Nathan Smith looks a good bowler, genuinely quick.

On the batting, we do have a long tail here, Worcestershire have Leach at 10 who's made FC centuries, we have OHD. We are a little bit '6 or 7 out then all out quickly'. Atleast Norwell and Hasan Ali have a few shots in the locker.

Frustrating to see batters not go on and get centuries but also encouraging to see them all get in and get a few first innings of the season.

Barnard getting that shocker yesterday was huge, Worcestershire were looking a little bit bereft at the time until then.

BristolBear wrote:

The “he tried something” when set is just excusing him of any responsibility though. When you’re in, timing it well, don’t change anything. Keep going. Cash in.
Burgess played down the wrong line, early in his innings. It happens to every batsman.
A overseas batsman would be ideal. We need a player to show how to cash in consistently and take responsibility. I can’t understand signing Booth if he’s playing as an overseas, as that prevents us playing him and a batting overseas if we’ve already signed Hassan Ali. Also will we not be playing 2 T20 overseas if he plays T20?
Seems a strange decision.

I thought it was a weird signing at the time now learning he's not England qualified til after 2025 makes it look very bizarre. No disrespect to the lad, just the circumstances are curious.

Not excusing him at all, Rhodes would only have tried that shot whilst set instead of coming in and trying it early on. Once you are set, you feel confident that you can expand your innings a bit more, just so happens that it didn't come off. As for Burgess, it was poor shot, too expansive to a new ball no matter who is bowling. The ball moved back into him, that is why he got out and should have looked to be a bit more defensive at that stage.

A truly awful session this morning. Hard to come back from!

Problem is that’s part of getting in. Picking it isn’t as easy. And he played with a straight bat. Checked the drive. It wasn’t some huge swing across the line or a hook. Just down the wrong line and not enough foot movement. That’s arguably the same issues he’d have if he just tried to defend it.
And you can’t just block it for 20 balls and be in. Doesn’t work like that. Need to get the timing playing some shots. Not saying it was good by any means. But I’ve always got sympathy for a batsman getting out like that early on, more so than Davies, Yates and Rhodes.
That’s why going away from what’s working as a set batter is confusing.

On the Booth signing. We seem to be the only side other than Middlesex (who can’t afford one due to sanctions I believe), playing without a recognised, traditional overseas. I know they expected Hassan Ali to be available but if clubs with much lower income like Sussex and Essex can afford 2 high class overseas, can’t see why we?

Sorry but this bowling is garbage, I am off out for a couple of pints!

Yeah, the batting is definitely the secondary issue.
Saw it a couple of times last year, we can look toothless without Norwell and Ali.
But never seen OHD and Rushworth spray it around this much. This was supposed to be our strength.

If we’d bowled just averagely, we’d have had a lead after the first innings.

Fast thinking that with no overseas, no Hain, no Norwell, and this bowling performance, I’d snatch your hand off for a draw right now. As it looks like all but the Essex/Notts game will be a draw. Yeah it’s against a team we should beat but better that than lose.

I know praising the opposition doesn't seem to be the done thing on these boards but this is a stunning knock.

Wish the forecast had proved right. Met office had it raining from 2pm and maybe keeping the players inside for a few hours but with the way Worcestershire have scored here, we might have to bat for longer than we would like. No doubt our batsmen will need to do some 'Getting In' as BristolBear keeps saying, even more so now. Getting in helps but Burgess leaving a big gap between bat and pad, no amount of being in for ages can stop you getting bowled like that.

Travelled the 27 miles home to watch the football.

Combination of brainless batting this morning and toothless bowling this afternoon.

Fear for our chances of staying up this season unless we can get a few games of Hain, Woakes and Ali.

paulbear wrote:

Wish the forecast had proved right. Met office had it raining from 2pm and maybe keeping the players inside for a few hours but with the way Worcestershire have scored here, we might have to bat for longer than we would like. No doubt our batsmen will need to do some 'Getting In' as BristolBear keeps saying, even more so now. Getting in helps but Burgess leaving a big gap between bat and pad, no amount of being in for ages can stop you getting bowled like that.

But if you’re in you don’t do that…. Your foot movement is better, you commit more, your hands and eyes react faster.

My point seems to have been missed. It isn’t that what Burgess did was good. But you bat differently early in your innings, your hands, feet, head, all adapt as you learn the pitch and the bowling.
Which is why, when you’ve done that hardest bit, you need to make it count. Which is why the Rhodes, Yates and Davies dismissals are far worse.

BristolBear wrote:

Problem is that’s part of getting in. Picking it isn’t as easy. And he played with a straight bat. Checked the drive. It wasn’t some huge swing across the line or a hook. Just down the wrong line and not enough foot movement. That’s arguably the same issues he’d have if he just tried to defend it.
And you can’t just block it for 20 balls and be in. Doesn’t work like that. Need to get the timing playing some shots. Not saying it was good by any means. But I’ve always got sympathy for a batsman getting out like that early on, more so than Davies, Yates and Rhodes.
That’s why going away from what’s working as a set batter is confusing.

On the Booth signing. We seem to be the only side other than Middlesex (who can’t afford one due to sanctions I believe), playing without a recognised, traditional overseas. I know they expected Hassan Ali to be available but if clubs with much lower income like Sussex and Essex can afford 2 high class overseas, can’t see why we?

Northants have got Karun Nair too. We should be signing players of that calibre. One again we have failed to recruit a quality batsman and are reliant on Hain. The bowling attack doesn't look too clever either. Another season of struggle beckons.

I don't think the batting in the 1st innings has been as big an issue as what's been made out. Sure it would have been nice if someone could have gone onto three figures but we've made 333 without Hain and we do have a pretty long tail. We'd have struggled to make 200 last season under the same circumstances.

Bowling has been more of a concern. Lack of pace in our attack has been totally exposed. Someone on a previous page criticised the Worcestershire attack, I think that's harsh on Smith and Finch who have got pace (particularly Smith) and the whole attack is probably a little more varied than ours. We've looked pop gun. 3 more rounds of Kookaburra this season is it? We're crying out for someone with a yard of pace here.

Andy wrote:

I don't think the batting in the 1st innings has been as big an issue as what's been made out. Sure it would have been nice if someone could have gone onto three figures but we've made 333 without Hain and we do have a pretty long tail. We'd have struggled to make 200 last season under the same circumstances.

Bowling has been more of a concern. Lack of pace in our attack has been totally exposed. Someone on a previous page criticised the Worcestershire attack, I think that's harsh on Smith and Finch who have got pace (particularly Smith) and the whole attack is probably a little more varied than ours. We've looked pop gun. 3 more rounds of Kookaburra this season is it? We're crying out for someone with a yard of pace here.

If Hassan and Norwell are still both unavailable for Durham, I wonder whether Garton might be called up? It has been said that he could be considered for redball. He is genuinely quick and a left armer is something we have been sorely missing since Barker left.

If Hassan and Norwell are still both unavailable for Durham, I wonder whether Garton might be called up? It has been said that he could be considered for redball. He is genuinely quick and a left armer is something we have been sorely missing since Barker left.

Good call on Garton; any variety in our attack in terms of pace or left arm is a must, particularly if the square reacts in the same way as it did last year.

Maybe amongst the mourning for the Bears' performance, we should at least give a shout-out to Kashif Ali for two magnificent innings. The Bears' bowling may have been a bit off at times but he took full advantage.

The forecast was different this morning and all this was supposed to blow over in the morning until late afternoon. Probably better for us that we now have more rain but that still leaves me wondering why Worcestershire have batted on. Even if their skipper thought this would happen, surely you would declare once the game started and an hour had been lost anyway. After yesterday, we would settle for this.

Rather a disappointing start. There aren't many weaker teams than the Pears in Division One but it looks like we might be one of them. I mean no offence to the squad we fielded in this game but they are good players rather than strong ones. We seem to lack the star quality that would come with a Hain, Woakes or Hasan Ali. We could do with those players back or for Yates or Mousley to have a breakthrough year.

Norwell injured and "out for a few weeks...".