It seemed to me when Moeen got the first wicket there was just a "polite" coming together of the players with some high fives. Previous games when a wicket fell there seemed to be an enthusiastic coming together of the team with real meaningful high fiving. Did anyone see it that way or is it me being picky?

Actually Miles 18th Over only cponceeding 8 runs put us in a winning position with 34 runs needed by Derbys. It was the next over by Woakes that did it for us conceeding 20 runs. But should we have had fast bowlers on at the death ?
Breaking their opening partnership was a bit bizarre.

All in all very disappointing.

I might be on my own but I hope he does go to England. We can return to the balanced side that won the first 4 games in the Blast. I feel his arrival has upset the balance of the side including dropping Yates just so he can open the batting. And let's face it he has contributed very little in the two games. If he does go off to England then if he returns later on it should be solely as a member of the team and not as captain.

BristolBear wrote:

Really sums up the state of English spin bowling if we do go back to Moeen though.

That would be through playing red ball cricket in spring and autumn. Plus in white ball it's 4 over max with the main aim to stop the opposition scoring.

Well if England call up Moeen we can get back to picking our unbeaten team!

Streetly_Bear wrote:

We did score 200+ today though. Although I didn’t think we would and we left it too late to attack. Hain was sublime and without him we would be in a mess.

For me today the difference was one of their ‘big’ players scored big. Hales failed but Munro delivered. Both of ours, Ali and Maxwell simply didn’t deliver.

Having done absolutely no research at all I think Maxwell is coming in too high, I don’t know where he has played in other competitions but I always thought of him as a number 5.

I’d drop Benjamin, who hasn’t really contributed any significant runs, bring Yates back in at the top and move Ali to 3, Sam at 4 and Maxwell 5.

That order makes a lot of sense.

Streetly_Bear wrote:

We did score 200+ today though. Although I didn’t think we would and we left it too late to attack. Hain was sublime and without him we would be in a mess.

For me today the difference was one of their ‘big’ players scored big. Hales failed but Munro delivered. Both of ours, Ali and Maxwell simply didn’t deliver.

Having done absolutely no research at all I think Maxwell is coming in too high, I don’t know where he has played in other competitions but I always thought of him as a number 5.

I’d drop Benjamin, who hasn’t really contributed any significant runs, bring Yates back in at the top and move Ali to 3, Sam at 4 and Maxwell 5.

That order makes a lot of sense.

A new signing not only walks in to an unbeaten side but comes in as captain. If Moeen was coming in as captain he should have been there from the beginning. To drop Yates just so he can open the batting was another error. It wouldn't be so bad if he had done anything to justify his place. The contrast of the past two games to what had gone before can't just be coincidence. I did say before if it ain't broke don't fix it.

ajones1328 wrote:

Yates for Benjamin

Rhodes for Barnard

Maxwell to up his game

Who comes in for Ali ?

Andy wrote:

Think Saturday night is a good time to play, Saturday afternoons are for club cricket!

But club cricket would finish too late to go on to watch the game so I can't see the advantage.

GerryShedd wrote:

A quick return to action today.
I will be interested to see the crowd size today compared with last Saturday when there was a really good crowd. I'm all in favour of encouraging women's cricket and back-to-back women's and men's games seems like a good idea. But whether playing a Bears match on a Saturday evening rather than in the afternoon will work is another matter.
I'm probably biased because I don't want to face an almost two hour journey home late at night so am put off attending.

You could always stay overnight at the Hyatt....................ha ha

I just do not understand why Mo was given the captaincy. Davies has obviously done a good job and he knows all the players. Mo arrives and is in charge without having seen anyone play which explains why 7 bowlers were used.

white-lightning wrote:

Bears 43/4 in the powerplay. Some poor shot selections so far. Moeen out cheaply along with Sam Hain. This isn't good at all. Why was Yates dropped after that great knock against Northants??

Obviously to make room for Ali.

59 scored off the last 4 overs may cost us. 27 off Brookes' last over ouch. They scored a boundary off virtually every over so hopefully we can do the same.

Cameraman trying too hard and moving the camera too quickly causing the blur. But hey it's free and at least the score is up to date instead of being a ball behind like at Edgbaston!!

Rather unfair dropping Yates, I feel. Now overloaded with spin

Mikkyk wrote:

I'm really not sure who drops out for Moeen, it has to be a spinner but Briggs and Lintott have both regained form last couple of games, and if you take Mousley out you lose his batting.

If you take Brookes or Barnard out you only have two seamers.

I think it might be Barnard.

Like I said before - if it ain't broke etc - so glad it's not my decision !

With the success the team is having should he just walk in to the side? I am a believer in the saying if it ain't broke don't fix it!!

GerryShedd wrote:

Every time I have a pessimistic thought about the Bears, I put a £1 coin in a jar.
It's currently half empty.

Later on when you are feeling optimistic that jar look half full!!

Don't you just love optimistic pessimists!!!

What stunning catches !!!! Who would have bet on the "best team" being bowled out for less than a ton.

Bosworth Bear you have just used a word quoted by the chairman of the ECB which is probably the most compelling reason to return to Warwickshire Bears. That word is "BRAND". Warwickshire is a brand with history and explains why kids from across Birmingham will chant it.

Birmingham as a city is so different to Manchester and Leeds/Sheffield in that several counties converge there - Worcestershire, Staffs, Warks. but then they did when the club was established.