Just read this. Very worrying indeed. Apparently some counties who were dead against a reduction in the CC are coming around to idea of a reduced schedule. What was once a 'hard no' is now a 'soft no'. GD on X thinks its gonna be very close.

Laces a wide on to backward point 58 (40), played well to be fair.

He's no bowler but he's a great chance of tonnin up here...

I feel like he gets whacked almost everytime he bowls in all 3 formats.

NZ's a good a shout, I remember Woakes playing some first class cricket out there before he got into the Test side.

The lad just needs red ball runs under his belt, a run of games and a run of scores if a anything just to make himself feel better about the whole thing and get some confidence. That game he played for us v Somerset in late June, he looked alarmingly bad, and we all know how it's gone since.

He'll be knocking around these T20 leagues though if not in England squads.

Going on strike so you can work less, a lot less in fact, and stay on the same wage, jeez...

County CEO's lobbying the Union to see the players go on strike now, honestly...

Don't think performances in this have any affect on Saturday at all. Tomorrow's t20 matches may well be telling though...

Mousley's batted 3 in the Blast, I see no reason why that changes.

Would he get in?!

Always thought he had very limited ability. Seemed a nice lad though who always played when available no matter what whether it be 1st XI, 2's, club cricket, friendlies or whatever and for that I admired him. He never shied away. He'd play in the Blast on a Friday night then open the batting for Barnt Green on a Saturday afternoon.

I like Ol and I obviously understand his PCA role but he's put his above the parapet here on something totally ridiculous. I'll happily criticise Chis Woakes too for when he spoke out against the current schedule. He hasn't played county cricket anything like regularly for 9 or 10 years, he can't comment.

Piss taker ain't he

The irony of OHD playing this game as he campaigns for less county championship matches being played shouldnt be lost on anyone...

Gleeson is a Blast only deal I believe so is only contracted so is only paid during the Blast? Garton white ball only with a pay as you play option for red ball? You'd hope?But has never turned out for the 2's in the 2nd XI championship so...he has done sub fielder a few times for the 1's. Theres never be a time where time thought "we need Garton here" personally when watching the CC. Don't think either are anchoring the club with exorbitant salaries. Could be wrong.

Interesting debate, enjoying all views and opinions. Ah Gsscoigne, how clueless was he, he just didn't 'get' county cricket at all.

BosworthBear wrote:

Plenty of space and room at Nuneaton CC and Cov and North Warwick but I suspect the Club will look for a Birmingham ground to pacify the vocal people.

There seems a sudden shift away from County. Championship at Edgbaston. Our Chair led calls for reduction of matches. Our CEO told the members forum we lose 60k on every county game played at Edgbaston.

Looks like they will do everything they can to keep Edgbaston for internationals, Hundreds and subsidised womens games.

I’m normally passionate about playing games around the County but I’m suspicious about what’s going on here.

I love games at Edgbaston as much as anyone else I just want some games around the county and us to retain our identity.

Edgbaston is starting to get a life of its own separate to the Club.

Agreed, very worrying. Similar sort of thing to what Lancs are doing with the site in Preston by the sounds of it.

Highveld wrote:

I just considered the use of the Birmingham title as been similar to having a title sponsor on other sports, eg Mclaren Mastercard F1 team or Petronas AMG Mercedes in F1., or Newcastle Red Bull in Rugby Union or RB Leipzig in football.

The club is Warwickshire County Cricket Club, the players and staff get paid by Warwicksshire CCC Ltd, so the use of the title sponsor was temporary and was a neccessary evil to obtain the funding needed to safeguard the stadium's Elite ground status, and untimately the long term survival of the club

Fair point

paulbear wrote:

I tend to think that having a 'City' name doesn't always sit well if you have members who are also football fans and don't want to associate with elements of having to shout out "Come on Birmingham". This was an argument for not not putting out a team called 'Manchester Originals' in that OTHER inferior competition as certain Lancashire fans pointed out that they were form other parts of the county and didn't want to be associated with a team with Manchester in the title. I can quite understand. Did being called 'Birmingham Bears' drive away a few fans from supporting the team as they didn't want to be associated with Birmingham. I have no idea if this was the case but I could understand certain people being against it.

I think it's a bit deeper, Paul. Those people don't want to be associated with Birmingham full stop and I completely understand that especially if yer not from Brum but yet some of these people support Birmingham City or Aston Villa, its bizarre.

Great post ITE7376, so many good points. The numbers would suggest the batters have batted well this comp, most strike rates there look good.

But no you have to pick a side and be staunch over it. If you don't hate Alex Davies and criticise him at every available opportunity you won't get on on here. Pick your favourites and stick to them. Don't do in depth discussion and debate.

I'm a Birmingham based member and I was gutted when they changed the name of the T20 side to Birmingham Bears. I found it embarrassing. I completely understood we had to bend to the council though. And personally I was never not going to support the players in every comp at all levels.

Not sure it had an adverse effect (affect?) on attendances though. Those from areas with the CV postcode often seem to be the more casual supporters whereas those from Brum, Lichfield areas (we have good number of supporters from here and it often gets overlooked) aswell as the Black Country (lot of Pears there too) seem to be the more match going supporters. Those from Cov, Nuneaton etc seem to be the ones pedalling the anti Birmingham rhetoric too that seems to have crept in lately. Curiously lots of these proud Warwickshire types support Birmingham City or particularly Aston Villa in football as far as i can tell...

To revert back to being Warwickshire Bears would be a huge win though.