Better weather forecast.

Kookaburra or Dukes?

Durham will be a good test for us, some good players, particularly the bowlers Boland, Potts, Carse etc

Dobell said in The Cricketer that Booth was registered overseas for this game as he doesn't qualify as a local player until the end of the 2025 season.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Nathan Smith looks a good bowler, genuinely quick.

That's gotta be the 4th or 5th time now Mousley has gone at the end of a day well set as the not out batter then got out quickly the next day and exposed the tail.

Fluent half century from Rhodes.

Curious to read in The Cricketer that Michael Booth is playing as an overseas player and does not qualify as a local player until the end of the 2025 season...

Nice fightback at the end there, showed some resilience. Hopefully everyone settles down a bit now!

Kookaburra ball?

14 man squad

Davies
Yates
Rhodes
Hain
Mousley
Barnard
Burgess
Briggs
Norwell
Rushworth
OHD
Benjamin
Bethell
Booth

Rain

Suggestion that he won't be available for the first game and may well have further availability issues as the season goes on.

Agree, missing out the white stripe between the yellow is a huge oversight.

Some absolute gibberish in that article. Sounds like he's completely lost the run of himself in the last couple or so paragraphs.

Yates was terrific in last seasons Blast, 5 half centuries.

Bring on the folding chairs whilst we peer through gaps between other spectators in order to try and get a glimpse of the game.

Oh and the portable toilets.

Any parking available?

The one venue which I really hoped we wouldn't be going to.

Hated it when we played there previously.

Terrible viewing ground, cramped and uncomfortable. Gutted.