I agree, will feel a lot happier if Lancs bat badly. Congrats to OHD by the way on his 50th! Unfortunately my initial impressions of Booth are that he's like Miles and no better than Brookes or Garrett who we let go. Need some serious bowling upgrades next season.

white-lightning wrote:

Notts are hammering Warwickshire's attack. Bowling is poor. Why is Woakes missing this important game?

Good point when Bashir can play for Somerset. No consistency with England players allowed to turn out for their counties.

BristolBear wrote:

Dobell confirming that Benjamin is off to Kent next season.
Not the biggest loss. Has never offered much in red ball.
Got consistently worse in T20, with this season being atrocious.
Probably the best outcome for both sides. Frees up a T20 spot for Barnard or Smith.
Still plenty of keeping in the squad for next season with Davies and Smith.

Best for both parties.

BristolBear wrote:

I don’t think Highveld is wrong at all.
We keep trying this formula for the last 3 years, it’s achieved nothing.
Until this year Davies hasn’t been good enough. He got a boost (as did Yates) with the early season Kookaburra nonsense, but he’s backed it up throughout the season. Now he needs to do it again next year. Though his captaincy hasn’t been up to the mark this year.
We’re a bit blind to Mousley and Yates performances because they are home grown and they have the peaks that show their undoubted potential but no consistency, so those peaks are too infrequent. And rarely when needed most.
I think next year they’re heading into crucial years for them as red ball players at this club. Yates will massively have to step up because Rhodes steady hand at 3 will be gone, and Mousley needs to find a way to score match defining 100’s not attractive 50’s.
The need for a top order overseas is hard to ignore for next season.

He's wrong about Davies the batsman, correct about him as the 4 day captain.

BristolBear wrote:

Manufactured draw incoming.
Surely Notts try produce the flattest of flat pitches. Forget bonus points. 8 each sees both teams safe.

Notts need 10 overall, we only need 5 but as you say it's going to be a contrived draw.

We go down as they've won more games than us (not difficult).

mad wrote:

He had a go at the team after Worcester and then THIS happened. He's gotta be careful. Very scratch team available now with lots of weaknesses showing through. Need them to stand up tall at Trent Bridge. 11 points for safety so no need to worry about bonus points just need to be game savvy

5 bonus points sees us safe if Lancs win v Somerset AND get 24 points v Worcestershire.

Davies the batsman doesn't deserve to be dropped although I agree as a 4 day captain he lacks tactical and motivational abilities.

BristolBear wrote:

That looked way too familiar. Being unable to finish off teams.

Also, staggering tactical naivety. Field settings made no sense, I understand in theory with no Rushworth, you want to ensure OHD is good to go for the new ball. But it’s 1 wicket needed, a 10:30 start, 20 overs until the new ball, give OHD a proper go at it in conditions suited to him.
Once again, we just let it drift. And a poor start to the batting too.

Poor is an understatement.

Embarrassing last wicket partnership so far!!!!

Decent fightback here but almost certainly going to be batting again either the fag end of today or/and 10.30 in the morning.

Brilliant from Bethell tonight!

paulbear wrote:

Well done Will, again. The fact that he does not need to play an innings like that, speaks volumes. He could have easily played a pretty 60 and sat in the pavilion with his feet up but he got stuck in and got the draw which looked unlikely after yesterday mornings debacle. The management should hang their heads for letting him go. Great not to lose to our neighbours and keep our 'Unbeaten v Worcs in CC since 2000', going. I think Shaikh will get a good run in the side but as we have said on here, a good overseas player is needed but who? Batsman or bowler? Retired from Tests or not? Would love a big, nasty fast bowler who could play a whole season.

Yes me too, or a spinner like Harmer!! I take it Ethan Bamber is more a successor to OHD and Rushworth?

BristolBear wrote:

He strikes me as a player playing with no baggage right now.
We’ve always known he’s an excellent player. No captaincy and clarity about where he’s going next year has meant he seems to be able to just bat and not worry about other things.
Great shame to lose him.

Totally agree, will be a big loss.

We are only going to be saved here by the even greater ineptitude of Kent Notts and Lancs.

Exiled Bear wrote:

Also worth mentioning that Alex Davies passed 1000 championship runs for the season and is only the second player to do so in Division 1. He's had a lot of stick since joining us but has definitely been a lot more consistent this season.

I read he was the first to do so in our division. Hopefully his captaincy will improve too, it is his first season so I'm sure we will persist with him.

Not a lot to add to the above comments. Hugely disappointing again. On that wicket with the short boundary we should have won comfortably. Brainless batting once more has undone us.

meashambear wrote:

Terrible start!

Looks a good surface to bat first.....

As Davies keeping wicket there was no need for Benjamin, we shall see. COYB!

Devon_Bear wrote:

I think they will go with the extra batter at 7, and i think they will stick with Benjamin. He played in all 14 of the group stage matches, and seems to be favoured over others in this format. Predicted team:

Davies
Moeen
Mousley
Hain
Bethell
Barnard
Benjamin
Garton
Briggs
Lintott
Gleeson

Come on you Bears!

Yeah and he's averaged 9!!! Give his place to someone more deserving.