This article by Liam Norwell is well worth a read:
https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/3569214/liam-norwell-finds-perspective-during-injury-layoff

Looks like an all-South Group Finals Day.

Mark Robinson talked up Maxwell before the quarter final:
"From back in my Sussex days when I had Mushtaq Ahmed, I haven't had a better overseas player than Maxi," Robinson told BBC Radio WM.
"In terms of what he gives back to the group which never goes on the scoresheet.
"On practice days he's an assistant coach and all that wealth of experience from franchise cricket . . . he just gives back so much, tirelessly."

On that basis, maybe he should have been hired as a coach and someone else given the chance to score runs.

I agree with most of what others have said.
The Bears innings was as slow to get going as the traffic queue leaving Cannon Hill Park last night.
The loss of Danny Briggs shouldn't be underestimated - he is as good at strangling the batting in mid-innings as Jeetan Patel used to be.
For what it's worth, my report on the match is here:
https://deepextracover.com/2023/07/vitality-blast-quarter-final-bears-v-essex-eagles-edgbaston-stadium/

Not too many surprises in the squad:
Alex Davies (C)
Ed Barnard
Chris Benjamin
Jacob Bethell
Ethan Brookes
Henry Brookes
Dominic Drakes
Sam Hain
Olly Hannon-Dalby
Jake Lintott
Glenn Maxwell
Dan Mousley
Will Rhodes
Rob Yates

Stuart Cain says in his latest missive:
“Our plans to redevelop the Raglan Stand to incorporate a hotel are progressing and we hope to announce an update soon, plus our new Skyline hospitality space on the fourth floor of the South Stand was enjoyed by 1,000 people during the Men’s Ashes."

Latest predictions are that Chris Woakes and Moeen will both be recalled to the team for Headingley but that Dan Lawrence won't play. Whether that means he will be released to play for Essex isn't clear.

There was talk of players in The Hundred squads being released to play in the Royal London if not selected for a game in The Hundred - but I haven't heard anything definite about that.

Gavin Maxwell withdrawn from The Hundred:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/london-spirit-glenn-maxwell-mitchell-marsh-hundred-withdrawal-cricket-australia-1385715
Scoring a massive 216 runs in 13 innings must have worn him out.

The Telegraph reports that Josh Tongue will join Nottinghamshire.

Also "Pat Brown looks set to join Derbyshire, while Dillon Pennington has also held talks with other clubs, including Nottinghamshire. The young England Lions batsman Jack Haynes is also attracting interest."

Big match allocations for 2024 announced:
https://edgbaston.com/news/pakistan-and-west-indies-set-for-edgbaston-in-2024/

BosworthBear wrote:

Anybody have any recollection of whether MJK was involved in a similar controversy against South Africans In Johannesburg in 1965? With the appeal withdrawn?

That's a great call!
I had no recollection; but Wisden says (re Fourth Test in 1965 at Johannesburg): "After a ball had rested in the hands of Waite [the wicket keeper] and tossed by him to leg slip, Smith went "gardening", whereupon van der Merswe [presumably the leg slip] threw down the wicket. Umpire Kidson gave Smith out, but was prevailed upon by [Trevor] Goddard [the South African captain] to call him back."
So very similar to the Bairstow incident except that the wicket keeper had tossed the ball to a fielder, which would suggest that he regarded the ball as dead.

M.J.K. at Edgbaston for his birthday:
https://edgbaston.com/news/bears-legend-mjk-smith-celebrates-90th-birthday-at-edgbaston/

Andy wrote:

Don't think he'd be available as he never played in the group stages for us. I could be wrong though.

I think it's right that a player can't be brought in for the knock-out stages if he hasn't already played for the team in the Group stages.

Moeen is in the England squad for Thursday so I can't see him playing.
As for who else should play, an update on Dan Mousley's injury would help.

That's right - off to Sri Lanka with Pakistan. That's why Drakes has been signed to replace him for the Blast.

After all the criticism of the Test pitch, it's good to see Edgbaston getting credit now for a successful event well staged:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66077048

Yes, he will hopefullycome back to the Bears - after he gets his knighthood like Sir Alastair, of course.

BristolBear wrote:

Feel desperately for Olly.
But you start to wonder how mental it is. You start looking for things that other bowlers might ignore. Struggle to bowl through minor issues because you’re scared of the huge injury.
I know there’s those that suspect that might be Norwells problem last year.

To say that Stone and Norwell are just snowflakes who should bowl through the pain is an interesting point of view. But when ignoring an injury could end your career, it's maybe best to listen to your body and to what the physios and the medical experts say.

white-lightning wrote:

Good signing. Is Hassan Ali coming back for any County Championship matches? If not that's a huge blow. Particularly as Norwell looks to be out for the season.

Regarding Norwell, the latest is: "we’re hoping Liam Norwell will be fit for the final run-in of four championship games."
But "hoping" may well be the key word in that message.