GerryShedd
Super Moderator
It's interesting that Hampshire have kept Brad Wheal in the squad, even though he has been sent on loan to Glamorgan. They have said that they could call him back at any time up to when the coin is tossed - which might lead to a high speed journey.
I would think the only person not too thrilled about the location switch for the Lancashire game will be Gary Barwell - another pitch to prepare!
IPL final is 26 May so he should be back in time for the Blast.
A nice little earner for him as he nears the end of his career.
For a long time now, the Club has described the (male) T20 side as just Bears. A lot of the media (including Sky) haven't picked up on this and still badge the side as Birmingham Bears. At no point (as far as I know) has the Club said anything officially; and they certainly haven't formally re-introduced the Warwickshire name for the T20 team.
My assumption has been that the Birmingham name is being reserved for the Phoenix and that the Club are happy quietly to drop the word Birmingham from the T20 side to avoid confusion with Phoenix.
Matthew Potts' 149 not out must be one of the highest scores ever by a nightwatchman. I know that Jason Gillespie scored a double hundred for Australia but I can't think of any others as high as 149.
Yes, I think we're back to the Dukes ball next time up.
Rushworth would be a loss if he's unfit; but Hasan was on the ground at the weekend and ready to go - and Liam Norwell was doing some running exercises on the outfield, so he might be fit (though whether he would last a full game or even survive to the coin toss on the morning of the game is less certain).
Here's my take on day two:
https://deepextracover.com/2024/04/vitality-county-championship-division-one-day-two-warwickshire-v-durham/
Andy wrote:
First thimg that springs to mind is back when Taunton had them silly excessively turning tracks I remember Ravi Patel took 7fer for Middlesex v Somerset, fairly sure that was on the first day. 2016 or 2017 sounds about right.
Yes, you're right about Ravi Patel.
Alex has three more wickets already in the second innings, so ten in the match.
I told Melinda Farrell what you said about her and she was very pleased - but slightly less so when I told her your user name.
Great to see him claim seven wickets v Glamorgan yesterday.
When was the last time a spin bowler took seven wickets on the first day of a Championship game?
....and Ged Scott's BBC report says that Sam Hain will miss the Durham match too.
Andy wrote:
Norwell injured and "out for a few weeks...".
I like the fact that Mark Robinson hails it as good news that this is a new injury, not the recurrence of an old one. There can't be many new bits of his body for him to injure.
Lots of interesting stuff in this thread.
The decline of cricket in state schools makes initiatives like Chance to Shine and the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) all the more important - ask the Warwickshire bowlers what they think of SACA graduate Kashif Ali.
As for Afro-Caribbean players in UK first class cricket, Sky Sports say that the numbers have declined by 75% in the last 25 years. That is partially down to the disgraceful fact that the Haringey Cricket Academy was allowed to die - see this article:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/remembering-haringey-cricket-college-the-charity-behind-a-generation-of-black-cricketers-1285205
Maybe amongst the mourning for the Bears' performance, we should at least give a shout-out to Kashif Ali for two magnificent innings. The Bears' bowling may have been a bit off at times but he took full advantage.
A pretty good day; but could have been even better if it hadn't been for a very poor lbw decision against Ed Barnard and a dozy run out for Jacob Bethell.
Report here:
https://edgbaston.com/fixtures/first-xi/warwickshire-vs-worcestershire-friday-5th-april-2024/#match-match-reports
It says that Liam Norwell is injured - surely not?
The reference to Bob Wyatt and his 900 wickets reminds me that I interviewed him years ago just after his 90th birthday. For some reason, I said to him; "Do you wish you had bowled more?" to which he replied: "I did take over 900 wickets!"
He didn't suffer fools (especially this one) gladly.
Sam Hain not playing "for personal reasons".
Let's hope he's back soon - the batting line-up needs him!
I didn't get the Bears squad quite right in my preview in advance of the announcement but not too far out:
https://deepextracover.com/2024/04/lv-county-championship-division-one-match-preview-warwickshire-v-worcestershire/
A new look for the Museum:
https://edgbaston.com/news/new-2024-displays-unveiled-at-warwickshire-museum/
I feel a bit sad that the ashes of one of the greatest cricketers to play for Warwickshire - Sydney Barnes - have been stuffed into the bell tower outside the museum rather than being part of a proper memorial. But, if it hadn't been for Phil Britt, the curator, they would have been totally lost. They were previously in the pillar of the old Barnes Gate that was demolished in 2010 when the ground development took place. Phil rescued them on the morning when the old boundary wall and the gate were about to be knocked down.