I agree that allowing spectators on the outfield can only be a good thing - pre-Covid, it happened all the time at Edgbaston.

Chance to Shine does its best to bring cricket to those who might otherwise have missed out on it. Lauren Young and Warwickshire's Issy Wong both came through this scheme and have played for England.

I guess this is a good move by the Club - but if they really are the first, it doesn't say much for the rest:
https://edgbaston.com/news/warwickshire-ccc-becomes-first-uk-cricket-club-to-be-real-living-wage-employer/

I've signed in hope rather than expectation.

Just wanted to give the games a mention PLUS:
My daughter has three tickets for table tennis at the NEC on Saturday 6 August (9.30-12.30) at £15 each. If anyone is interested, let me know. She is offering them
around to friends so it is a case of first come, first served.

....has been appointed coach to Afghanistan:
https://www.sacricketmag.com/trott-appointed-afghanistan-coach/

If the implication is that he makes a big fuss about minor injuries, I have to say that I think that is both untrue and unfair.

As well as confirming Stone's injury, there are a few clues here about the team:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/62270204
Stone out, Woakes out, Norwell and Yates possibly but not definitely in,
No mention of Davies but I suspect that getting him out of the team is harder than getting Boris out of number 10.

He's always come across to me as a really nice guy so I feel really sorry for him that he's had such an injury-strewn career.
I wish him well with Notts.

More on Andy Umeed's contract with Somerset:
https://www.somersetcountycc.co.uk/news/first-xi/somerset-sign-andrew-umeed/
Are there any other counties that, like Somerset, are a bit fragile at the top of the order and could do with signing a solid, well-organised batter?

George Dobell reports that Olly Stone:

• has a finger injury and may be out for the rest of the season
• is going to sign for Nottinghamshire.

A good win against (to be honest) a fairly nondescript Notts team. Maybe best news - at last some runs for Rob Yates, 89 not out.

Apparently, McAndrew wasn't dropped but was ill.

The nearest comparison I can think of is Sean Pollock taking four wickets in four balls on his Bears debut - but that was a 50 over game.
OH-D must be in the running to be the most popular Warwickshire player of all time. Maybe in their day Eric Hollies and Gladstone Small were similarly admired and viewed with great affection by supporters and fans.

Good to see that the MCC are upholding standards and insisting on ties being worn tomorrow:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/county-championship-2022-ecb-allow-counties-to-shift-championship-start-times-to-avoid-worst-of-heatwave-1325357
I wonder if any of the more reckless and rebellious members will secretly undo the top button of their shirt under the tie.

I seem to recall that Lamb got what many thought was a rough deal when Jim Troughton was Coach - Jim joked at a Members' Event that people thought he must be a vegetarian because he obviously didn't like Lamb.

Those braving the heat can hear Trotty and Neil Smith tomorrow lunchtime:
https://edgbaston.com/news/members-lunch-with-legends-trott-smith/

....and Northants have done the same.

Exiled Bear - you are right about Blast highlights.
There will also be a weekly Vitality Blast highlights show broadcast on FTA TV, as well as one game per round broadcast free on Sky’s YouTube channel.
With most if not all games available on-line anyway, I'm not sure about the value of being able to watch on the Sky YouTube channel.

It looks like Gloucestershire are the first county to change hours of play for tomorrow:
"The Club has acted in line with advice from the ECB to alter the hours of play for the match v Hampshire tomorrow, meaning the new hours of play are now as follows:
The start of play will remain at 11am and will be followed by three 90 minute sessions, with the lunch and tea intervals remaining as 40 minutes and 20 minutes respectively."
Will others follow?