Apparently Gleeson went off with a hamstring injury so I don’t expect to see him back for this one.

BBC reporting it as a side strain, not sure which is correct. Either way, I guess he won’t be involved.

It was definitely a side strain. He was stretching his side out between his first and second overs, then pulled up after one ball in his second. Perhaps shouldn't have tried to bowl that over given he looked in discomfort beforehand.

Someone mentioned Hassan also out?

Mikkyk wrote:

It was definitely a side strain. He was stretching his side out between his first and second overs, then pulled up after one ball in his second. Perhaps shouldn't have tried to bowl that over given he looked in discomfort beforehand.

Someone mentioned Hassan also out?

Yes, reported by the club yesterday he has an elbow injury.

Gleeson named in the squad.

Bears win the toss and bowl.

Booth in for Gleeson.

Nice one Bears, especially the spinners and inevitably Hain and Bethell. However, please drop Benjamin for his own good.

That has to go down as one of the greatest T20 partnerships of all time. To come together at 7-3 and create a risk free stand to get to the opposition's score was incredible.

Shame Benjamin was unable to score the winning runs!!

4 wins on the bounce, it’s a good feeling.

Huge props to the spinners but all the plaudits to Hain and Bethell.

Bethell learning from Hain, beautiful to see. Different batters putting their hand up every game (apart from Benjamin).

Chris Benjamin got, probably, the best ball of the innings, not many would have survived that first ball.

Yes he is struggling at the moment, but he has ability and will come right, given the opportunity.

It was a good performance in the field today, and an excellent partnership from Sam & Jacob.

Highveld wrote:

Chris Benjamin got, probably, the best ball of the innings, not many would have survived that first ball.

Yes he is struggling at the moment, but he has ability and will come right, given the opportunity.

It was a good performance in the field today, and an excellent partnership from Sam & Jacob.

A year and a half’s evidence suggests otherwise.
I don’t think it’s a surprise that after his first season and bowlers got tape on him that he’s gone off a cliff.
He averaged 16 last year at 130 SR, he’s averaging 8 this year at 97 SR. At least last year even though he wasn’t scoring runs, his strike rate wasn’t laughable, this year not only is he not scoring runs, he’s scoring them slowly.

My theory is that Benjamin is getting picked so that, even though we are top of the table and have won two matches in the last two days, we still have something to complain about.

GerryShedd wrote:

My theory is that Benjamin is getting picked so that, even though we are top of the table and have won two matches in the last two days, we still have something to complain about.

😂

The issue is, and it reeks of arrogance and entitlement in well aware, we’ve been here before. Qualified comfortably from the group stages, but with some clear flaws in the team, and when it gets to the quarter finals, those flaws are highlighted and it leads to losses against the best teams.
Yesterdays match is a perfect example, lose wickets early, 2 of the best performing players get us out the hole, but what if we’d been playing a team at the top of the table; and they’d scored 30 more? Benjamin would be needed to score and fast and he just isn’t reliable in those situations.
The point I have is that, why wouldn’t you use this situation to see what Burgess can offer in that role, so you can be sure of your strongest side, thats fully tested when it comes to the matches that matter most.

To add to "Gerry's" theory, by having Benjamin struggle, it allows others to fail regularly without been critisism.

Hopefully Chris can find some good form soon, and show his what he is capable of.

To continually failing in the spotlight must be confidence shattering. It cannot be doing him any good whatsoever. He must be wondering where the next runs are going to come from. It has been said and it needs repeating - he needs a couple of weeks in the 2nds with closee assistance of a good batting coach. Surely that would give him the chance to come back and make a signicant contribution.

There is a four day second eleven game starting Monday, ideally Chris is allowed to keep wicket and bat wherever he wants in the order.

I'd be really pleased if he has a good performance in that game.

Highveld wrote:

There is a four day sexond eleven game starting Monday, ideally Chris is allowed to keep wicket and bat wherever he wants in the order.

I'd be really pleased if he has a good performance in that game.

A telling typo in there or was your mind elsewhere? !!

LeicesterExile wrote:

Highveld wrote:

There is a four day sexond eleven game starting Monday, ideally Chris is allowed to keep wicket and bat wherever he wants in the order.

I'd be really pleased if he has a good performance in that game.

A telling typo in there or was your mind elsewhere? !!

Telling also that you were the one to spot it!