GerryShedd
Super Moderator
The good news is that Worcestershire, Lancashire and Notts don't look like they have any chance of winning their games.
You may be right about his lack of opportunities; but I'm not sure that I would have described him as having a cracking season. His 3-34 today were his only first class wickets this season. He did pretty well in the Blast but across all competitions has scored 582 runs at an average of 23 and taken 20 wickets at just under 30 - OK but not tremendous. I think it's too early to say whether or not he will make it as anything other than a fringe player.
As others have said elsewhere, Will is going to be missed as a player and as an all round good guy..
The time for persuading him to stay was before he signed for Durham. My understanding was that he wanted to play T20 cricket and Warwickshire won't select him in the T20 side.
I suppose that he could, in theory, change his mind in that his Durham contract, though theoretically binding, would be difficult to enforce if he decided not to honour it. I think that Chris Wright signed with Sussex last year then changed his mind and stuck with Leicestershire. But that was all tangled up with his drug test problems.
It looks from this report as if his injury was quite serious and there was some dispute about who should meet the cost of his treatment:
https://cricket.one/cricket-news/not-pcb-english-county-to-support-pakistan-fast-bowlers-treatment-after-injury/66c77598ac94d32b0f01d99d
There's a bit of a contradiction, however, in that the report firstly says he has gone home to Pakistan and then says that he will be treated in England.
I agree that now is the time for members to speak up.
The means is there in the form of a special general meeting invoked by 250 or more members. But I'm not sure if the will is there amongst the membership.
I had forgotten how long had elapsed since I interviewed then-Chairman Norman Gascoigne about the changes in how the Club was to be run - see here:
https://deepextracover.com/2018/02/proposed-changes-at-warwickshire-signal-a-shift-in-how-county-clubs-are-run/
The key bit is:
“What powers will members still have? Let’s suppose, entirely hypothetically,” said Terry, “that the ECB proposed to scrap the County Championship and replace it with a 10 overs a side competition. The members would for sure be up in arms in opposition to this; but what if the word from Edgbaston was that the Club would support the proposals? What could the Members do now (under the existing Club rules) to change the Club’s line; and what will they be able to do if the governance changes go through?”
“There won’t really be any difference,” replied Norman. “In both situations, the higher of 250 members or 5% of the club membership would be needed in order for a Special General Meeting to be convened. At the meeting a proposal could be put forward for a vote of no confidence. Or a resolution could be raised for the Board to vote against the ECB proposals. If the resolution was passed, the Board would be bound by it.”
Preview here:
https://deepextracover.com/2024/08/vitality-county-championship-match-preview-warwickshire-v-kent/
We thought we had a long injury list but it looks like Kent have at least seven out through illness/injury.
Yes, my thoughts precisely. Well done to Olly. He's had such a troubled career. I hope he does well for England.
I know that groundsman Gary Barwell doesn't take criticism of his pitches too well; but Mark Robisnon is not too far off the mark when he says: “On this type of surface it just gets flatter and flatter and favours the team batting on the last day. It is hard to bowl somebody out on that type of surface."
On the other hand, Jack Leach - five wickets for 18 runs in 49 balls - might disagree.
Since England play Australia in T20 internationals on the day before and the day after T20 Finals Day, I guess that none of the England squad will be available to play for their county on the big day. So if the Bears qualify, that will include Bethell and/or Mousley if they are selected for England.
Match drawn.
Updated table here:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-division-one-2024-1410191/points-table-standings
Ironically, it looks as though the only ground where it isn't raining is Manchester (oh,and Scarborough).
All credit to Ed Barnard. And Chris Rushworth showed today how much we have missed him.
My report on the day.
I hope I'm being too pessimistic about the weather:
https://deepextracover.com/2024/08/vitality-county-championship-match-report-day-two-warwickshire-v-somerset/
Rushworth back but no Sam Hain
No news of the Somerset squad either, though they have released three bowlers on loan so must be pretty confident of the form and fitness of the rest.
What do we think the team will look like? Do we know if Sam Hain is fit?
Fair point (as ever!).
Regarding The Hundred, I accept that the BBC have a vested interest in talking up the competition. But, assuming that they didn't make up their statistics and were just a bit selective in what they quoted, it doesn't alter the fact that The Hundred does appear to have:
attracted new people to the game
brought families in
helped to promote the women's game
The numbers may be down and there may have been some freebies; but over half a million is a lot of bums on seats.