This is embarrassing!
Latest is 38-5, which means that so far, Somerset have on average scored 52 runs per wicket lost and Warwickshire have averaged 6.8 runs per wicket lost, playing at home and after winning the toss.

I think it's a great move by the Club to feature some of the unsung heroes from time to time:
https://edgbaston.com/news/behind-the-badge-mel-smith/

It was rumoured that this year, players in squads for the Hundred might be released to play in 50 overs matches for their county if not selected for a Hundred match. But I haven't heard if that is actually going to happen.

I'm sure there are good and bad amongst all fans. But I do remember the 2018 Royal London Final at Lord's between Kent and Hampshire. Kent supporters gave Sam Northeast a hard time because he had moved from Kent to Hampshire.
To be fair to him, Sam Billings as Kent captain was given the opportunity to comment on this at the press conference afterwards and called out his own supporters. What he said was: " That’s not cricket. It wasn’t fair and I didn’t agree with it."
He went up massively in my estimation for that.

When it comes to wicket celebrations, Hasan Ali is just a novice compared with:
https://www.google.com/search?channel=fs&client=ubuntu-sn&q=wicket+celebrations#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:57091ae2,vid:HvZ44UF8j9A

I agree that getting Membership cards and information out before the start of the season should be expected as part of the deal.

Kent supporters have been whingeing for over a century, ever since Warwickshire won the County Championship in 1911 and Kent came second. There was a famous cartoon in Punch magazine featuring Warwickshire's Frank Foster with a quote from Shakespeare's Henry VI - "Tell Kent from me she hath lost."
Kent coach Matt Walker was more gracious about yesterday, describing the bowlers as "one of the best bowling attacks in the country. They showed us how to bowl on that wicket."

Last two home games - the win against Hampshire last year and now this.
Four day cricket is not so boring after all!

Start at 11.15.

Ed Barnard and Chris Rushworth are quality additions to the squad and Hasan Ali looks to be the best overseas player of recent signings. So if Yates, Mousley and (later in the season) Jacob Bethell establish themselves, it looks like a powerful team with a good mix of youth and experience.
It may not be such good news for some of the players who haven't so far fulfilled their early promise, like Henry Brookes and George Garrett, for whom the last chance saloon (otherwise known as a loan to Derbyshire) may be looming..

Sam ended on 165 not out so the updated figures are that since the start of last season, he has scored 1421 first class runs for Warwickshire at an average of just under 75.
Maybe he was able to study Zak Crawley's innings at close hand to see how a real Test batter performs.

I know that Nevil Road has hosted international cricket but I'm talking about the main Test match grounds. Taunton, too, has staged international cricket as has Grace Road where play has been abandoned for the second consecutive day; but you only have to look at the covering and drying facilities available at those grounds compared with the Test grounds like Edgbaston to see the difference - and that's before we talk about the money spent on re-doing the drains at the major grounds.
Anyway, let's hope that we get to see some cricket later.

Just to emphasise the point about the difference between Test grounds and the rest, the game at Bristol has been abandoned already without a ball being bowled.
Hopefully, the next inspection at Edgbaston will produce some play.
Who will be County Champions if this weather continues? Forget the team with the best batters, bowlers and all-rounders - go for the team with the best groundsman and the best drains.

I think the amount of play tomorrow will be a good test of how much better the drainage is at Test grounds than the rest such as Taunton and Bristol. The Test grounds have been supported and encouraged by the ECB to spend money on drainage so we shall see if it was well spent.
With fewer pints for a draw this year, any team playing at a ground where time lost can be minimised will have a big advantage.

If the forecast is right, this looks like being another three day game.

Apparently, the Somerset commentary team last week were suggesting that he wouldn't be selected because he isn't a Bazball type of player.
We shall see!

As things stand right now, with Sam not out overnight, he has scored 1380 runs in first class cricket for Warwickshire since the start of last season at an average of almost 73.
Maybe, if he works hard enough to improve, he will one day be good enough to play for England.

I'm sure that Rob Yates can put last season's form behind him and go on to a successful career.
As for Alex Davies, he is probably propelled forward by the tide of goodwill emanating from this site.

Here's my preview of the match:
https://deepextracover.com/2023/04/warwickshire-ccc-vs-kent-ccc-match-preview/
The weather seems to hold the key - let's hope the forecasters are being unduly pessimistic.

Selection might depend on whether spin is likely to come into the equation. If not, Bethell might be the unlucky one, which would be a shame because I think he is a player that needs a run in the side.