Wait for the viewing figures to go down

Game was "won" when the 8th wicket went down. With 2 overs to go the game was lost! A cracking finish.

Regretable developement indeed. However, Lancs administrators and the administrators at all the other counties need to realise and accept that 99% of members and supporters who have signed the petition have done so peacefully and sincerely because of their concern and love of the game. Just because of a few undesireablesdoes not give them the right to dismiss the protest in its entirety.

Like it Paul

I like the idea of calling THAT game 16.4

So they are concerned at the amount of cricket these poor cricketers play. Solution - let's introduce yet another competition to insert in to the calendar!! You really couldn't make it up! They need to be reminded that like footballers they are in the entertainment business!!

Simple solution - County championship played throughout the season - 16 matches means a proper meaningful competition. T20 competition of 16 matches + quarter final and finals day. Make the 50 over competition a knock-out cup involving minor counties. When the players moan about the number of red ball days remind them of the days when they are not fielding and the number of days it's raining.

Mikkyk - we will blame you for Tates getting the Australian Unlucky number!!! Great opening partnership though and should be used when the CC resumes

Coolerking - very neat summing up of the mess domestic cricket is in. I cannot see The Hundred being taken up by other countries until they see it being a success here. For it to be a success the TV coverage has to continue with increased viewing figures with continued large crowds at the games to create the atmosphere. However, I can see the numbers dropping off once the novelty factor goes

Llanbranch - you miss one vital factor. Members love cricket.

Signed as well. Just hope it has some effect. So absurd ECB want a successful test side yet want to restrict the number of domestic red ball games played. Sanity will probably return once The Hundred is scrapped

I will take full responsibility!!

Now let's hope our openers can get us off to a good start and we can build a nice first innings lead

Great spell by OH-D. I remember when he first arrived and everyone was wondering what on earth we had done. Certainly proved a lot of spectators wrong (including me). Let's hope he can finish the job after lunch because no-one else has posed a threat.

Apparently Middlesex chose to field at Lords and have only taken one wicket in the first hour. And their members have to keep their ties on !!!!

There seems to be a lot of egg making a mess around this morning (he he)

The original post on this advised the breaks will remain the same. So that would indicate play 11-12.30, 40 min lunch, 1.10 - 2.40. 3-4.30 which seems an early finish. Pity that could not find a way of having a break at the hottest time of the day and then playing on when it should have gone a bit cooler.

The Somerset decision sounds the best - wait and see. So many times forecasts are made by those in authority shown to be inaccurate. The decision can be made minutes before the toss.

The Blast is a real success story - from a spectator perspective. As for The Hundred the sooner that fails the better. As for the IPL lasting 4 months - teams need to take a stand against their players signing up to it. While they will not want to prevent a player taking part there has to be a way of restricting their involvement if they also want a contract with their home country team

Gerry back then, as a kid, you couldn't get too excited. You would end up with splinters from the wooden benches - certainly in the Rea bank (Hollies) stand - we all wore shorts in those days regardless of the weather!!! I remember the sun burnt knees !!

I remember going to the finals at Trent Bridge when the final over was being played in a downpour - standing square to the wicket I am sure the final ball was a high full toss and would have been no-balled if the umpires had not wanted to get in the dry!!

All this confusion and with paulbear recalling a past incident proves one fact - cricket should only be played at a pedestrian civilised pace !!!