1 thing I’ve noticed last year and definitely in the build up to the new season is how much the club’s social media and content has improved.
Showing net & coaching sessions, interviews with players, helmet cams for batsmen, funny videos. Been really impressed with the improvement.

Is anyone else struggling to get into this World Cup?
I don’t know if it’s because there’s been no close matches, the crowds seem small due to the cavernous stadiums, or if because it’s so long that none of the early matches seem important.
Doesn’t quite have the appeal yet.

Predictions?

I’ve got Australia winning 3-2. No close tests.
England to lose the first test.

Essex and Surrey have just announced that Dan Lawrence will be joining Surrey next season.

Starting to get a bit silly now. Any decent player that comes up just gets snapped up by Surrey.

Interesting that Barnard and Lintott are with the seconds today down in Taunton.
Suggests for Lintott that perhaps his place might be under threat for Friday. Especially as Mousley bowled well, plus long term Moeen coming in and can be a front line spinner.

13 man squad announced
Rhodes
Ali
Barnard
Benjamin
Bethell
Brookes
Burgess
Davies
Hain
OHD
Mousley
Rushworth
Yates

Norwell has a back issue apparently. Briggs still has a dodgy knee. No centrally contracted England seamers for any team round 1, so no Woakes.

I reckon Benjamin and Brookes to miss out from that 13.

After the 1st 2 day match against Yorkshire, seems like the same issues with batting as last year.
Lose 3 or 4 wickets early, middle order digs the top order out of trouble. Assume they’ll put a write up on the edgbaston website, but there’s this one on Yorkshire’s https://yorkshireccc.com/news/view/10519/edwards-shines-on-impressive-yorkshire-bowling-day

I was wondering with the latest announcements that Woakes and Stone are touring with England, might we see them in any of the last 3 matches this season?

With the comments in the Dobell article, plus Rhodes’ great ally Farbrace leaving, will we see a new club captain for the rest of the year? Or will a new one be appointed next year?

Not sure the list of potential candidates is that long. But would say a lot about Robinsons thinking.
Think we can safely assume Moeen will be T20 captain next year too.

I thought I’d go with different categories with this:
Championship player of the year
Young player of the year
T20 player of the year
Overall player of the year

Followed by:
Batsman of the year
Bowler of the year
Fielder of the year
Moment of the year
Clanger of the year
“Turning point” of the year

Let’s see if there’s any consensus

Briggs gets capped today.
He’s got to be the best signing of the year.
Excellent in the T20. Bowled well when given the platform and a conducive pitch. Gives good control. And has chipped in with good runs a few times now.

Rumours coming out of Sussex are that Aaron Thomason is being released.
The gossip suggests that it’s potentially due to a disciplinary issue. Which makes sense as apparently he was key for the first half of the year; and then suddenly disappeared, even playing minor counties at one point.

Who knows how this is going to play out. Doubt they’ve done much, if any, red ball practice since their last match.

The interesting choice will be with Sibley available, do they go to 7 batsmen, or stick with Burgess at 6 and take the extra bowler.

Can also assume Stokes will be available which makes things slightly more complicated. But a good win in this, and other results going their way could see the club practically qualified to the top group with a game to spare.

Henry is out of contract at the end of this season. He is young and very raw, but huge potential.
He was superb in white ball last year, has never been as good at red ball, but still a very decent player.
However, he has injury issues, very rarely goes through a season without an injury or 2.
No first team matches this year so far, not great performances in second team. Plus with Stone and Norwell also highly injury prone, I wonder if the club consider how many players like that they can have on staff.
I personally want him to stay, but will be interesting to see what does happen. Because he’ll have been able to talk to other teams now. And there will be other suitors out there. Could end up being a decision for Henry rather than the club, especially if the team continues to succeed without him, and he isn’t playing.

So attention turns to this now. Due to the Test match, it’s almost a case of the first 7 matches are away, and the second 7 at home.
It will be a good chance for some of the other players get involved and see our other overseas Brathwaite. I suspect Woakes will be available for the first few, with the ECB getting him ready for Sri Lanka, and lining him up for the T20 World Cup.
With Brookes apparently injured currently, I think the first side will look like this:
Pollock
Rhodes
Hose
Hain
Lamb
Burgess
Woakes
Brathwaite
Bresnan
Briggs
Lintott/Norwell (depending on the pitch)

So with 1 day left of the last preseason match, the question must be what will be the first team of the season vs Derbyshire. For me the questions are, will Malan arrive in time to play, will they play a spinner, and 6 batsmen or 7? Assuming all are fit, but with Malan still not arriving my side would be:
Sibley
Rhodes
Yates
Hain
Lamb
Burgess
Bresnan
Briggs
Norwell
Stone
OHD