GerryShedd
Super Moderator
George Dobell on The Cricketer website is slightly scathing about the quality of this signing.
He also points out:
"Zaman Akhter... spent several months training with the club and living in Birmingham but, when they failed to offer him a contract, joined Gloucestershire.He is now starting to be name-checked as a potential England fast bowler and has one of the fastest average speeds of bowlers in county cricket. Given the lack of pace in the Warwickshire attack, such a signing might have proved wise."
Still awaiting squad news; but I assume our new Kiwi will be in action.
Amongst those presumably missing will be the pace bowling sextet of:
Liam Norwell
Craig Miles
Chris Rushworth
Michael Booth
(all injured)
Hasan Ali
Chris Woakes
(absent elsewhere)
Melinda Farrell was quite rightly getting some praise on here for her commentaries recently. I'm sure she will be proud that she has now achieved the ultimate recognition - being featured on Private Eye's Commentatorballs for saying (allegedly): "There's a TV installed in the men's Portaloos so that you can watch the live stream."
white-lightning wrote:
Will we see a bowling attack of Hasan Ali, Chris Woakes, Rushworth and Norwell this season? That is some line-up if it happens!
If you're looking for a line-up that involves Norwell, best to check the queue outside the physio's room.
Ex-Bear Alan Richardson talks about the response at Worcestershire to the Josh Baker tragedy:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/may/09/cricket-worcestershire-josh-baker-kent-canterbury?utm_term=663d9bc6ed7f29830236888e1e4b6114&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email
Sky are covering the Lancs v Kent match today - clash of the bottom teams.
Apparently a heart attack (so I've been told).
Yes, incredibly sad news. Deepest condolences to his family and friends.
From the Club statement about Hasan Ali:
"Chris Woakes will be back with us later this month so he comes back into contention for both red and white ball games.”
Cricinfo are reporting that Chris Woakes won't be in England's provisional squad for the T20 World Cup.
I agree that it is an ongoing mystery.
The only positive spin I can put on it is that, if there is a personal issue, the club are doing a good job of keeping it private. They did the same for Michael Burgess some time ago.
Report of the AGM here:
https://edgbaston.com/news/warwickshire-agm-members-hear-clubs-ambitious-edgbaston-plans/
Report here:
https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk/news/2024-news/second-xi-report-six-wickets-for-barnard-in-drawn-game-at-edgbaston/
Lancashire almost turn Jake Lintott into a Lancashire star by describing him as Jake Lintoff!
Report here of a Flintoff century:
https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk/news/2024-news/second-xi-report-flintoff-hits-century-as-lancs-pile-on-the-runs-at-edgbaston/
Andy wrote:
Naqqash Tahir?
Well he certainly was local and came through the system - but he was finished with the Bears when he was only 27/28.
I agree that the history of bringing through fast/fast-medium bowlers has been very poor. The last such bowler who came through our youth system and had a successful career with us was (I think) Chris Woakes - debut 2006. Who was the one before that? I can't think of anyone since Gladstone Small (debut 1979). That's ridiculous! (Or have I missed someone?)
Rain getting very close to Southampton.
One consolation is that it may get to Canterbury too before Surrey finish off Kent.
Essex have won and so have Durham; and Surrey look certain to win, so a draw won't be such a great result tomorrow.
As the great Sammy Woods of Somerset said many years ago, "Draw(er)s are only good for bathing in."
Bald_Reynard wrote:
Team as expected, only change from the Durham game, is Hassan in for Rushworth.
We won the toss and (obviously, with the Kookaburra) chose to bat first. Of course, with this game (as with all except one this season), it is very likely there will be no result, other than a draw!
It's the Dukes ball this round.