GerryShedd
Super Moderator
Mixed news on injuries:
https://edgbaston.com/news/bears-bowlers-edge-closer-to-return/
Not working yet, then, Graham?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jun/14/graham-thorpe-the-hundred-can-help-england-struggling-test-batsmen
Although written from a Yorkshire perspective, this is a sympathetic report from Chris Waters:
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/cricket/yorkshire-v-warwickshire-royal-london-cup-white-rose-youngsters-making-the-most-of-their-chance-with-victory-in-cup-3333452
Inspired by The Hundred, Kevin Pietersen sets out his views on the way forward for first class cricket in the UK:
https://wisden.com/stories/news-stories/kevin-pietersen-proposes-radical-franchise-restructure-of-english-first-class-system
The big hope must be that, with Pietersen backing the idea, there is no chance of the ECB backing it. If only Michael Vaughan can be persuaded to support Pietersen's idea, the safety of the 18 counties will be guaranteed.
I had somehow missed Woakes, Mousley and Sidebottom from my list of absent players.
So if you add them to the 12 I mentioned, my question would be - if all of them were available, how many of the team that played against Leicestershire would be selected?
I think we can assume Rhodes as captain and Burgess as wicket keeper plus Yates on his performances this season. Lamb would also be able to stake a claim and (just possibly) Pollock but maybe no-one else.
That doesn't quite make the team that played on Thursday the equivalent of a second team but, as we knew it would be with The Hundred happening, it's a long way from full strength. All the more credit, therefore, for the players who achieved the win. And taking a longer term view, players such as Bethell and Brookes are getting some fantastic experience which should help to advance their careers.
I agree that George has gone a bit over the top on this one.
I suppose that there is a case for saying that Warwickshire have been so hit by injuries that they are closer to fielding a second team than most other counties. It's worth speculating how many of the following would have been in the team if fit and available for the Leicestershire game:
Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Henry Brookes, Sam Hain, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Jake Lintott, Craig Miles, Liam Norwell, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Adam Hose - plus maybe Pieter Malan as an overseas star.
I agree with the view that those of us who have changed our opinion of Ed Pollock have done so because he has changed his approach and become much more mature about how he builds an innings.
It may seem odd in view of their respective ages but I wonder if Ed Pollock has learned something from Rob Yates.
In any event, it's good news that we have seen hundreds from each of the two openers in the last two games.
I was confused at first because Cricinfo currently has only nine men in the Bears' team - hopefully they will put that right.
It will be interesting to see how Bulpitt and Carver fare. I am pleased that Bethell stays in the team because he looks like a real talent to be nurtured.
Generally around the country, the weather seems to be a bit better than forecast so there must be hope for a game even if the overs have to be reduced.
Start delayed.
Not sure where this leaves left arm spinner Jacob Bethell, who I thought showed great promise with bat and ball.
A short term signing:
https://edgbaston.com/news/bears-secure-karl-carver-for-royal-london-cup/
I agree that we are still missing Keith Barker - not just his left arm bowling but also his contributions with the bat, usually from number 8 in the order.
Although I don't know the full story, I am aware that Keith Barker had personal reasons for wanting to move to Hampshire that were nothing to do with either Giles or the club.
Bearing in mind that Sidebottom went off part way through the Notts innings and then batted with a runner, I fear that we may need to add him to the walking wounded list. The situation with quick bowlers is almost as bad as it was two years ago. I know that Paul Farbrace said that he was changing the training routines to avoid the same problems arising but it doesn't seem to have worked too well.
As for the weather, the pessimist in me thinks that the main worry is that the predicted storms will hold off and won't save the Bears from another defeat. But let's hope that the sun and the Bears both shine tomorrow.
Probably the first time in my (long) life that I've seen the Bears lose two matches in four days.
I thought that Haseeb Hameed and Yates scored equally composed centuries, though Hameed had better support than Yates.
Based on their batting techniques, I think I'd rather have the two of them opening for England in the first Test against India ahead of both Dom Sibley or Rory Burns, though I accept that it's too soon for Yates to make the step up and we could do with him scoring his runs for the Bears for a bit longer,
paulbear wrote:
The result would suggest that S.A walked over England but it was a very even contest for 80% of the game until the S.A changing room kept feeding out things to the middle that they'd seen on replays and Cronje asked the umpires to keep checking. They did eventually which was not within the rules, no DRS then, the umpires then went to pieces as England got at least 4 shockers which tilted the game. The umpiring was atrocious on that tour, Graham Hick got so used to being given out to leg-side LBW's that on the umpteenth occasion he went back to the pavilion, laughing his head off.
Whilst I think there's a lot of truth in that, you have to give credit to the two Bears (Donald and Pollock) who between them took 14 wickets in the match. And England did lose by 10 wickets.
It was a long way to travel to see England lose all three matches that we saw - the Test plus 50 overs games against Western Province and South Africa.
I remember seeing Paul Adams at Cape Town when South Africa walked all over England back in 1995/6.
I thought of him this week at Cardiff when I saw Kiel van Vollenhoven bowl. He's right arm, of course, but there was a slight hint of the Adams action in his delivery.
George takes aim again:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/want-the-truth-about-the-hundred-it-s-smoke-mirrors-and-gimmickry-1270805
I seem to recall pointing out the inappropriate nature of choosing the name Phoenix for a Birmingham based team way back when it was first announced but I think George is the only other person that has picked up on that, so maybe its not big deal to most people.