I don't mind him on comms, there's much worse.

Won again. Very sporting pitch, said at the start of the day I wouldn't have fancied us chasing 150.

That partnership between Hassan and OHD was worth double. Essex will maybe think that that a mad half hour has cost them.

Another absorbing days cricket.

Snater and Bracewell were a bit loose initially after Cook and Porter and it allowed us to build a platform. Rhodes didn't exactly look great, he probably never will, but full credit to him for gutsing it out, he needed that. After lunch I think Essex probably got the luck they had lacked prior to the interval. Sam Cook is an interesting prospect, bowls slightly off the wrong foot and he can't be much quicker than 78mph or so but bowls a very tight line. Bracewell was fairly sharp, Porter likewise. Re. Burgess dismissal, to me, they seemed to be a slight bit of confusion over whether the ball carried? He definitely nicked it. Hassan and OHD, wow, that partnership has put the game massively in our favour, it really deflated Essex, at one point they had all 9 outfielders on the boundary. That boundary towards the Rae Bank is alarmingly short too. Also I think there is still this belief amongst cricket followers that once sides are 7 or 8 down then the innings should be wrapped up fairly quickly. Not so, there's not many rabbits around these days, most tailenders can handle themselves now and they have a couple of shots coupled with a sound defensive game. I still don't think the ball is swinging majorly, it was too cold for it today, but there is definitely some assistance off the pitch and maybe a hint of uneven bounce crept in in the final session.

Last word, Rushworth. I thought he'd struggle a little bit to be honest back in Div 1 having been in Div 2 for 6 or 7 seasons. I was wrong. I still thought he'd have his moments but not quite to this remarkable extent. He has this incredible ability to hit pads and gets great nip off the pitch. He gets so many LBW's and even the close/tight debatable ones seem to go his way every time.

Surely this game ends tomorrow? If not you'd have to assume Essex have staged an excellent counter attack and someone has played a big innings.

Cheers

Mousley looks a really nervous starter. Didn't look comfortable at all there.

Pitch is definitely offering assistance to the seamers. Versus Surrey the overheads were a big factor but this id say its the pitch this time.
Robinson remarked after Hampshire away that he wanted a bit of grass left on for Essex at home - and that's certainly what he's got here it seems.

Stunning from Burgess and not for the first time.

Rushworth top order wickets, 3 in an over, but how good was OHD?! Even before he got his first I was thinking it was criminal he didn't have any. His lines were immaculate and he consistently found good areas. Great penetrative bowling.

Did anyone notice the smoke wafting across the ground today?

Where can I read more about this Warwick Pool?

Do we think Woakes play at Lords no matter what due to his exceptional Test record on that ground?

Sort of didn't mind Hassan being rested for a game as he'd been a little bit looser than the others. Not that he'd been bowling poorly by any stretch.

Woakes has been bowling well though and you had the feeling he might be on the verge of getting a big haul of wickets. And we don't play again til Blast Off after this game.

It's probably not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, just an observation.

Fingers crossed for better weather as this could be a great game.

To echo what has been previously said, how do they compare with other Div 1 openers?

That was a hammering. Good to lay a few ghosts to rest and get a win on a ground where we've taken some rough treatment down the years.

You Bears!

Sensational Rushworth, just doesn't bowl a bad delivery. So many dismissals in play when he's bowling.

Yeah quick swipe then let's shove em in

Ha! Touché GARRYshed

Can't resist, sorry!

Knew I remembered Mark Robinson saying after the Kent game "...we know Edgbaston pitches get slower..."

Im also having a slow day...

*makes mental note not to say ANYTHING about the nature of the pitches at Edgbaston. Or at any other first class cricket venue, just to be safe. Also prays for George Dobell...

Nobody said they were bad, and I don't always agree with George Dobell. Just low and slow and they get lower and slower. We all watch 4 day cricket at Edgbaston, we can all see that. Its sometimes remarked upon by our own bowlers in their interviews. Our pitches have a fair bit of pace in them for T20 matches, I know in 2021 they were using them hybrid drop in pitches for the Blast, don't know what they did last year.

It's not just the decks, sometimes I think the outfield is so lush that it retains its moisture a little bit more and it softens the new ball a bit quicker than it might do elsewhere. However, as Dermot Reeve once pointed out, it probably means the ball keeps it's shine a bit longer.

No ones digging Barwell, just think it's how it is at Edgbaston.

mad wrote:

Derby is traditionally hard and bouncy. Add that to Leicestershire batting order frailties and it did cloud over and went cool just as he came on first change. Even after it warmed up though he kept taking wickets. Shame as I'd liked to have seen a cameo of sorts by Rehan Ahmed.

Of note the scoreboard here is huge and that's terrific. Hopefully when Warks get around to replacing the pavilion end scoreboard it'll be similarly as good

Good point this about pitches. The decks at Edgbaston for 4 day matches tend to be low and slow and get lower and slower as the game goes on which doesn't always suit those bowlers with a bit of extra pace.

Dobell mentioned it on twitter once and Barwell got a bit uppity over it. But GD did have a point tbf.

We are hammering them out of sight and the only that prevents us winning here is the weather.