Devon_Bear wrote:

It's been an excellent innings from Malik, he has played a responsible innings so far. Webster too has been very good, if these two can stay together for another hour then we should have a great chance of winning this match.

Well shucks, hush your mouth there. You sure is tempting fate!

I was at the Cheltenham Festival yesterday and had the privilege of meeting Bob Barber (90 later this year) who spoke warmly about his days at Edgbaston and about his old Warwickshire and England captain, M.J.K. Smith.
I also met Andy Moles who spoke about the early 1990s team that won everything and how they had a culture of everybody wanting everybody else to succeed.
A good crowd at the Festival and some interesting cricket played.

According to reports, the injury was incurred while playing for us:
"Hasan Ali, Pakistan fast bowler has confirmed that Warwickshire County Cricket Club will oversee the treatment for his elbow injury, which he sustained during the ongoing County Cricket season. The 30-year-old was forced to return home early in July due to the severity of the injury, which has significantly impacted his performance. Hasan Ali sought assistance from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, the PCB directed him to Warwickshire for support, as the injury occurred while he was playing for the club. The PCB clarified that since Hasan was fit when he joined Warwickshire, the responsibility for his treatment and recovery lies with the county club."

Playing for Middlesex seconds isn't quite the future that was once predicted for Henry Brookes. As for Manraj Johal, I was disappointed that he didn't really progress after a good start - another failure for the Bears' bowling coaches. So I hope that he makes it at Middlesex or elsewhere.

Gloucestershire's Tom Price is joining Sussex.
He almost doomed the Bears to relegation in 2022 when he took 8-27; but overall,he hasn't quite fulfilled that potential.

Highveld wrote:

With Gilchrist and Thompson joining there is no need to waste the money giving Hassan Ali another paid holiday at the clubs expense, and the club will be able to sign an overseas player who intends to fully honour his contract with the club.

You know that this is one of the few matters on which you and I disagree.
Hasan Ali had a serious elbow injury and has also been called up several times by Pakistan; but when he has played, he has always given 100%, taken wickets and (occasionally) scored important runs.

It doesn't seem to have reached the Bears website yet; but Nathan Gilchrist is signing from Kent:
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/gilchrist-to-make-kent-departure-327501/

I think I'm normally one of the least pessimistic posters on here. But I have to say that I am very depressed about the future of the county game that I have loved and followed for so many years.
I was reminded recently that, all of six and a half years ago, I wrote an article setting out three alternative scenarios for the future of county cricket. In the most gloomy scenario, I said that "county cricket, as we have known it, will slowly die over the next five years." I concluded: "Just like Blockbuster Video Hire shops, steam trains, red telephone boxes and Woolworth’s Pick ‘n’ Mix, county cricket’s time will have come and gone."
Sadly, I think that I was not far wrong.

Apparently it is to do with the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which caused the Indian team to withdraw in protest.
https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/cricket/2025/07/20/world-championship-legends-india-pakistan-match-cancelled.html

It's announced that this will be Samit Patel's last game for Derbyshire.

Exiled Bear wrote:

What’s the progress looking like towards getting an SGM?

I suspect that the numbers aren't there, which is a great shame.

To be fair, I don't think that OH-D is doing favours for his county bosses. As Chair of the PCA, he is expressing the views of his members, with which he may or may not agree.

mad wrote:

As each sob story is trotted out one wonders why they don't have it written into their contracts as individual players that they'll only play a certain number of games in a certain timeframe. Then let the county clubs arrange salaries, fixtures and squads to cope with what players will or will not tolerate being able to put their bodies through. Squads are massive now, the loans system used like never before, rotation of playing squads is surely the answer as is unblocking the schedule so there is less travelling to do in mid season

I agree with this; and it is in line with what I quoted the Somerset Chair as saying:
"We are very sympathetic to this [player workload], particularly our players who play all formats but see this as a situation for the Club to manage in partnership with players and coaching and science and medicine staff – it is not the job of the fixtures."

Information re the Derbyshire squad:
https://cricket.derbyshireccc.com/2025/07/pre-match-pack-friday-finale-double-header-h/

George Dobell in The Cricketer says:
"At the time he moved to Warwickshire - a move which coincided with Liam Norwell's move in the same direction - Miles was seen as a potential England prospect."
Maybe that's stretching things a bit.
And in conclusion, I agree that we all wish Craig well in this third phase of his career.

I would say that Norwell and Miles were much of a muchness for Gloucestershire - Miles 255 wickets at 26.88, Norwell 248 at 26.97.
There were always doubts about Norwell's fitness/resilience. Just after he joined the Bears, I spoke to one of the Gloucestershire coaches and explained that Liam was currently injured but would be back soon. His reply to me was: "Don't hold your breath."

I don't go with the view that Miles was only ever seen as a back-up/support bowler. At the time of his signing, he was thought of as one of the most promising young pace bowlers in the country. He made his debut at age 16 and was described by Gloucestershire coach Mark Alleyne as "a precocious talent." For Gloucestershire, he took 255 wickets in 68 first-class matches at an average of 26.68.
Admittedly, that was in the second division; but the potential was clearly there.
So I think that this is another instance where the Bears bowling coaches haven't done a great job in bringing on a young bowler.

It looks as though Warwickshire players are leading the way in the call for less cricket.
As well as OH-D speaking up as the PCA Chair, we have the following:
England allrounder Chris Woakes, the PCA's England Men's representative, said the call for change was not about playing "less cricket because they don't want to - it's about being able to produce the best cricket on the field as possible".
"Welfare is extremely important and not just players but coaches and staff," he said. "We need to get the scheduling right to give players the time to prepare, recover and make sure they're in the best state physically and mentally.
"The game is now played at a greater intensity and faster rate, especially in white-ball cricket. When you're having to play back-to-back games it's almost impossible to be at 100%. Having gaps between games and with safe travel is very important."

Three wickets in his first over.

Even Durham who were defeated semi-finalists have an on-line report now:
https://www.durhamcricket.co.uk/news-and-media/sam-conners-takes-3-11-durham-second-xi-fall-short-against-warwickshire-second-xi-at-t20-finals-day/