody there will ever forget. Felt lucky to be there. What a shame it is that we don't play at Edgbaston again until August 26th. That's just not right :(

Webster, Mousley and Malik made their seasons highest scores today under pressure in a huge run chase, what a shame these scores won't count towards their season averages, or will they?! I can't tell...lol

Great post, enjoyed reading that.

There seems so much wrong with the club at the moment, coaching, recruitment, and marketing just to name a few.

I am not ITK so don't claim to have all the answers, however while I'm reluctant to jump on the bandwagon, the continuation with Davies as captain is a key position that can easily be fixed. A few called it on here when he was appointed, and sadly the initial concerns have proved to be right.