The commitment (desperation) by you to try and manufacture your narrative is incredible. Fair play.

Highveld wrote:

Will Rhodes completes his 1,000 championship runs for the season. Significantly, his total is not artificially inflated by easy runs in games with a Kookaburra ball.

What about his runs v Durham at home? Was it the Dukes when Rhodes was at the crease and the Kookaburra for everyone else?

Oof play that

ExiledBrummie wrote:

I agree, will feel a lot happier if Lancs bat badly. Congrats to OHD by the way on his 50th! Unfortunately my initial impressions of Booth are that he's like Miles and no better than Brookes or Garrett who we let go. Need some serious bowling upgrades next season.

Said it all season, he looks very hittable with the odd magic ball thrown in, exactly like Miles.

I'm stunned to read he was being offered a 2 year contract by us. Kai Smith does what he does and already does it better. Benjamin's continued presence would have been blocking him.

BristolBear wrote:

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

Team:-
Yates
Davies
Rhodes
Hain
Mousley
Barnard
Burgess
Briggs
Miles
Booth
OHD

As KoS said, Robinson has done his usual 'cunning plan' in packing the batting ranks. So, a lot on the shoulders of the 3 seamers (and some aspiring 'CC spinner' called Briggs !). I think Barnard & Rhodes will be called upon a fair bit.

I can’t understand why Robinson has this approach. When we won the championship, Burgess spent most of the season at 6. Bresnan at 7. Then Briggs, Miles, Norwell, OHD.
So now when our bowling is weakest, he keeps strengthening the batting. Part of it is a comment on our consistency with the bat, partly to do with low bowling reserves. But it seems counter intuitive. And I suspect a lot to do with Robinson’s preference not to drop his favourites, as typically they’ve been the ones most vulnerable.

Well OHD didn't play after July that season so we changed it up a bit. Benjamin came in and Lamb went 6 sometimes, Bresnan sat out v Lancs and Hampshire at home. Then Benjamin sat and Brez came back. Rhodes bowled a lot more. Chemar Holder was signed. Completely different set of circumstances. We won some close games, nobody averaged above 40 but we had about 7 lads average in the 30's.

Who playing in this XI shouldn't be playing? Considering the injuries and unavailability of other players.

5 batters, 1 keeper, 1 genuine all-rounder, 4 bowlers. I know this forum loves a pile on but we cant criticise that can we?

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.