Inside-edge wrote:

It’s horses for courses.
I spoke to a fellow yesterday who knows I follow cricket but has never shown any interest himself. A friend of his got tickets to the eliminator at The Oval so he went along. He said it was very exciting, he thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely go to a 100 game again. He remarked how different it was to the ‘boring’ cricket that was on the BBC back in the day.
It’s definitely not for me but I can see the appeal for new audiences.

I bet he will go to a few of these games and then he will find constant 6s and 4s becomes repetitive and boring and will move on to his next adrenalin fix. Could this be what the BBC are starting to find?

It's alright to claim the Hundread has attracted newcomers to the game. However has it or has it just attracted people to the Hundread and once the games in their area have finished they go off to something else to provide an evening's entertainment? If these newcomers are not going on the watch some T20 or CC then this isolated tournament has failed.

540000 tickets were sold - does that mean that 540000 people paid the prices on the ticket or were a lot of them tickets dished out by sponsors etc.
Given who they admit the tickets were sold to why did they need to take the best players away from games played in front of established cricket followers. Surely new to the game people would not have a clue about the players.

The ECB treatment of the ODC is criminal really. It is a major form of cricket at International level and should therefore be used as a platform for players to develop and come through for international honours but that won't happen if players are syphoned off to the one competition that has no international standing. Likewise the ODC has a similarity to a single innings C/C.
I would like to see Kai Smith be given a run in the C/C given the way he played that innings last Friday.

This is worse than Friday. Why is Benjamin batting higher than Smith? 5 down with 191 still needed.

A shocker at the end undid all the good work. What should have been a comfortable target is now one that requires some real concentration. A solid opening is now required.

In 50 over games I look at a decent score is double the score at 30 overs. On that basis anything below 235 will be in Warks favour.

The way for your predictions to succeed is to pre-announce. We await your 6 numbers.................

I just assumed it would be at Lord's - teach me to read first!!

OHD is having so much bad luck - should have a bag full with the movement he is getting. That LBW looked high to me until, as you say, they slowed it down and it was a good call.

paulbear wrote:

We will chase again and our 2 absentees from the Worcestershire game are back. Come on lads get us to a final, we haven't had one since Surrey at Lord's.

Trouble with the Lord's final coming so late in Sept. will it be another case of win the toss, win the match?

Good report Andy. What stood out for me was when Kai got to 100. You could see the frustration on his face being only able to pick up singles in the approach but the look on his face when he got 100 was an absolute joy with the camera able to get a super close up. As you say - one of the great days.

Mikkyk wrote:

What a fabulous innings from Smith

No - it was better than that!! What a mature innings from such a young man.

Ah the old chap coming round with the scorecards. Also he would come round with the Birmingham Mail - morning lunch and evening if my memory serves me right. As you say where has the time gone?

If only the ECB created a fixture list like in the days of the 40 over league and have the different formats played throughout the season instead of in blocks. That way an outground festival could be created whereby somewhere like Rugby could host a 4 day, T20 and a 50 over game all in a fortnight. (I've ignored the 16.4)
The ideal time to use a ground in the county is just before and during a test match when Edgbaston can't be used anyway.

Even the "Brummie Whingers" couldn't object........could they?

Bosworth Bear your name would suggest you should watch your cricket down at Grace Road!! Only joking, honest. I gave up my Warks membership a few years ago now as just found the M42/M6 journey such a chore and the country lane way always an issue when you hit the outskirts of the city.

Of course you are right - there should be some cricket played out in the county - hopefully this past week is the start.

Not sure how the umpire could give the run out. I always thought any doubt and the decision goes with the batsman and that was so tight that it looked in to me.

Thanks EB. Seems I was recalling the ICC imposed the ban on international matches. The rest I suppose is down to local decisions - ECB and individual clubs.

I think it's a worldwide ban imposed by the ICC. Hopefully someone will prove me wrong

GerryShedd wrote:

Exiled Bear - it's all very well you applying common sense and a bit of imagination to the problem, so long as you don't expect the ECB to do the same.

I am getting worried about EB - elsewhere he questioned why the One Day game could not carry on until 8pm when the game has been affected by rain.

I hope those at the ECB do not read this forum - they won't be able to cope.

Exiled Bear wrote:

Makes no sense…10 overs would take at most 45-60 mins to play. Why can’t they play until 7/8/9pm?

One idea I can never understand not being implemented. Given the number of non-playing days why, wherever possible, not have a reserve day. This game could quite easily have had today being used as a reserve day.