Not a lot of bounce in this pitch...

This is desperately sad. So many memories, 2021 title winning season, particularly the 6fer on that flat one at Old Trafford, Taunton away in 2019, obviously the 9/62.

He was extremely close to getting on the England tour to West Indies in March 2022.

Was also a particularly nice man with impeccable manners who was always happy to chat, if you chatted to him even just once he'd remember you. I'll really miss Liam Norwell the human being as well as Liam Norwell the cricketer.

It's crazy how many of that 2021 title winning side have moved on, Sibley, Rhodes, Bresnan, Norwell, Lamb, Stone. Also Pop Welch, Farbrace. Also fringe players like the Brookes brothers, Johal, Hose and Garrett.

I've said on this forum before we do have a large/regular turnover in staff in comparison to other counties.

Outrageous that Hundred players are exempt.

This is inconvenient. Would have thought this is a chance to get Amir Khan a game? Hope nobody else gets injured.

Bit mad that Hain, Bethell, Mousley, Yates and Shaikh, all academy product batters, all contracted by Warwickshire and all playing for other teams.

Yep, particularly important we top the group here.

Will this 4 day fixture have First Class status?

Finally back at Edgbaston and it's raining, typical!

OHD back.

Dobell a couple of weeks ago.

Yes, linked with Kent.

Another seamer to go on the treatment table?

Agree on Zen, it's a bit of a weird one but like you say, wouldn't turn it down, seems a promising bat.

Interesting, wonder if anybody else is on the move? Would have thought we were quite well stocked for batters with Hamza and Kai Smith waiting in the wings.

Winning games in all different ways from all sorts of positions.

BristolBear wrote:

Not sure this pitch is what either side expected.
Definitely seems like it’s one you need to get yourself in on. Then you can accelerate.

Definitely a new ball pitch, relatively speaking for one day cricket. Which probably makes Barnard's knock even more impressive. Great win. On we go.

Dan Whiting is a brilliant lad, very knowledgeable. Don't know the others.

Atleast it's not like Somerset live stream?

Exiled Bear wrote:

Wow, that relay catch was stunning.

Yes that was absolutely amazing, Rob Yates what a fielder.

Yep looked nice with the trees, lovely looking buildings, stunning weather, plenty of shade, still feel it's very cramped and not a great viewing ground. Definitely makes you appreciate Edgbaston in that regard. Portaloos, we're a bit knackered as the day went on. More than happy to do it once a year, I'll be giving the rest of the games there a miss this season though. Tip, get their early because if you cannot get a seat at the front you're stuffed I'd say. Wouldn't have fancied driving, didn't appear to be a tremendous amount of parking, I could be wrong. I got the train, wasn't too far a walk, wouldn't say its close though. The weather really did help things, can't stress that enough.

Great game, good contributions all the way down from our batters, no quick wickets falling back to back. Did brilliantly to make 300+. Loved the way we put the squeeze on them in the 2nd half of their innings. Very difficult to set fields it seemed, was a strange shaped playing area. Both sides fielded well.

Great effort from Benjamin this.

Surrey.

I did notice that. They'd miss the last 3 Championship games aswell.

BristolBear wrote:

Dan and Jacob have been superb.
Not sure the best thing for their long term success is to throw them into a set up in turmoil, underperforming, with no coach, against the world champions and biggest rivals.

Get a coach in, let him assess the current squad, retire a few players, start afresh against the West Indies in October.

Just not worth the risk. I’d hate to see such good players, and great lads, have their confidence knocked and get an unfair reputation early if it went wrong because it wasn’t planned out and thought through properly.

That's a fair comment.

Cheers