Completely agree that one of them should have been dropped. I also think that Yates should never have been moved from opening to accommodate Davies. Of course the danger with moving someone from the middle order to higher up e.g. Hain or Burgess is that it could then affect their form. Both of them have been great this season so it would have been a risk.

Problem is, do we have any other options for opener? We’re not exactly awash with them. I’m not trying to defend Robinson or saying that Yates deserved to keep his place but if he was dropped he’d need to be replaced by someone.

Just like one bad season shouldn’t erase the great season before it.

Pleased to see Yates make some runs. Let’s not forget that he’s only played 3 games as an opener this season after scoring so many runs there last season.

How can the PCA support these proposals? Fewer matches = less income for counties = either lower wages or fewer players overall. Counties are hardly going to want to pay the same amount for less work…

We definitely need to keep Briggs. I’m not sure what’s happened to his red ball form this season, but he’s still an important white ball player for us at the very least, and while it’s not the priority for a lot of fans, the Blast is financially important.

I would caution against making too many rash changes. I actually don’t think we’re a million miles from a decent team, we’ve just lacked the killer instinct in a few games which we could have won and the experience in key moments of other games. We’re already going to need at least one new opening batsman next season and some bowlers, so I don’t think we want to have an entirely new squad. With a couple of decent overseas players for next season (of the same ilk as Siraj and Jadav) I think we’d be ok.

Just looking at the table now and I find it bizarre that we have one of the highest bowling bonus points totals, only 3 behind the top, and our batting bonus points are comparable to the teams around us as well. I guess that reflects the fact that we just haven’t been able to perform at a good level for four days in a row.

You never know, maybe this innings will be the beginning of the making of Davies as a Warwickshire hero…

To be fair, on the subject of his keeping, I thought he kept well in the T20 blast although I haven’t seen enough of this game to judge.

At least we're not scoring slowly, I suppose...

Thing is, we haven't really got many other options for opening batsmen. At least with Yates, we know he's got the ability. I'm not sure what's happened to him this season but the coaches presumably have to take some responsibility.

Next season is a concern whatever division we're in as we're losing our only proven opener. We're going to have to sign an opening batsman and opening bowler at the very least.

Makes a change for Davies to still be there with three wickets down I suppose...

Absolute garbage so far.

26 wickets in the day at Chelmsford…

That is an absolute pie for Brookes to get out to.

Worryingly I think that more of the problem will be taking 20 wickets, unless the pitch offers turn. At least we have a batting point though.

I would be very shocked if Burgess has been dropped, much more likely that it is a personal reason as Terry suggests.

GerryShedd wrote:

My colleagues Harry Everett reports on today's events:
https://deepextracover.com/2022/09/lv-county-championship-warwickshire-v-somerset-day-four/
We had an interesting day together yesterday viewing things from our different perspectives. He seems to have picked up some Bears related snippets from me - e.g. his Alex Davies remarks in today's report.

And also from this forum - he asked me for a link to it today!

The first session tomorrow is going to be crucial. I don’t fancy chasing any more than 150 really.

Do we know if enough letters were sent to force an SGM?

Despite this good news, I still think it’s important to force an SGM. We need to show them the strength of feeling there is about this, and that although we’ve been given a “stay of execution” we won’t go away.

I say “we” but I’m no longer a member, due to living abroad. I trust that all those who are still members will make their feelings known!