GerryShedd
Super Moderator
I agree that 10 overs or so are likely before a declaration. I hope that Barnard gets his hundred.
You maintained that silence for all of 20 minutes!
I bow to Mr Robinson!
No play today but should be easy tomorrow. Last day of last season, Hampshire needed 139 to win and lost. We are already 135 ahead so only a boundary or so needed and then declare.
Or maybe not!
I guess we'll just have to disagree on this one - and next time I bump into George, I'll berate him for his opinion.
"Low and slow and get lower and slower" is a classic definition of a bad pitch - to get a top rating, which the Edgbaston pitches regularly receive, they need to meet the ECB requirement of "Good carry and/or bounce throughout the match."
And let's also remember that Gary and his team won the Grounds Management Association Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year award last season.
I truly don't remember any players talking about slow and low pitches at Edgbaston but am more than willing to have examples pointed out.
As for hybrid pitches, Edgbaston has been at the forefront of developing these but I think there are restrictions on their use in first-class and Test matches at the moment.
Anyway, I am happy (well, sort of) to be proved wrong on any of the above and/or to be labelled a grumpy old man.
I think Gary Barwell was quite right to get uppity because the Edgbaston pitches constantly get high ratings for both county and international matches; and having a reasonable amount of pace and carry is a key part of that.
I think that represents a really good day's work against a strong team - well done to them!
I agree that the forecast suggests that tomorrow may be a wash-out. But, as I said in my preview, there are lies, damned lies and weather forecasts.
So it's either going to rain or it isn't. I think the forecasters have covered all bases there.
Derbyshire seem to be scoring all right on the pitch so that makes Henry's effort seem all the better.
Whatever it is, let's hope he can bring that form back with him when he returns.
I agree that Henry needs to get out there and show what he can do - for better or worse.
It does say: " Jacob Bethell and Liam Norwell (both back)".
i seem to recall saying that one or two of the bowlers might be in the last chance saloon, otherwise known as a loan to Derbyshire:
https://edgbaston.com/news/henry-brookes-joins-derbyshire-on-short-term-loan/
Yes but I'm pining for the fjords.
mad wrote:
Any reduction of the County Championship has to be a joke unless they are all going to be scheduled in June, July and August. Even then I'm not biting. Just look at this season. We've chewed up 3 of our allotment of 14 games so far this season we've had games barely limping into the 3rd day of actual play. Extrapolate that across a season if there were only 10 games that's 2 days worthwhile play to watch per game, a family fortune of 20 days cricket (across a season that currently stretches over 180 days!!!) is your job lot with only 10 at home. 2/3 of those you're on holiday or at some wedding event which leaves you with 7 or 8 days cricket for your membership. They'd have to reduce membership to about £99 to justify the up front outlay. And that's for anyone who isn't still in employment.
This type of weather is not exactly unexpected in April and in fact can set in at any time during the summer, granted not every season but let's get real this could be the case for 2-3 years in a row before we get some golden summers again.
The One Day Cup in April sounds like a disaster waiting to happen to me. The better ODI players jetting off to IPL and other random comps or being rested for England duty. It'd end up like the Graham Williamson Trophy and get axed pretty soon after it was brought in.
Also after a long and dreary winter to then be told you have to wait until mid-May for proper red ball championship cricket to watch would be slightly galling.
Appointment to view is the way to go IMHO with a One Day Cup game or T20's bolted onto/sandwiched within each round of Championship cricket. 2 divisions of 9 and 16 rounds and away you go.
So apart from that, can we put you down as broadly in favour?
According to The Telegraph, a wide range of changes to the domestic season is being considered:
"Major changes to the county schedule are being discussed, with a mooted shake-up of the Hundred set to have a huge knock-on effect on the rest of the domestic game.
Options being considered by county chief executives include major changes to all three domestic competitions:
Beginning the season with a one-day competition, which would be moved from its August slot. The one-day cup could feature three groups of six or seven teams, before knockout stages.
Changing the format of the County Championship to three divisions of six, with play-offs to determine the winners, and promotion and relegation between divisions. This would entail reducing the championship schedule from 14 games per county to 10-12 each.
Playing the Twenty20 Blast in three groups of six, with quarter-finals.
More championship cricket in August, so moving the Hundred – or what the tournament becomes – to earlier in the summer.
The Hundred could be converted to a T20 competition, but with the teams – city-based, outside the traditional county structure – retained and the new tournament expanded to 18 sides, which would allow all county venues to host a team. The structure would also open the door to potential private investment in the competition. "
Well, I go off to Norway on a cruise, looking forward all week to getting to Edgbaston for the final day today, only to find out it's all over. My fault for taking a holiday in the cricket season. Reading this thread has given me a very good flavour of what happened.
Onwards and upwards!
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.