There is no issue with the balance of the side here. I mean at times this season we've had Burgess at 8 with Bethell at 7.

Tell us you've got an agenda without actually telling us you've got an agenda.

Highveld wrote:

To, attempt to, bring this thread back onto the topic.

Possible side for Thursday, including changes I think are needed.

Rhodes, Mousley, Kai Smith, Barnard (C), Hain, Burgess(wk), Benjamin, Briggs, Booth, OHD, A.N. Other(Woakes if available)

The club needs to get 5 points to ensure Division 1 survival. The best chance of achieving that is to allow a new captain a clean slate without the negative influence that having a disposed formaer captain could create.

What on earth?

Early forecast, very early admittedly, would suggest a drawn game here. I mean we won't lose in 4 sessions again will we?!

Razor injured? Or released? Shame either way, thought he was pretty decent and he had a bit of pace.

Yes very sad this. Decent player and a really nice lad who always made time to stop and chat.

Re. His time with us. In comparison to other batters who played for us during his time at the club he had a pretty good record, was often walking to the crease with us 30 for 3 etc, he'd rarely give his wicket away and would bat well in partnerships even if he wasn't the dominant partner. He used to bat well with Sam Hain, many a time they'd steer us out of strife. Averaged 48 with 2 tons in his last season with us, decent One Day player, then released. Poor really.

Yes they're a very decent team who clearly have a strong team spirit. Mark Alleyne is a great bloke too. It's a team who have been together a long time and have been on a few ups and downs. Read an article in the Cricketer on Friday which highlighted the tournament figures of David Payne and Matt Taylor, elite numbers, you have to give them credit. Role definition is massively important in white ball cricket and everybody in the Glos team knows exactly what their role is. Really well drilled, it all comes through a good team chemistry, something we don't have with all the ringers and mercenaries.

I was pleased for them, as frustrating as it was for us losing to them I thought some of the comments on here about them were a bit disrespectful and bordered on arrogance, 'how can WE lose to THEM' kind of thing etc.

Ton for Rhodes, outstanding knock under the circumstances.

LeicesterExile wrote:

I'm over the border due west in Wales and it's been raining in short bursts all day.

My goodness we do moan on this forum. Is Warwickshire the only team entitled to win? Comments that Davies does not deserve to be in the side and yet he is one of the most successful batsmen in the CC this season. As for being captain well we did not do too badly in the whiteball games. - a lot of teams did worse. With Hain missing most of the season and plenty of injuries to bowlers there are excuses. Perhaps criticism should be levelled at management - coaches etc. Just my take on the picture.

Amen

BristolBear wrote:

No denying that was poor this morning.
But I also think it was hugely unlucky.

That pitch was placid yesterday, very sedate paced, the ball was just getting to the stage where the kookaburra gets soft and stops moving. We were well placed when the bad light and rain intervened.

Suddenly we’ve got a pitch that’s been undercover and it’s moving off the pitch with rested bowlers. Batsmen are fresh at the crease effectively. It was a perfect storm of bad circumstances.
As we can see, now it’s been uncovered, sun and wind on it, it’s dried off and offering little.

Don’t get me wrong, not impossible to battle through it. But definitely hard to do in those circumstances.
All made far worse, by the fact we let them get 100 runs more than they should have. They were 67-4. We let them build partnerships.
If we bowl better, we’re not following on now, and it’s far less of an issue.

This is a fair comment.

Rayb wrote:

I cannot believe that our coach and captain are in any way having a positive impact on this group of players. As for sticking with Davies to “allow him to grow into it” I can only ask for a shred of evidence that he will ever become a leader and influencer of this county. Are we simply going to accept yet another dire season, with no progress, whilst these people grow into their roles?

Well, I mean, he is the highest run scorer in the division. Its a good while since we had a captain worthy of his place in the XI without doubt.

Andy wrote:

Yes he's done very well, like I said in the Gloucestershire thread I'd like us to stick with him as captain too and give him the opportunity to grow more into the role.

I'm fairly happy with our batting, we've shown fairly significant signs of improvement and most of out batters are young with time on their side and plenty of scope to improve. We've not really had much of a tune out of Hain this season in 4day cricket but we've not been blown away too much either despite that. Our opening partnerships have improved vastly. There'll be bumps along the rode but we should stick with them.

A definite positive that I think needs acknowledgement amongst what is becoming an increasingly negative supporter base.

And now this!

Yes he's done very well, like I said in the Gloucestershire thread I'd like us to stick with him as captain too and give him the opportunity to grow more into the role.

I'm fairly happy with our batting, we've shown fairly significant signs of improvement and most of out batters are young with time on their side and plenty of scope to improve. We've not really had much of a tune out of Hain this season in 4day cricket but we've not been blown away too much either despite that. Our opening partnerships have improved vastly. There'll be bumps along the rode but we should stick with them.

A definite positive that I think needs acknowledgement amongst what is becoming an increasingly negative supporter base.

Didn't know Blakemore was Staffordshire, thought he'd been with Warwickshire since u11's or so. Anyway glad to see him getting an opportunity, from what I've seen of him (which is admittedly not too much) he seems to be fairly tall with a decent action and has a bit of pace. Think he's only 17 too. One to watch.

Worcestershire's day you'd have thought, probably just about edged it? Hopefully finish them off quickly tomorrow, they definitely bat deeper than we do I'd say, Tom Taylor's an extremely useful no. 9, he normally bat's a bit higher and Virdi made 42 v Essex in the last game we could really do without things getting away from us.

Obviously playing in a struggling side and will be encountering some flat pitches but he's making a decent go of things down at Kent at seems.

I feel like Ed Barnard's bowling would be cannon fodder in T20 cricket to be honest, has no change up deliveries, no yorker etc hence he doesn't bowl at the death in the ODC. I've never really championed him for the Blast side personally. His T20 career record is extremely mediocre at best. Case for him as a batter only of course, I'd have rather Kai Smith in Benjamin's role though. And I'm a huge Ed Barnard fan.

Re. contracts and player recruitment/retention etc, we let Olly Stone (currently playing back to back Tests for England) walk but signed Moeen Ali, Gleeson and Garton...who the hell signed off on this stuff?!

Streetly_Bear wrote:

Good rational points Andy, I agree with pretty much all of what you say.

I’m not sure about the length of the contracts for those you propose releasing though, if they are multi year deals then it would be expensive to jettison them all.

No I agree mate, more just trying to highlight the fact that we've released guys who maybe had potential and given 3 or 4 year deals to some of those others who I mentioned. We've always been a weirdly run club when it comes to contracts etc. I should have been clearer.

Right, I hate the fact we're called Birmingham Bears, always have done, but it's not the reason we keep losing Blast 1/4 finals for goodness sake.

People seem to be inferring that Alex Davies should no longer be at the club...clearly those people don't follow us in the county championship...I'd still back him in the role as captain and let him grow. I admit I've not always been a fan either.

Ultimately we have too many mercenaries in our Blast side, and it's crept up year on year, Garton, Gleeson, Moeen, the overseas players, Foulkes bowled ok last night but he ain't a player. Our Blast XI differs far too much from our XI in other formats. It would appear to affect team chemistry and harmony.

More specifically on players, Sam Hain doesn't look right, hasn't looked right all season, even when he's done well. He's body language looks off, somethings up.

I think Mousley will end up batting 7 or 8 despite the decent contributions he has made this campaign. Just looks increasingly like a bits and pieces cricketer. The Hundred does him no good at all.

Lintott, great lad but low key he's had a bit of a poor campaign, he's gone for quite a few.

Felt sorry for Benjamin last night, he tried, he really did, but he just ain't got the quality overall. Looks a very good club player clinging on at pro level.

Garton, loads of natural ability, but mentally that guy is weak, just doesn't have the stomach for it. With a bowling action like that when it goes wrong it really does wrong.

I'd do away with Moeen, Garton and Gleeson, they all offer something but probably quite enough and if you ain't on a full contract I don't think you should be here at all.

A word on D. Briggs, he did so much of the heavy lifting this campaign. Credit where its due.

It's in the mind no though, right from Garton slinging them 6 waist high no ball wides down you thought "here we go..." and playing out the first over of the chase as a maiden you felt the nerves ramp up in the crowd, a lot of sideways glances.

Fair play to Gloucs, they've not had it easy on or off the pitch for a few seasons, but the bulk of their squad has been together a good while now and because of that they have excellent team spirit and perfect role definition. Every single one of their players did something good last night and made a difference.

Robbo, I'm not one for a sacking, but it's hard to see how he survives this let's be honest.

FWIW, great crowd last night.

Where's Zaman Akhtar and Ajeet Singh Dale for Gloucs?