GerryShedd
Super Moderator
For those who are interested in football history, I suspect that Brian Halford's new book will be a really good read:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kicking-Off-Again-Footballs-Greatest/dp/1836804202/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WYw3rkWD6RGOV72L_VT14gYyHHg0jLGpYBQ6uQ-SmDdF7lfr4xBJ_77ZgKsWlVXtGkNKvey9JyZWyskKN1s2h-I4numlNJtTEhPAm4aY13dwcKG1AuqwGJxunViIaECAdeegY8LVlnUk9PWX1c8W3w.czdUqz0SrRK6htDj2itoEzeSvBkddbwWAGjL635zx2U&dib_tag=se&keywords=brian+halford&qid=1786609173&s=books&sr=1-2
Ali Martin in The Guardian has highlighted how much the Phoenix are paying Usman Tariq and what it works out at per ball bowled. I actually think he is too generous in his calculations - I reckon Usman has bowled 135 deliveries. His pay is apparently £140,000, which works out at £1037 per delivery; and as Ali Martin points out, he doesn't bat and is "a bit of slapstick in the field."
His comment that the economics feel "questionable" is putting it mildly.
George Dobell (again turning his attention on the Club) says that the hotel development is "on time but at least £3m over its £46m budget."
Still nothing directly from the Club; but George Dobell has prised some information out of Ian Westwood. He writes:
"... there are injury concerns over several players. Keith Barker "is struggling" (in head coach Ian Westwood's words) to recover from a knee problem which might well end his career.
The sight of Sam Hain, batting in the nets here despite wearing a leg brace (he has a posterior cruciate ligament injury) tells you everything you need to know about his determination to return. He is unlikely to make the first game or two of the Championship run-in, though.
It's unclear how much Chris Woakes will be available, but the club hope to get at least a couple of games out of him."
Yes, the only two players to take off their pads and take a hat trick in a first class match - Sen for Bengal against Orissa at Cuttack in the 1954–55 season and Alan Smith against Essex in 1965.
What cricketing record does Warwickshire's Alan (A. C.) Smith share with Indian wicket keeper Probir Sen?
I saw Rocky Flintoff score a century for England Under-19 at Cheltenham a couple of years ago and he looked absolutely outstanding then.
Yes, agreed.
It's history now; but looking again at that lbw decision Martin Saggers gave against Mousley, I would say that the ball would have struggled to hit another three stumps. Delivered from round the wicket and pitching at best on leg stump, it was going way down the leg side.
Attendance for this game was a record for Rugby of 2,179.
That would be like a drop in the ocean at Edgbaston but a good crowd for an out ground.
Highveld wrote:
Theo Wylie scored 65, on debut, which gives him a higher average any Malik & Davies combined or Jani.
We should remember that Shaikh chose to leave Warwickshire, he had obviously talking to other counties for several weeks before his loan move was agreed.
Shaikh reportedly left because he thought he would get more first team opportunities at Leicestershire - maybe we should have been giving him those chances. Whilst Wylie has a higher average (after just one innings), Shaikh has scored over 400 runs. The Bears' top run scorer is Jani with 276.
Maybe this appointment fills some of the gaps mentioned in George's article:
https://www.edgbaston.com/media-article/jonathan-finch-appointed-general-manager-player-pathways-and-recruitment-at-warwickshire-county-cricket-club
Let's hope that he is effective - he won't have come to the Club cheaply.
Meanwhile, Hamza Shaikh is averaging 81 after seven games for Leicestershire.
Have I missed those updates on injuries that the Chief Executive promised us a couple of weeks ago?
Not much at stake now; but could be a good match against an interesting Lancashire side. Preview from the Lancashire perspective here:
https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk/news/2026-news/match-preview-warwickshire-v-lancashire-metro-bank-one-day-cup/
Andy wrote:
GerryShedd wrote:
I don't think that George likes putting the boot in to the Bears. He is, as well as a professional journalist, a Warwickshire fan; and like many on here, he gets frustrated if things don't go well and he can see how they need to change.
Somerset fan.
Yes, I've heard him say that; but having sat with him in the press box in 2021 when Warwickshire beat Somerset to win the Championship, I am pretty clear where his chief loyalties lie.
I don't think that George likes putting the boot in to the Bears. He is, as well as a professional journalist, a Warwickshire fan; and like many on here, he gets frustrated if things don't go well and he can see how they need to change.
Behind The Cricketer paywall, George Dobell has written a pretty savage article about the cricket management team at Edgbaston.
He is talking about all the Edgbaston based teams - Warwickshire men and women and Phoenix men and women. He points out that both the Phoenix teams are at the bottom of their respective tables. He also says that an opportunity has been missed to create a link between the Warwickshire and Phoenix teams by giving the Phoenix a core of Warwickshire players like Sam Hain, Dan Mousley, Chris Woakes and Issy Wong. He also slates the Warwickshire women's team management for losing so many top players - most recently Georgia Davis and Em Arlott.
Especially in George's sights is Performance Director James Thomas with his lack of cricketing credentials; and he suggests that cricket knowledge/experience is lacking on the Club Board.
Most disappointing is the fact that George gave the Club the opportunity to comment on his views/defend their position; and the supposedly media-friendly Club declined.
If you are subscribed to The Cricketer,the article is well worth a read. If not, I hope I've given you the gist of it here.
Jacob is ruled out of the Pakistan Tests because of his knee injury.