They really dug that one out but fair play to the lower order. We are not yet firing with a number of players seemingly fighting for form. Anybody know when we are going to see Gleeson, he could make a huge difference in this side.

Is Gleeson back from IPL? any news on is injury and when he will play for the Bears?

I commented on the weakness of the T20 squad back on Friday. They have "performed" at a level in even worse than that could have been expected. The management really needs to take the flak for this, inept is not even close. Really hope the marketing team are on good form, they are going to do well to push tickets to watch that dross.

Pathetic, does not even cover it. Planning non existent, its a total shambles.

Has to be one of the weakest squads we have begun a T20 campaign with. Bears fans have been sold a pup.

That's the point, we have invested heavily. Yet every year, they mess it up. Either injured, unavailable or simply don't deliver. That is exactly the situation this year, again!!

Sorry, don't see it that way, we are bouncing along with seemingly no real plan. You mention young players, when in the last red ball game we had a 36 & 38 year old opening bowlers and when the 36 year old misses out, he will be replaced by a 35 year old. Great plan.

Sorry, I can't agree. Westwood has managed to achieve exactly the same as Robinson, a weakened Blast squad down to poor planning. Granted, he may not go the Robinson, panic mode approach, but we should never get ourselves into this position. As with any T20 game, where luck plays a significant part and individual brilliance can win a game, it may roll our way. However, surely the job of management is to give us the best possible chance, which they clearly have failed to do. If you look at the player options we have available, not sure we will need to worry about bottling the quarter final.

I get the "circumstances have worked against him" but it happens every single year. They knew that Ali is a liability with call ups and injuries, Webster would likely be called up, England could well take Woakes, Bethell and Mouse. Mo plays in the IPL. Personally, the blame lies firmly with management, I mean come on, they have signed players before. who are available for most of the qualifying games and then not around for the quarter final or finals day??

Forgot that we have lost Gleeson for the 1st 2 matches. Seriously, it is a joke trying to even get a team together. The fans really get short changed, after the marketing team go to town pushing the Blast.
The potential squad looks exactly what it is, short of at least 2 players with zero options.

Yep further underlines the point, Woakes and Mouse now missing at least the first 4 / 5 Blast Games. The Blast tournament is by far the most exciting county tournament yet the Bears "attempt" is undermined before it even starts. At least we wont have to witness the lads bottle it in the quarter finals this year.

Just nothing exciting about our squad, decent players who do a decent job. Would love to see some young exciting batsman, who gives it a real go.

It is just really annoying that we seem to get it wrong every year. If Webster was an obvious departure then where is the planning? we knew who was going to be involved with England Guess its a bit of bad luck with Ali, but lets face it, he seems to be not worth the hassle.

With the recent news around Webster and Ali, it feels that once again we have failed to deliver a Blast Squad.

There is some really sensible comments on this forum, I just hope that the club reads them and takes notice.
There really is something in the comments of "growing" our own players rather than buying in mercenaries. Finding a "Patel" should be the focus, committed, team player and available for entire tournament. Getting in players on silly money, only to find they cant play parts of the tournament, is madness.

I think they will play Benjamin, however, if he actually gets a bat at 7 you can assume that we have lost.

I would leave out Foulkes and have another batter. We have a rich slow bowling attack, really hope they have a track to suit.

ExiledBrummie wrote:

Have seen or heard nothing to say that any of Benjamin, Foulkes, Miles deserve to play. If it's a slowish wicket as often is the case I'd play the 3 seamers inc Barnard with the 6 slower bowlers.
This really has to be the team. Hope that for once with home advantage, they have prepared a wicket to suit. I have a feeling that we have done our homework on the Gloucester team, have a plan. Feels like they are really up for this one, surely we cant choke again.

Big "if" given our tendency to bottle in quarter finals day. Scheduling, is a shambles and makes a mockery of finals day.

Really need the rules to be changed Group winners need to go straight through to finals day. We always throw in one of our worst performances in the quarter finals. I just hope that this year we actually take advantage of a home tie and ensure that the pitch and pitch position suits our strengths.