This is going well

Really good discussion, enjoying reading it!

I’d agree that the squad is pretty weak, I thought as much for the first game of the season. Batsmen as well as bowlers. Definitely dependent on a few players staying in good form.

I’m loathe to be critical of players who suffer injuries, it’s interesting that Stone has been mentioned as a player we should have kept. As far as my memory goes I recall him being injured for a large proportion of his time with us.

I would be very surprised if Norwell is kept beyond his existing contract, whenever that expires. There is a good bowler there but for whatever reason his body has not been able to stand up to the rigours of the first class game.

I’d be interested to know how medicals are completed for potential new signings. Whether it’s similar to football.

The pathway is a strange one, we seem to have a lot of good teenagers but struggle to get them through to the first team. Bowlers like Brooke and Garrett have been mentioned as playing elsewhere but they were not exactly challenging our first 11. At the same time we have two young batsmen playing regularly but have yet to have really defined their roles and it’s a wonder how long until they have their places questioned. We saw it with the comments Yates would get when he struggled, admittedly usually from a single poster.

Recruitment of the three white ball players is something I strongly disagree with. Good money spent on basically one competition, which as we saw last year can all be over with just one under par game. I would be interested to hear from someone at the club about the rationale behind that.

It’s a recurring theme with overseas players nowadays, it most certainly is not isolated to Warwickshire.

I remember Farbrace saying in the past that we had Pujara all lined up and then he gets an IPL deal for the first time in a decade so we missed out.

Pakistani players seem to be in a constant state of flux due the constant state of flux with their board. You can’t blame them for taking an international opportunity if it suddenly presents itself, it may well be the last one they get.

The Aussies pick and choose who, how and when players get selected even when they are not established.

The best West Indian players tend to gravitate towards the IPL and the franchise circuit because the money offered is so much more than they can get anywhere else.

The best overseas players in the CC in recent years have been where counties have a good relationship with the player and they come back year after year. Think Roach, Abbott, Abbas etc.

Sometimes it feels a bit of a waste of time, especially for players on short term deals who are completely unproven in this country.

Agreed, Surrey simply have a better squad than us.

We are missing some key bowlers for various reasons and our 5 for bowler in the match got injured.

I do think it’s a big season for Bethall and Mousley, we really need them to step up and contribute more regularly.

I’d like to think he is actually happy with the scores….but let’s see!

It is a refreshing change to see a couple of good opening partnerships! Long may it continue!

This opening stand must be winding up Highveld.

Crikey, that’s an unexpected good start!

That is a very weak looking squad, how have got into this position?

Lots of good starts but no one able to play an innings defining knock.

Plenty for the batting coach to work on….

Disastrous start to the day

Not having Hasan Ali is a bit of a blow too, his style is a bit different to OHD and Rushworth. With Norwell not being risked our medium pacers are not necessarily as threatening without the lateral movement the Dukes ball offers.

That’s what is being reported, in a way I can kind of understand the decision. It looks to have stopped the great swathes of early season wickets due to the Duke ball seaming all over the place (at least until it’s our turn to bat) and it should make wickets more a result of good bowling. However, it also makes it look easier to bat and more difficult for the bowling side.

The squad doesn't look that strong really does it, we don't really seem to have much dependable depth when compared with others in the division. Let's hope that enough players hit form this season, batting looks particularly weak.

A surprise that at the same time isn’t a surprise at all. He captained the T20 well last year before the knock out stages, the team played far better than they did under Ali.

Still doesn’t inspire confidence with the bat so will be interesting to see how he leads from the front. Will we see a more adventurous (reckless) style of play?

At the same time it may put off other franchises for the future

An interesting interview. I wouldn’t expect us to be in for Cobb….he was definitely talking about looking for seamer options to replace Brookes.

Slightly concerning about Norwell, still working his way through his injury problems.

Perhaps he requested to leave because of frustration of not getting regular game time?

It’s a shame he wasn’t able to kick on with us, it must be tough being a youth player coming through the ranks when there has been quite a steady turnover in coaching/support staff.

He played a couple of games for Derbyshire last year and did well. Perhaps a regular run of games in the second division will help jump start his red ball career.

I’d quite like Davies to get it and Yates to be VC just to see how Highveld reacts as the season goes on. Imagine if we did well with those two as leaders!?

I mean seriously, as Elsa put it so well…let it go. I don’t think Davies has been a particularly good signing, and Yates has had his struggles at times, but I don’t feel it necessary to include them in every comment I make.

Whoever gets it, I’ll support and encourage them. Rhodes got a lot of stick on social media (as every players seems to at times) but he always carried himself well and he was captain of a championship winning side….not many can say that.

I wonder if in the aftermath of this campaign a certain Mr Hain will get a call up for a run in the 50 over side?

When names are bandied around his does still often seem to get missed out. The central contracts situation probably hasn’t helped with that.