BosworthBear
Member
Unfortunately people on both sides of the debate trying to fight their culture wars via cricket.
If you look at things logically commercial interests have been far more of a threat to the game and linked to the findings in this report than people who watch cricket.
It’s commercialism that has ostracised WCCC from its members as has happened with other counties. It’s commercialism which drove the ECB to take cricket away from free to air and to cannibalise the game via the Hundred. Commercialism which made Board members forget why WCCC exists and who it represents. Literally no one on the current board represents our clubs best interests. The non exec Board members will pay lip service to the reports findings whilst patronising members never realising for a minute that their ideology of chasing sponsorship and pounds and ripping out heritage has created this situation.
Please don’t name call fellow cricket watchers but call out the real cause of the issues in the game!
Whenever it’s anything fluffy or exciting it’s “Edgbaston” or “the Bears” - as soon as it’s a tricky subject and the back foot we revert to Warwickshire County Cricket Club!
Unfortunately currently I think members are an irritation they know they can’t do away with because of the constitution.
They would much rather members be season ticket holders.
It’s one of the reasons they talk about Edgbaston as a brand all the time because there are no members of Edgbaston.
I definitely think flexing the muscles with the SGM last season was a good thing and keeps them on their toes. Ultimately we may have to say the Members’ Committee is a pointless sop and we want full accountability from the Board to all the members!
Unfortunately we have a governance problem.
The current powers that be don’t understand the club’s history, don’t understand the geographical area it represents and don’t understand the Club is still a members’s Club.
They seem to think they run a distinct entity called Edgbaston and that local “stakeholders” are the community living around the ground and surrounding area.
There are still nice people involved but having had a lengthy chat with a senior non exec at the weekend and with previous chair as well as current directors they just don’t get WCCC and have no interest in doing so.
It’s extraordinary the CEO doesn’t see a potential conflict of interest coming with being a Director of the Birmingham Phoenix.
Scary times!
I had to look on here to see what was going on.
A couple of early wickets for the paceman as well.
Is OHD not fit? Will Norwell ever be fit?
I had to look on here to see what was going on.
A couple of early wickets for the paceman as well.
Is OHD not fit? Will Norwell ever be fit?
GerryShedd wrote:
It's probably not worth arguing about what happened 140 years ago, especially not on a sunny Sunday. But Duckworth, rightly or wrongly, paints a picture of the Warwickshire element as being a bunch of disorganised toffs and Ansell being the guy who pulled it all together.
Anyway, maybe it was a Warwickshire gentleman (and an Old Boy of my school) who came closest to the truth when he wrote:
"What's in a name? A bear by any other name would roar as loud."
(Or maybe that wasn't quite what he said - but that was the sentiment.)
I’d definitely agree with that version. We were a nomadic side and we’re starting to look at an HQ and Rugby and Leamington were looked at.
Ansell was definitely the organising genius (a pity he’s lost his stand at Edgbaston btw) but Birmingham was v much part of Warwickshire so all concerned we’re meeting to come together and act for the good of the county.
GerryShedd wrote:
I think the crowd was around 17,000 last night.
The Club do seem to have dropped the Birmingham name for the T20 team and just talk about "Bears" which is halfway towards going back to Warwickshire.
Incidentally, although I am very much into being a Warwickshire man, I was interested to re-read the Club history written by Leslie Duckworth almost 50 years ago. In it, he makes it clear that, when the Club was founded in 1882, it was a coming together of the existing Warwickshire and Birmingham factions. The original committee had four representatives from the Birmingham and District Cricket Association, three from the Warwickshire Gentlemen C.C.. two from Coventry and one from Rugby. It was William Ansell, who was secretary of the Birmingham Association, who masterminded the formation of the Club. So whilst taking pride in being Warwickshire supporters, we should maybe acknowledge that, without the role played by a Birmingham man and his Association, the Club would not have existed as a recognized fully fledged county club.
Not sure that quite right. The meeting was held in Leamington and the major players were rural Warwickshire. Nuneaton cricket club founded in 1829. But William Ansell did push for HQ to be in Birmingham because of the population which is fair enough. But best in mind Birmingham was an intrinsic part of Warwickshire and still is. Many many Brummies went on to serve in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
The B word was definitely mentioned over the tannoy last night!
I went last night. Normally don’t because of Birmingham Bears thing.
A little bit shocked with behaviour in the Hollies. Seemed to be a Birmingham City element and stewards handled it well but it did seem to be on verge of tipping over. Maybe because of being a Friday night?
Thought our players performed well!
I think we can be proud of the test match and the pitch. Good for England and our County.
I think Gary has a perfect right to answer back (via Twitter).
I also think a lot of the criticism of the pitch started when the Aussies weren't getting wickets on the first day.
BristolBear wrote:
Is that 4 or 5 chances Bairstow has blown now? Not sure who’s selection has been a bigger bust him or Moeen.
I think the stats show it was a perfectly good pitch. a few too clever by half commentators called it wrong. George Dobell has been sticking up for it contrary to what was posted earlier. Most of the moaning came from amateur Aussie commentators on the first day when they weren't taking wickets. great test match!
Wish they would use Warwickshire rather than West Midlands!
So frustrating.
good news for the Club!
Really hope we can make this dominant position tell.
4 bonus point so far isn't it.
And Surrey score looking v promising.
mad wrote:
realcounties.org.uk
I'm sure you'll be aware of this campaign bosworth. It is interesting the way county identity has slipped in the much of the UK in a way that hasn't been the case in for example Ireland. Ireland has done a better job of retaining county identities in the contemporary age where in Britain people are far more likely to identify with their city or town. Britain being more of an urban metropolitan country these days with vast suburbs housing two thirds of the population. Similar to the USA and Australia post 1950's prior to which even in America there was far clearer distinction between town and country
I am aware of the work they do to highlight the historic counties. Its often forgotten that when the administrative counties like West Mids were set up the legislation specifically stated this wasn't supposed to change traditional loyalties or sports clubs.
Birmingham seems to have a problem. Manchester still willingly describes itself as Lancashire. Leeds and Sheffield describe themselves as Yorkshire. somehow Birmingham lost its identity in the traditional county of Warwickshire.
But even putting that aside I'm not sure I've ever met anybody from anywhere who welcomes the change to Birmingham Bears.
It just seems like the Club knows it made a mistake. The then Chairman of ECB told me they told Warwickshire not to do it and how important Warwickshire was as a brand. But rather than admit they were wrong the Club are trying to call them "the Bears" as a half way house. But it doesn't work because of the formal listings. This is such an easy won for them if they embrace it and change the name to the Club's actual name!
LeicesterExile wrote:
Wasn't it done to satisfy the city council being as they provided a large sum for the ground improvements. They wanted WCCC to promote the name of Birmingham.
Publicly the city council stated they weren’t pressuring the Club. In the days when Brian Halford could speak his mind in the Evening Mail.
But even if privately it was true they now have the Birmingham Phoenix.
This is such an easy PR and marketing win for WCCC to revert back to playing as Warwickshire Bears!
GerryShedd wrote:
BosworthBear wrote:
I always feel a bit alienated in T20 due to the Birmingham Bears shambles.
But delicious to hear Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton, Shan Masood, Sam Hain and Steven Finn all refer to a great “Warwickshire” victory.
Surely now is the time to correct the historic wrong and play as Warwickshire again? Such an easy win for the Club! That’s our name, our identity and our heritage!
Although it's only a halfway house, it does seem that the Club has dropped the Birmingham title and just refers now to The Bears. Maybe the Warwickshire name will creep back in.
They definitely seem to be referred to as “the Bears” in Club communications and CEO confirms this. Maybe due to Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred.
However the formal name still comes up as Birmingham so that’s still the listing on Sky etc
I can’t think of another team in world sport which doesn’t play under its own name!
I always feel a bit alienated in T20 due to the Birmingham Bears shambles.
But delicious to hear Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton, Shan Masood, Sam Hain and Steven Finn all refer to a great “Warwickshire” victory.
Surely now is the time to correct the historic wrong and play as Warwickshire again? Such an easy win for the Club! That’s our name, our identity and our heritage!
There's a little bit here:
https://edgbaston.com/news/bears-in-the-ashes-mjk-smith/
It was pioneering at the time and led to the redevelopment of Edgbaston. Manchester United were so impressed they copied it to develop Old Trafford.
mad wrote:
The Warwick pool that kept Essex or was it Surrey? afloat in the 1970's? Or helped rebuild crumbling Oval or Chelmsford at that time?
Essex and Chelmsford. Trevor Bailey always expressed gratitude.
I think it was more complaints about the four West Indians and signing Willis etc at a time when Counties were expected to produce their own players.