GerryShedd
Super Moderator
Chris Rushworth got his county cap before the start of play today - well deserved, i would say.
I know that we criticise our ground staff from time to time; but I'm not sure that they have ever been guilty of anything like what happened in Bristol today when the match had to be abandoned.
From Cricinfo:
".. an issue with the covers being caught in the wind left the pitch exposed, before the three mobile covers came on from Ashley Down Road End. The tractor dragging the covers ended up driving down what would have been just outside the off stump of a right-hander batting from the Pavilion End. There was also a delay in closing the gaps between the covers allowing the rain to get onto the playing surface. Groundstaff then had to squeeze under the covers where they were passed mats to towel down the damaged areas at both ends."
He may not have done much on his return to Edgbaston today; but congratulations on this:
https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/sport/23814493.somerset-ccc-extend-andy-umeed-contract-2025/
Starting off with a backwards look at the away fixture - it's a pity that this work wasn't done in the last close season:
https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/sport/23810059.somerset-ccc-undergo-outfield-renovation-county-ground/
Seeing Sam’s innings has revived me.
Yes, a great day.
Sorry, agreeing with you again.
I'll vote for that!
I think he was just saying:
"Brilliant work, John! Enjoy your retirement, Tim!"
Mikkyk wrote:
Does this mean we can expect Lord Buckethead to stand in Birmingham Edgbaston for 2025 GE with a heavy Warwickshire CCC based manifesto?
Yes, suggestions for the manifesto are welcome.
So far, we have:
- a life peerage for Olly Hannon-Dalby
- compulsory membership of WCCC for all citizens over 18
- compulsory membership of Bearsfans for all citizens who can think of at least three items to complain about each week
- immediate transportation to Worcestershire of all illegal immigrants, unless they can bowl like OH-D, bat like Sam Hain or keep wicket like Michael Burgess
- capital punishment for all Alex Davies lookalikes
- anyone rejecting the manifesto to be sent on an endless search for a suitable outground
Seems like a winner to me!
I guess we can now put to bed the statistic about how long it is since Warwickshire won a Championship match without Sam Hain in the side.
Let's hope that he gets to make his England debut tomorrow at Trent Bridge.
I agree with Highveld that if a contract has been signed, it may well have to be honoured. But I am not at all sure that matters have reached that stage.
As for who is to blame for the mess that BCC are in, I plead not guilty as a life member of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.
I agree - an excellent win. Winning the toss was a big help but overcoming the weather and an increasingly easy batting pitch in the Middlesex second innings took a lot of doing.
Update:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-66811235
I can't see how the Council could possibly advance money to develop Edgbaston if, as the article says, all non-essenital spending has been stopped. I suspect that "there is no impact on our existing contractual arrangements and we are in discussions about future projects" means that the Club still has to pay back the £20 million that it owes and that the discussions about future projects will end quickly with the words "no chance."
Suddenly it's got a bit more interesting.
Maybe he wouldn't have played anyway; but Sam's chance of an England debut was foiled by the weather today.
Good to see Alex Thomson getting a new contract at Derbyshire who have been having a bit of a clear-out of players:
http://derbyshirecricket.blogspot.com/2023/09/thomson-signs-two-year-deal.html
BristolBear wrote:
Watching this I’m wondering why Murtagh is retiring.
He’s bowled some absolute beauties.
The balls to Barnard and Burgess were gorgeous. They’ve pitched in almost identical places, ones jagged back, the others moved away. Not just a little bit of movement either. Superb bowling.
I would think that Tim Murtagh is retiring because, at age 42, fast bowling is too much like hard work. Also, he already has a coaching role at Middlesex and presumably this will become his full-time role.
Anyway. whilst accepting that the Warwickshire upper order is badly mis-firing at the moment, it's absolutely right also to give credit for some excellent bowling.
I agree that the ECB have muddied the waters by introducing the slightly different format of The Hundred.
Whilst most people say that The Hundred has been reasonably successful in its third year, it has failed in the sense that no other country has picked up on it and T20 is still the go-to format everywhere.