It looks as though Worcestershire are going to play their full strength first team side in this second team game. Maybe the Bears will do the same, though they have that T20 quarter final coming up so presumably won't want to turn their focus fully back to red ball cricket until after that.
https://wccc.co.uk/first-team-squad-in-action-at-new-road-in-second-team-derby-with-bears/

As promised, the Pears are fielding a strong side in the match starting tomorrow:
https://wccc.co.uk/county-fielding-powerful-side-for-second-eleven-derby-at-new-road/

Live scores etc https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m4ba41efa-e2db-4765-8f53-e3e25cb0fc0b

The live stream of the game is also accessable through that link

Although it's great to see that Chris Woakes is in the team, Worcestershire's team looks a tad more experienced than ours, as evidenced by the Bears being captained by seventeen year old Jacob Bethell! Should be an interesting few days.

I see a K Smith is playing (batting) and is Captain this match. Does anyone know of him? It isn't Kelvin Smith is it, an Aussie, plays for Melbourne Renegades?

And an M G Booth - Michael Booth, the Natal batsman?

Woakesy's there as well. That's good, hopefully shaping up for Friday's T20. A 12 man team, so I guess Garrett or another bowler will come in for him on Thursday?

Jacob Bethall is captain.

The live stream is good, just silent as no effects mic sound.

Having Kelvin Smith in would be an odd one, considering the travel restrictions. He’s down as keeping, but CricInfo says he’s a batsman and off spinner.
Suspect it’s a young kid, but who knows.
Either way it’s probably the final nail in Kelley’s Warwickshire career.
Matt Lamb playing suggests he won’t be required for Fridays quarter final at Kent too.

The keeper does look very young.

Hopefully Lamb does play on Friday, he was the best batsman in the 50 over competition.

BristolBear wrote:

Having Kelvin Smith in would be an odd one, considering the travel restrictions. He’s down as keeping, but CricInfo says he’s a batsman and off spinner.
Suspect it’s a young kid, but who knows.
Either way it’s probably the final nail in Kelley’s Warwickshire career.
Matt Lamb playing suggests he won’t be required for Fridays quarter final at Kent too.

I've sussed out K. Smith - mainly by realising he's a Keeper (I mistook the Live Play 'dagger' as the Captain logo!). It must be Kai Smith, a 16 year old (nearly 17), who plays for the UAE Under 19's (don't know what he's doing in the UAE at 16 !).

You're right BB, Kelley must definitely be on his way now. As regards Matty L playing today, I agree its unlikely he would be in the T20 squad - he didn't pull up any trees in the 20 over game early on, though he is a man in (White ball) form now, so you never know.

My contact at New Road has confirmed it's Kai Smith from the UAE.
Possibly he's out there as his parents work there? I remember Ethan Holmes, who played at Barnt Green and a few games for Worcs 2nds who is now the Hampshire Physio had a similar background.
It's probably safe to assume Dougie Brown advised the club about Kai Smith.

Michael Booth is a 20 year old fast bowler, who is studying at Durham Uni, and has played for Kwazuly Natel Indlands in South African Domestic T20

An enjoyable day's cricket in the Worcester sunshine.
Woakes bowled well and looked fit.
I'm not sure what will happen on day 3 because I know that the T20 squad have a training session at Edgbaston.

As expected the second teams from counties who are still in the T20, are being dominated by those who aren’t.
I wonder if that will play out in any advantage when the county championship returns.

It was a case of men against boys today, Worcestershire's strong team prevailing.
Interesting that Woakes didn't bowl in the second innings even though he was on the field.

I thought Jacob Bethell batted well in trying to rebuild the innings.
Also Kai Smith looked useful with the gloves, and is definately worth developing for the future.

I agree about Bethell. He applied himself very well. As for Kai Smith, I thought he was quite nervous on the first morning but settled down with the gloves after that. But with Alex Davies arriving next year plus Benjamin and Burgess, we shall have more wicket keepers than you could shake a stump at.

Davies and Burgess are both mid to late 20's, Benjamin is 22, Smith is 16, if he continues to develop, he'd only be about 20/21 when Burgess or Davies are nearing the end of their careers.
Therefore it would be sensible, and a wise investment, to keep links with him.

I don’t know. Players go on much longer these days. And the thing I often forget about Burgess is he might be mid 20’s but he hasn’t actually played that much professional cricket and no injury history. So he hasn’t got the wear and tear on his body. I suspect both he and Davies will say they’ve got 10 years at least left. Whether Davies fingers allow him to do that as a keeper is another thing.
But just look at Murtagh at Middlesex, bloke is 40 and still opening the bowling and taking wickets. Darren Stevens another. I think these days, clubs are planning for players to be around longer.

I see that Woakes has bowled now but so has Garrett. Do we know who isn't on the field today and so might be headed for Canterbury via Edgbaston? Lamb?

A contact at New Road advises that Garrett was in the original 12, and that Woakes was "resting" after his 6 overs!