My main impression, after a brief viewing, is that it's still cricket, so if it can enthuse a new audience, so much the better.
My objections remain.
Firstly, it is seeking to create new loyalties outside the county game and I am at heart very much a Warwickshire supporter. I can just about cope with the Birmingham Bears because they are basically Warwickshire under another name whereas the Phoenix are a whole different squad with no real links to the Warwickshire side other than sharing a home ground.
My second objection is that we already had an overcrowded fixture list with the Championship, the 50 over competition and T20, so adding in The Hundred has meant squeezing the Championship, the premier county competition, into the edges of the season and relegating the 50 over competition, where England are World Champions, into little better than a second team contest.

I enjoyed the match yesterday even though Sophia Gardens isn't my favourite ground. I thought most of the young players acquitted themselves pretty well.
With Tim Bresnan, Henry Brookes, Olly Hannon-Dalby, Dan Mousley, Liam Norwell and Olly Stone all out injured and other players out because of the match against the Indians and because of The Hundred, I thought it was a good effort for the chosen eleven to have come so close to winning.

Players come and go but I'm really sad about this retirement:
https://yorkshireccc.com/news/view/9392/poysden-announces-retirement-from-cricket
I interviewed Josh when he made his debut for the Bears and he came across as such a lovely guy as well as a very dedicated and hard-working cricketer.
Martyn Moxon says: "He has been a great influence on and off the field and a highly respected member of the squad. Josh is a lovely person and we wish him all the best for the future.”
Likewise, I wish him a great future in whatever he decides to do.

The only people who seem to be speaking up for The Hundred as we near its launch date are those who are either paid by the ECB or paid by one of the broadcasting organisations to promote it as the next big thing in cricket. Just about everyone else, including existing cricket fans, want nothing to do with it.
So you could say that opinion is divided.
It reminds me of the conversation between Edmund Blackadder and Captain Rum when their ship is drifting aimlessly:
Edmund: I was under the impression that it was common maritime practice
for a ship to have a crew.
Rum: Opinion is divided on the subject.
Edmund: Oh, really?
Rum: Yes. All the other captains say it is; I say it isn’t.
Edmund: Oh, God; Mad as a brush.

Craig Miles 3-41

Ex-Bears Rikki Clarke and Tim Groenewald are both retiring:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/57899218
https://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/groenewald-retires-from-professional-cricket/

I'm cheating a bit because it isn't county cricket but I thought this might be of interest to some.
A friend of a friend has a podcast in which he is seeking to interview every one of the 45 living cricketers who only played in one Ashes Test. It's worth a listen:
https://onceuponatimeintheashes.com/
Boyd Rankin is on the list.

I suppose that lots of players have had back surgery and come back as good as or better than ever. But it's a bit worrying because if ti goes wrong, his whole career is ended.
Best wishes to him for a full and speedy recovery.

I've just broken the news to my Lancastrian friend. His reaction was:
"He's a cocky little bu***r."
I think that, if Davies had been staying, he would have said something like:
"He plays with great confidence."

I agree that he's a great acquisition, though I though that Michael Burgess had the wicket keeper/batsman slot sorted for the next decade. Not sure where this leaves him, unless one or the other plays just as a batsman.

Just out of interest, what do we think of Yorkshire's sporting gesture when Lancashire's Steven Croft collapsed in agony in mid-pitch with what turned out to be cramp and the Yorkshire fielders declined to run him out? Croft recovered and went on to win the match for Lancashire.
The fact that this might be the difference between the Bears qualifying and being eliminated will not, of course, influence our views in any way.

My friend from Lancashire is visiting me today so that should be fun, watching it on TV with him. Could be the end of a great friendship!

Highveld wrote:

very strong article on cricinfo today
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/the-hundred-2021-with-friends-like-these-a-hundred-reasons-why-the-ecb-has-failed-the-game-1269911

It's good that there is one professional media outlet standing up for the county game.

Yes, George is someone who has the county game very much at heart and is not afraid to speak out.

There's much that could be said about the quota system in South Africa; but at least it is an improvement on the system that was in place for most of the 20th century when the quotas were Whites 100%, everyone else 0%.

Looks like the game is drifting peacefully to a draw, with runs for Yates and Malan.

This is a disturbing picture of the rest of the season, especially for those of us who are not drawn to The Hundred:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/doubts-grow-over-viability-of-county-competitions-as-clubs-face-difficulty-putting-out-sides-1269618

That looks and sounds really interesting.
Also, my colleague on Deep Extra Cover, Huw Lloyd, has done a whole series of interviews with former players, including Paul Smith. They can be accessed here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-the-pavilion/id1509596768__

The ECB states that "confirmation on the awarding of points from the match will be announced in due course."

Yes, we need Sibley and/or Malan to go on to big scores.

I agree that the David Hopps report makes for excellent (if painful) reading. The last five words of his article say it all: " the Bears succumbed to desperation."