I can’t see it myself. Notts have their own injury issues with bowlers. Can never keep Chappell, Ball or Pattinson fit.

From what I’ve heard, Stone was pretty realistic that unless he gets fit and stays fit, this could be his last big contract, so he’s just gone to the highest bidder. Previously that was Northants, Notts went higher. He wants to play test cricket, so Warwickshire’s white ball only deal was pretty pointless, plus less money.

Interesting point made about Farbrace’s recruitment.
Who was his best signing? Burgess, Bresnan, Briggs? Of those 3, only Burgess can be said to have been genuine success. He seems to have seamlessly replaced Ambrose, which many thought impossible. Briggs has been good but not when compared to Jeetan, and Bresnan was too short lived.
But Davies and Benjamin, are yet to deliver. And then you look at the domestic signings made by other teams and you wonder why the club didn’t attempt something similar.
In terms of overseas signed by Farbrace, I thought Chris Green was really good when he played in the T20. All the others have ranged from poor to abysmal.

I suspect I have the opposite view to most, and the batting will get the criticism. But actually if you look at where that game was lost, it was the bowling.
3 of the 4 innings were below 230. 2 of them below 200. It was clearly a pitch offering a bit to the bowlers. In the fourth innings, damp overcast conditions, they got the ball to do a bit, they used the conditions well. Whereas in the same situation in Kent second innings our bowlers let them escape from 100-4 to 380 declared. They knew this was a tough wicket. Only 2 of their batsmen got in. We can say Saini and Quinn didn’t look special, but compared to Miles, Brookes and Rhodes they looked like the Starc and Cummins.

It’s easy to blame the batsmen. But we’ve got 3 players averaging near enough 50 or more. Sibley has contributed at times too. But if other teams are scoring 100-200 runs more than they should then of course the batting will look bad in comparison. What’s even more damning is that not only is the bowling lacking any threat, it’s expensive for a lot of the time, it doesn’t build pressure. Shown by how sides score much faster than us, despite having players like Hain, Burgess, Lamb, Mousley, who all bat at a decent strike rate.

Yes Davies needs to go, and we need a first or second wicket partnership of 100 once or twice to just to build a base, and the batting needs to stop relying on Hain and Burgess. Could you imagine if Hain, Lamb and Burgess came in with 150-250 for 2 on the board instead of 100-5.

But if teams keep scoring more because the bowlers allow them too, then the batting will always be insufficient.

Not sure what the hell Kent think they’re doing.
Recognising they clearly have a weakness, and that their bowling isn’t good enough, so bringing in 2 international fast bowlers to improve their side and give them a much better chance to win.
Ludicrous decision making. Farbrace is probably laughing at them from his office.

I feel a bit sorry for Benjamin. He’s not a number 3, he’s inexperienced, he got a pretty ordinary decision by the looks of it, and he’s always out there in the first 5 overs.

Davies can just leave now, not our best keeper, not one of our best openers, fails time after time. On a huge wage, doesn’t seem to care, and is picked no matter what.

Davies could go out and kick his own stumps over first ball and not be dropped it seems.
What incentive is there for him to learn, improve and take responsibility?
I hope he learns and applies himself here, and scores some decent runs, but there’s limited reason for him or any player to change if their place is never under threat.

That is where the current format lets itself down.

The bears are unlucky that they play the 2 title contenders twice, and only play the 2 weakest teams, Glos and Kent, once.
It’s a distinct disadvantage.

I’d normally be thrilled, but after tea it’s worrying to see that the pitch is starting to show some inconsistent bounce. A fair few keeping low, it’ll make chasing anything over 250 very tough.

You’ve got to wonder what on earth has gone on behind the scenes.
Arguably the best bowling coach in the country left because he has issues with the head coach.
A team that was praised for its spirit this year, has struggled for it this year.
Players have gone backwards apart from the notable 3.
Players seem to be alienated by new signings and preferential treatment given to some.
New signings and overseas don’t produce.
Big name players are leaving or seem to be about to leave.
There have to be questions about Farbrace and Robinson and the captaincy.

Do we think Robinson is aware of the bowling weakness and is just happy excusing it as injuries, and living off last seasons success?
Or is he blissfully unaware of the inadequacy?

Because surely if he knew, he’d adapt the line up? Leave out Benjamin or Davies. Move Burgess up to 6 like most of last season. And have an extra bowler or someone like Ethan Brookes at 7, who can offer a batting and bowling option.

Because currently in what should be very helpful conditions. Our seam attack looks incredibly placid. With limited options because Rhodes really isn’t a 4th seamer, and all the batsmen that can bowl, bowl spin. Rather unhelpful on a greenish pitch, on a damp, overcast day.

Hopefully we use the conditions early and try force the result. But with our bowling, that’s very optimistic.

We’re a 3 man team, Hain, Burgess and OHD.
Anyone else that has a score has done it on the flattest of decks, Hain and Burgess have done it consistently in tough situations. But that first innings shows how fragile that is, Hain did well, but Burgess got a top ball early, they happen. So if 1 fails, you can’t post a good score. Same thing the other way round, we’ve seen Hain not get a score and Burgess has got a score but batting with the tail, and you’re left to wonder what would have happened if he’d been able to have a partnership with a batsman not just OHD, McAndrew and Briggs.

OHD has bowled superbly with no support, and it’s ridiculous that a club of this size, basically has 1 fit top quality bowler. He can’t take 6 wickets every innings, and that almost what’s needed currently.

Anyone else watch today and wonder why on earth Miles and Brookes are playing when Norwell and Stone have both bowled over 20 overs each in a second XI match?

Some of that bowling was shocking. A couple from Miles sprayed short and wide would be shocking from an amateur, let alone a professional player. Kent went and got Matt Henry back, we’ve done absolutely nothing to improve our bowling.

It’s easy to blame the batting often because it’s more obvious, but I still feel that the bowling is by far the bigger issue in this side.

I’d argue we’re a better batting side but they’ve made it much more difficult because we’re carrying a couple of senior players as passengers which makes the line up much more fragile.
We’ve got Benjamin and Mousley trying to establish themselves, and every side has a player or 2 like that in their lineup. And they should be supported by 5 senior batsmen.
Hain and Burgess have been superb. Sibley has had his moments. But Davies and Rhodes are total passengers, who won’t be dropped no matter what.

I’m not sure what to make of this pitch.
Seems to be offering plenty to the bowlers, and seems like it’s difficult to get in, and wickets fall in clusters but once a player has got in, they can score runs.

Rhodes’ dismissal was a shame as he was set and careless. Mousley then chased one and Burgess seemed to get very good ball early.

And doesn’t this sum up our bowling perfectly….. OHD smashing it. No threat from anyone else.
Just need to take advantage now and put themselves in a position where they are complete control.

Interesting that Ricardo Vasconcelos has stepped down as the Northants skipper in order to “concentrate on his own performances”.
Despite Northants being 8 points above us having played a game less.

From the sounds of it there was a huge negative effect from the start of the season.
By all accounts there has been a big split in the squad, with some players as you correctly pointed out, being favourites, getting priority in terms of training for different formats and are allowed to underperform with no threat of reprisal.

I’m assuming by the fact that Garrett is playing, but no Craig Miles means Miles is either playing tomorrow or injured.

Very optimistic thinking from me. But I do hope they just give Norwell and Stone, 10-15 overs each today just as a fitness check, and then let them play against Kent tomorrow. Suspect that’s more likely for Norwell than Stone. As the noise has always been that Stone probably won’t play any championship cricket this season at all. But it would be great if he did, proves his fitness and the club come to their senses and offer him a full contract and keep him.

Tough on Lamb if he is dropped, but not unsurprising as despite his season average being good, his last 3 or 4 matches have been poor. And we all suspected he was probably the most vulnerable going into the season, the management clearly have their favourites and he isn’t one of them. Strikes me more as them taking the opportunity to drop him as always planned. His early season form was probably inconvenient to the plans of those behind the scenes.

I have a feeling he was just using Warwickshire as a way of improving his price.
I have also heard that Davies was towards the bottom of the table in terms of popularity within that Lancashire dressing room, part of the reason the club had no problem with letting him go, so I’m not sure we can expect too many Lancs players wanting to share a dressing room with him again any time soon.