Good fun to watch those runs come in. Doubly satisfying that so many of the academy players and new arrivals did the work as well which suggests there's more to come. I think it's only Hamza who hasn't contributed so far. He has got a few starts which suggest he's got it in him. Tends to get bogged down then gets out. I hope he's given the time to rectify it though. With four test players to come in though, plus OHD, I'm looking forward to going beyond last season's one CC win.

Good to see a contribution from Kai and Taz this game, considering FC debut for both this season.

Three wickets now ... yeah appreciated he got some underserved stick last match. I think the fact that Che is only just behind Booth (but deservedly) is a good situation to be honest, they can egg each other on. We get two academy products who can compete at FC level we're in a better place suddenly.

paulbear wrote:

Pity we lost the toss but 2 down for 104 is better than 120-0. Good that Booth got a wicket, he got undue criticism on here last week, he was tidier than other bowlers v Sussex and beat the bat many times more than most of the other bowlers.

I think probably better than 50/50 for a first game with two FC debuts and one more still a teenager.

The bowling will be frustrating this year even if they have at least tried to address it though as we can see not totally successfully. I think Simmons and Booth will share a bit of time as they did get through equal amounts of work pre-season. Booth has had just a bit more experience in top level cricket though so guess that's why he got the nod for this game. Maybe even double up but that would be asking a lot of them. Rushworth is 39 this year, it's inevitable he will be injured and will need a successor. I'm not expecting much from Woakes. Even in a perfect world he can't play that often with his long-term knee issue. He either plays a bit this summer for England or not at all, if not at all I still only see him with Warks for a minority of the time.

Would like to see Simmons as looked quite promising in the one game he played against Essex last year. Jofra-esque. Will bow down if Booth is better prepared in pre-season though. Think Briggs will get the spinner spot. If it was just bowling would prefer Lintott but it's a long tail without Briggs at eight.

Certainly has been the case but his knees (or at this precise moment, his ankle) are so bad he can only make the odd game and can't play consistently.

white-lightning wrote:

We could really do with Chris Woakes playing at the start of this season. Surely he needs some matches to build up his fitness? Or are the ECB going to deny him playing for us yet again??

In reply to a couple of comments. The "mutual consent" has just happened with Warren Gatland as head coach of Wales rugby, the WRU were celebrating it was done like this as it saved them paying out his contract. My guess is same happened with Robinson, he held out and this week was the deadline at which the club would sack him. So maybe it is actually a good outcome not to have to pay him out. Re Frost as batting coach. I think he could do it in isolation, seems one player per season makes good progress on their batting, but not overall and couldn't help multiple people at the same time. Perhaps he was more suited as batting mentor rather than someone with squad responsibility.

I think right decision overall. But it's been so late in the off-season and he's just gave a few quotes last week. "Mutual consent" seems to infer it took him a while to agree. It's the timing that's surprising more than anything.

Have to say a bit meh about the appointment, and also a bit meh about Robinson now being the mouthpiece for it. I'd have thought that a genuine fast, or big bounce, or left arm bowler is what we needed. However, if someone can prove with data that winning matches in the extremes of the summer needs right arm medium fast to fast medium then I'm happy to defer...

I think if we ever see him in the summer now comes down to whether that test number three slot is his. Personally I'm not sure (yet) that it is though this central contract and a Guardo column by Mark Ramprakash saying it is hint to the fact he might get a good run there.

Yup. That's totally what I was inferring. That England should keep the same side for the second test. However, when it comes to the home tests in 2025 and Aussie away - can you see Jacob as test #3? I somehow can't and don't think this was ever anyone's plan.

paulbear wrote:

I would leave it, with Woakes, Atkinson and Carse at 8,9 and 10 it is a long batting line-up. Pope kept well, made runs and so why bring in a new 'keeper who hasn't played in a while and is making a debut. It appears to be a bad move to change things if it not really needed.

Honestly expected Jacob to struggle more than that. Obviously he has a temperament for test cricket. It's an interesting thing to debate whether England have a space at three or not. Pope's had a long run but he's never been totally convincing and him batting six and keeping seemed to work in this game. Do England stick with the lineup from this game or revert to Pope at three then Ollie Robinson goes in with the gloves at six or seven?

Andy, yes I think he's kept more than occasionally and fairly recently too. Don't think he (or Davies) should be doing it in the cc though, top three is a job in itself.

I presume Latham goes in at three as a straight swap for Rhodes, which I think should be good.

It's irrelevant now, but I had noodled a month or so ago that seeing as Mo Ali isn't going to play for England anymore he could use his "play and pay" clause to bat three in cc and bowl spin. As it stands, however, think it's more likely he retires from.cricket than does this.

I was in Hong Kong at the time of this and was well up for it - it was advertised on buses, trams and online. Would have gone (£60) and was aware of Barney and Davies being there but England had been knocked out by Oman by the time I could do it. Oman celebrating well at the airport on the way home.

GerryShedd wrote:

This tournament went (perhaps rightly) under the radar; but from this report, it would appear that, as well as Ethan Brookes, Ed Barnard and Alex Davies also played for the England team:
https://wccc.co.uk/brookes-part-of-england-squad-for-hong-kong-sixes/
Losing to Nepal and Oman doesn't suggest that it was a very successful venture.

I'm relatively happy with his involvement in the England teams. I think Warks will lose him for white ball internationals but I don't think he'll have a lot of Test involvement which is about fine for his experience. Looks like he's going to get these games in NZ, from which I think the best that can happen is he finds he had a lot to learn. In a good way. Then he sets about trying to actually make that up.

I'm annoyed generally when we (Warks or England) lose any player to IPL. Don't see any developemt gain from it with the conditions so different.

I mentioned Marco Janssen in a game feed earlier in the season, he would tick a number if boxes. I'm not sure it's the priority right now though, or not the sole priority. Also heard a rumour that Ben Compton was linked with the Rhodes replacement, that would just leave a spinner. Not sure how far away/if at all Taz Ali is but it might be the plan.

To the overall question about the season, it all hinged on that Gloucs T20 quarter. That changed everything and new players aren't really going to fix that collective mindset. I suppose it all depends on this review and that might change things fundamentally, but with some new players starting to bed in I'm hopeful this season is the worst one before a recovery...

No way will Yates be replaced but interesting to see what happens to Davies post review. Are we safe from relegation? I don't think so yet eh? I mentioned it last game but I don't think we'll go down but could go below Notts this game which would be a pretty shameful end to the season.

Good paywall breaching Terry. I think George has it in the cricketer too. Before that broke though, I think I saw on BBC that the sale might well be beyond 2025. A delay seems the best route for us as opposition to get organised.

Lintott, Walker and Mouse to miss out?

We can advocate fantasy cricket teams all we like, freedom of speech and all that. But no way will Davies be dropped or dropped as captain for the last game. Neither will Rob Yates. Speaking of free speech, I can see Dobell acknowledges dressing room disharmony in his article in the cricketer. Still think it's pointless to discuss it here, but would seem to be a strong focus of the review.