Sky planner has a QF scheduled on both Thu & Fri night so possibly will be our game. Don't imagine they will block YouTube streams - as I recall last year they didn't show either QF the night we played Hants and actually pointed people towards the live streams.

I really like these sort of wins. A great character forming experience for a young, developing team. And what a lovely relaxing afternoon to look forward to on Sunday! 😎 Terrible for Olly Stone and wonder mentally how much more he can take of this. Sure all of us here wish him all the best.

GerryShedd wrote:

Regarding Norwell, what the Club said a week ago was:
“....he’s got a bulging disc in his back."

I've got one of these - lower facet joint - started with me around 2010. It's a chronic condition that's excabertated by any kind of impact - so bowling fast with it must be nigh on impossible. I had 2 cortisone injections to relieve the pain and eventually had to have a denervation procedure which stopped a lot of the pain being transmitted. Liam has my utmost sympathy if this is what he's battling against. Suspect it may well be career ending.

Edgbaston pitches have been like this for a long time now - plenty of CC games in recent years have gone the full distance either with successful big run chases or handshakes at 5pm on the last day. A cursory reading of recent stats would easily prove that and I suspect Ben and Baz are fully aware of that hence the declaration decision on Friday night. I've watched every ball so far and I think it's been a compelling spectacle.

Same here Terry. We're only up the road but we just can't get enthused about Sat night games. Sat in the garden now debating whether to bother.

GerryShedd wrote:

I know that he's the man that we love to hate on here; but I have to say about Alex Davies that:

• he kept wicket well
• he made some excellent bowling changes and sticking with the spinners even though the ball wasn't turning too much was a master-stroke
• he batted really well

Agree with all of that. I think his spiky aggressiveness as captain, batter and wk might might well work for us in this format. Although a shame we couldn't see our way to retaining Michael Burgess purely as a batsman. I watched the live stream of Surrey v Sussex on Sunday and he was outstanding. I'm in the glass half full camp atm but long way to go.

We sit in the Scrivens stand upper next to the old scoreboard. Were we the only ones struggling to see anything on the main one at the pavilion end - not very bright and the glare made it worse? We ended up using Cricinfo on our phones to track the score it was so bad. And agree with the post farther down re some of the music. The one thing that really irritates me is the use of that silly "Wah wah wah waaah" sound effect when a catch is dropped or some other mistake is made by the opposition. I know it's meant to be a bit of fun but I think it's not very classy and a bit disrepectful.

Fantastic piece of business. Durham fans must be as incredulous as we were when we inexplicably allowed Keith Barker to walk away.

My thoughts exactly LE. Seems a bit last century now to produce a new card every year. Appreciate not everyone is tech savvy but the option could be offered - just like the yearbook is no longer automatically produced for every member. Re the late delivery: seems from his personal newsletter that Stuart Cain has taken onboard the criticisms this year and will look at bringing forward membership pack delivery forward next year.

Don't think it's reasonable of the club to blame Royal Mail. Few years ago we used to get membership packs mid-March. Seems to be getting later every year now - recall we had to pick ours up from the shop last year.

Arrived yesterday.

Just checking here before I phone them - anyone received their cards yet?

And here's the weekend we've been waiting for. Apart from another probable 3 or 4 day test match the only elite cricket being played in the next 4 days consists of double header 100 games played each day. Made this point before and will make it again. If momsnkidz have been enthused by the 100 what other cricket is available for them to watch during the remainder of the summer - answer none. We actually have the bizarre situation of our summer game taking a summer break. Ludicrous.

Re: George Garrett. I know a close family member of his who tells me that he and the other youngsters are frustrated by how little cricket they are getting to play. May explain their consistent inconsistency which somewhat strikes against the ECB's attempts to reduce the amount being played. George is off to Australia to play grade cricket this winter - hopefully this will toughen him up a bit.

This makes very depressing reading

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2022/aug/13/cricket-is-about-to-reach-tipping-point-with-power-grab-of-alternative-season

Gave it the benefit of the doubt last year with having lost nearly 2 years of cricket due to Covid. But it's obvious this year that the standard is pretty low and that the commentators have become cheerleaders - Pietersen and Morgan being the worst examples.

I also dislike the chumminess on display between many of the players. Those that are on an endless cycle of franchise cricket seem to play with no edge or passion - it's just another 4 week jaunt for a fat pay packet.

We watch it because when push comes to shove it's a game of cricket but I think those of us who have been round the block a few times know the paying public has been sold a pup.

Pretty much echoes what I was going to say Gerry. From memory a couple of the LAG group were suspended for the crime of distributing their campaign pamphlet inside Old Trafford. Strikes me as classic Sir Humphrey Appleby tactics from Yes Prime Minister - playing the man not the ball. Concur with the potential appointment of Richard Thompson - a possible positive.

Game is on at Cheltenham College. Must be 25 years since we last went and contemplating a visit. Can anyone tell me whether you can take your own chairs in? I know I can phone Glos but I suspect there's real life experience to be drawn on here! 😉

I do find Mark Church's commentary a little weird I have to say. With his nasal Home Counties accent and the way he refers to everyone as "Mr this" or "Mr that" and his thank you Sirs - he puts me in mind of someone from a Dickens novel or a minor character from "Are You Being Served"!

I’m always loathe to join in with knee-jerk defenestration debates. Primarily the reason I prefer this forum to the Wild West of social media is that here we can always have a reasoned debate.

For that reason I’ve held back on my twopenn’orth for the bulk of the season but having watched the 1st 2 days live and the rest on the stream I think it’s time.

Tend to agree with the BristolBear posting above. To win CC games you have to be able to take 20 wickets at reasonable cost. It was manifestly obvious before a ball had been bowled this season that this was going to be beyond us. Bresnan was a significant loss. The argument that we are “unexpectedly” missing Woakes, Norwell and Stone simply does not bear scrutiny. Chris Woakes has been centrally-contracted and/or playing IPL since 2015. Liam Norwell, whilst very effective, is extremely injury-prone and is unlikely to ever play more than 50% of scheduled matches. OIly Stone is a brilliant rarity - a 90mph bowler with great control. But sadly he’s held together with string and even when he has a sustained period of playing seems to be pretty unlucky - see today’s announcement of an impact finger injury that’s probably going to keep him out for the rest of the season. Realistically in 6 seasons with us it was only the promotion season in 2018 where he was a significant presence.

OHD has been brilliant again - a bowler that has wrung every last ounce of ability from his talents. He manages to be a threat whilst retaining control of runs. But he has lacked any proper support from the other end. McAndrew has tried his best but has not been able to find the right length in English conditions. Henry Brooks is a shadow of the player that took 2 wickets on debut in his first over. Quick still but with little control - a 4 ball nearly every over. Craig Miles - apart from a decent return back end of last season - looks little more than a CCD2 change bowler. George Garrett seems to offer little threat and Danny Briggs looks completely lost. Even golden arm Rhodes has lost his mojo.

In essence we have a 1 man attack which means sides pile on runs against us at a rapid rate putting the batting line-up under pressure every time. I agree that there are certain batters who seem to be leading a charmed life under the current coaching regime but I think their mindset is probably being scrambled by the pressure they find themselves under game after game when faced with huge totals and deficits conceded by our attack.

It beggars belief that a lack of planning, recruitment and clear-eyed coaching has led us to this a year after we became champions. I suspect we’re going to go down to an even heavier defeat next week at the Oval then will need 2 wins from 3 to stay in the division. When performances and morale are this low - in whatever sport you care to mention - achieving that is almost impossible. Hope I’m proved wrong and I’ll be the first back on 1st October with a mea culpa if I am!

You want to be careful with that common sense approach of yours paulbear - it might catch on! 😉