Don’t like the Birmingham Bears business but I’ll turn up tomorrow

Everything is about the result this match. We simply have to get it done whatever it takes.

This bits predictable - Kent’s second innings revival.

I hope we’ve got enough runs in the bank to exhaust them out with two days left!

This bits predictable - Kent’s second innings revival.

I hope we’ve got enough runs in the bank to exhaust them out with two days left!

Well we’ve won the toss so that’s quite a big worry over. Now need to get 20 wickets!

Scary prospect of victory if we end up batting first!

LeicesterExile wrote:

Have Warks settled for a draw before the day started?

Looks like we’ve lost all confidence. Crawling through to the end of the season!

A strange day. Wickets have fallen all day but it’s never really felt here like we are right on top. I do worry about us getting 20 wickets. But massive plaudits to Burgess and Yates for their fielding and to Rushworth for his consistency.

Wish they would get all the Birmingham Phoenix rubbish out of the shop!

South-Coast-exile wrote:

I too am Nuneaton born and bred, with my first love of Cricket and Warwickshire starting in 1960, when as schoolboy I saw the County playing at Griff and Coton, which they did regularly those days. The flame ignited all those years years ago, for both the game and Warwickshire still burns as brightly 64 years later, a lifetime of enjoyment, in good times and bad, all because of games played at outgrounds. Griff and Coton, Coventry Courtaulds, Cov and North Warwick, Stratford and others, I even watched them play on two different grounds in Hinckley against Leicestershire. But the game these days is dictated and dominated by money, it is a different world in 2024 and the game itself has changed dramatically ......... although I firmly believe I very much saw the best times, but doesn't every generation, despite or maybe because, there was no 100 or even T20. I hope, but doubt, the success of Rugby School over the last couple of weeks will lead to the odd game played "in the sticks", how about a good old fashioned Rugby School Festival, although I do realise I am dreaming.

Sensible post.

In the days when we played regularly at Griff and Coton (Nuneaton) the club used to publish the attendances for county games in the Annual Report. Griff and Coton was always higher than all the Edgbaston games.

The Club also recognised members around the county by having a “country” membership at a reduced rate compared to those living nearer to Birmingham.

I have nothing against Birmingham I attend Villa matches every other week. I do object to a small minority of vested interests trying to sabotage playing around the county. They’ve tried to that all my life - and i was born on the day we won the championship in 72 - and it’s pathetic to be honest!

LeicesterExile wrote:

Bosworth Bear your name would suggest you should watch your cricket down at Grace Road!! Only joking, honest. I gave up my Warks membership a few years ago now as just found the M42/M6 journey such a chore and the country lane way always an issue when you hit the outskirts of the city.

Of course you are right - there should be some cricket played out in the county - hopefully this past week is the start.

I’m Nuneaton born and bred and played for Warwickshire at youth levels.

It’s common sense that Edgbaston is the County Ground but we should take games around the county too. We’ve always seemed to be more reluctant than other counties to do this. From what I can see is a big problem is every time even a rare game is taken away from Edgbaston a small group of vocal whingers start complaining that their entitlement is breached and they have had to travel. I’ve even seen this behaviour at agms when the idea is simply being proposed. I remember one where the Bishop of Coventry was very angry that county cricket had been taken away from Coventry.

Andy wrote:

BosworthBear wrote:

Well at the very least the Brummie contingent now appreciate the trek the rest of us have to make every time to get to Edgbaston (on the western edge of the county) to support our county now!

It was always very much appreciated, keep up the good work and dont be late Friday, i trust you'll be there...

Hope you've enjoyed the County Championship wins, Sunday League title wins, record breaking innings/partnerships, memorable victories, iconic Test matches, incredible World Cup matches and T20 Finals Days we've had at Edgbaston down the years. The home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

I'm sorry Edgbaston Cricket Ground and Birmingham is such a chore for you.

Roll on Friday. You Bears!

Yes myself and my father (who is a continuous member since 1951 and been honoured by the Club) have enjoyed all those. We’ve also enjoyed watching Warwickshire play in Nuneaton, Coventry, Stratford and Rugby. But we’ve never enjoyed the incessant entitled Brummie whinging - admittedly from a few- every time they have to watch the odd game outside of Birmingham.

Well at the very least the Brummie contingent now appreciate the trek the rest of us have to make every time to get to Edgbaston (on the western edge of the county) to support our county now!

paulbear wrote:

I suppose that does make sense but we have a big ground just sitting there doing nothing for longer if we don't play there often enough. Perhaps playing more 2nd XI games at Edgbaston might be a way of using it more. The good thing about these games at Rugby is that a crowd of 2000+ is more than we might have had at Edgbaston. A home quarter-final is out of our hands if Glamorgan win their last game and over the yeas we have pulled off many great wins away from home so all the talk of 'Home Advantage' isn't always true.

It’s not being unused though it has to host the dreaded Hundred.

If you remember last year the square was so overused that all one day cup games were played right on the edge with ridiculous boundaries. The last few championship games were played on dreadful wickets.

It was obvious Barwell thought the situation ridiculous and the Director of Cricket (?) announced at the end of season dinner there would be a festival.

I knew this wasn’t being done for altruistic reasons but would take anything to spread games around the County. We are far too Birmingham centred and it’s not healthy or commercially sensible.

Andy wrote:

I'm desperate for us to finish 1st or 2nd (ideally 1st, of course) so we get another game at Edgbaston to make up a bit for having to have 3 games at Rugby School. It's like having extra away games.

Really fed up of these utterly predictable comments! So annoying!

Loved it today. Well organised and proved what I said last year that a lot of infrastructure really isn’t needed.

I arrived as our innings was ending parked directly opposite the entrance to the ground. A walk of 20 yards. Finding seats was easy and I chose to sit in the shade on the far side.

A really nice touch was the cricketeer volunteers who were very friendly and helpful.

I’d love county cricket to return to Nuneaton but I can’t fault anything about today!

Glad Gary is sticking up for himself. I think he’s excellent and had to take criticism from know nothing loud mouthed Aussies like Adam Collins last year!

Exiled Bear wrote:

Why did they run two on the first ball of that over?

Woakes over confident

And I think the plan was Hain to take Organ

The only worry is throwing away a couple of wickets at the end. Need a solid start tomorrow!

UrsaMinor wrote:

UrsaMinor wrote:

GerryShedd wrote:

Great effort from Alex Davies. Who was the last man to carry his bat for the Bears?

Go on, then. I'll bite. I seem to remember somebody doing it in the last few years when they were the first person to do it since Billy Ibadulla or someone of that ilk. If it was recently then, maybe, Sibley?

Could well be Sibley. 92* out of 188 against Hampshire in 2017.

Sibley did it four times for Warwickshire and he was the first since Westwood in 2010.

Davies on course to become only the second ever Warwickshire player to carry his bat in both innings!

It was obvious we should have enforced the follow on with that short period - 18 overs I think - left on Saturday evening.

A lesson for Davies et al that you don't give your opponent a break and let them off the hook when you are on top. It betrayed such a defensive mindset. I do hope we learn from this!