I'd go with AD or Tait. Steyn was a great bowler, but so little Coaching experience.

At face value, Donald would be the best for me, but I wonder whether his Bears background might actually be a HINDRANCE. With Trotty coming back and Farbs on record as saying that being ex-WCCC shouldn't guarantee a Coaching job with us, I wonder if appointing another ex-Bear in a week, might be a 'bridge too far' ! I really hope not, AD has by far the best track record for this job - and I'm sure he'd love to come 'home'.

Tait would be a good fall back option, with a decent Coaching pedigree. However, I think the fact that the Cricketer report says, "Donald and Miller, impressed", would mean it is between them.

Good call Highveld. I did post some news here a couple of months ago, which I had heard - the fact that the Club were actively looking at left arm seamers, as the Overseas signing. They considered Shaheen Afridi, but didn't pursue, as he couldn't commit to a full Championship season. This South African guy looks to be an ideal recruit, to me. And I think South African Internationals should be available for a full season this year?

The ramifications of Azeem Rafiq's testimony will flow over to us, in regard to what he says about TB. I see we're going to start an investigation into his involvement. I guess that COULD well lead to Tim's 'early retirement'?

I'd heard rumours that we had been talking to Shaheen Afridi, about an Overseas berth next season. Farbs and MR have identified a need for a Seam bowler - preferably left arm - and he fitted (and his Edgbaston links through the 100 helped). However, he couldn't commit to a full Championship season because of International requirements and so we pulled out. He's signed for Middlesex now - playing in the Championship and T20 until mid July.

Absolutely wonderful. I've been waiting 9 years for that!

Last night I never thought we'd do it (we never seem to exploit last day wickets!), but what seam bowling from all. The joy on the faces of Miles & Norwell and all the fielders, when those 2 last wickets went down, was a sight to behold!

And we mustn't forget, an awesome batting display yesterday.

This (mainly young) team (with probably just a decent Overseas signing - and perhaps a new Batting Coach?!), could really be up there, if they can maintain the progress of this season.

U Bears!!

Andy wrote:

Manraj Johal 10fer, he's finishing the season strongly.

The game had a good stream on Play, so I managed to see a fair bit.

Yep, Manraj was the stand out performer, but there were also some very decent bowling performances from Booth and Ryan S. Garrett was OK, very economical, but didn't cut through much.

I think the last couple of 2nds games will give management some difficult decisions for the bowlers. Stick with Sidebottom and Garrett for a bit longer, give Booth a contract?

With the exception of the increasingly promising Amir Khan (and to a lesser extent, Velani and the departing Pollock), the batsmen (like the 1sts) didn't pull up any daisies. Probably a difficult wicket for batting (the time of year ?), but few others stood out. Hose got 23 (in an hour and a half batting !), so the jury is very much still out on him and Ethan B looked OK (though he had a cracking game in the previous 2nds match against Hants, so his future is assured).

Callum Hawkins looked good behind the stumps - and will probably compete with George Maddy, to take Kelley's role as our 'coming through' keeper.

55 for 5! That's it, season over!

Andy wrote:

Woakes is in. Johal drops out of the 13.

I hope management know the only change needed from the Hants game, is that Woakes should come in for Holder - and they don't keep him in, just because he's being paid big('ish) money as one of our (wonderful?!) Overseas signings.

Coming up to that time of year again. My thoughts:-

Not Retained - Ryan Sidebottom, Vikai Kelley, George Furrer and possibly George Garrett?

New Contracts - Jordan Bulpitt, Kiel van Vollenhoven, Karl Carver and possibly Michael Booth & Bradley Currie?

As speculated in the Ed Pollock thread, Hose really does have to watch out, he is getting dangerously close to serial failures - and the possibility of being released. I don't know how long he's got left on his contract, but if its up at the end of this season, he could be gone. He has done nothing in his time with us in the red ball game (including in the 2nd team - a duck again today) and has had a poor year or two in white ball. I know he has had injury problems, but that only compounds the doubts about his long term suitability for us. I think management will be seriously considering whether he should be kept.

We bowled Hants out for 164. We're on 101 for 3 at the moment - Ed P on 80 NO (in a red ball game) ! I'd love it he got a good ton and make management think about extending his contract. I'd hate it if he shot off to New Road and then started performing there.

Hose, AGAIN, a duck ! He really has to watch out, a release could be on the cards, depending on how long his contract is for.

Ed is 75NO in a RED ball game - playing for the 2nd's in their Championship match at Southampton. Perhaps there is a chance he might get a contract extension ! It is amzing he's given so few run outs in red ball games - there might be decent Championship batsman there, we'll never know. I'd hate it if he went to New Road and 'did a Libby' on us - ie show his old club what they were missing !

Exiled Bear wrote:

296 to win, then. I'm not confident...

Slow progress (not surprisingly given the fact we have a day and a half - to last !), but we're 43 without loss, after 27 overs.

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

Penultimate Seconds Championship game at Southampton today. 12 man team:-

Ed Pollock, Hamza Shaikh, Kishan Velani, Tim Bresnan (Capt), Ethan Brookes, Adam Hose, Michael Booth, Max Tryfonos, Bradley Currie, Manraj Johal, Tommy Rex and George Maddy (Keeper).

We won the toss and chose to bowl.

Kishan Velani and Michael Booth have played in previous Bears 2nd's games. Velani is a 27 year old RHB & RM, who played for Essex 1st's (and England U19's) in 2017 and has since been playing for Cambridgeshire. Booth is a 20 year old RHB & RF who has also played 1st team cricket (for Natal) and has turned out this season for Durham UCCE & Hants 2nd's.

Max Tryfonos is a 20 year old LHB & OB, who played for Gloucester 2nd's & Herefordshire a couple of years ago. Bradley Currie is a 22 year old LFM, who has recently played for Durham 2nd's & Dorset (his brother, Scott is also playing in this match !).

Tommy Rex and George Maddy are two 18 year olds who have come through our Academy. Tommy is an all rounder who also plays for Kenilworth Wardens and George (Darren Maddy's son) is a keeper with Knowle & Dorridge.

Hampshire are 132 for 8 just after Lunch. Tim B has 4 for 31 (off 13) and Booth has 3 for 31 (off 7). Currie has the other wicket (his brother is now holding us up a bit !).

Penultimate Seconds Championship game at Southampton today. 12 man team:-

Ed Pollock, Hamza Shaikh, Kishan Velani, Tim Bresnan (Capt), Ethan Brookes, Adam Hose, Michael Booth, Max Tryfonos, Bradley Currie, Manraj Johal, Tommy Rex and George Maddy (Keeper).

We won the toss and chose to bowl.

BristolBear wrote:

Having Kelvin Smith in would be an odd one, considering the travel restrictions. He’s down as keeping, but CricInfo says he’s a batsman and off spinner.
Suspect it’s a young kid, but who knows.
Either way it’s probably the final nail in Kelley’s Warwickshire career.
Matt Lamb playing suggests he won’t be required for Fridays quarter final at Kent too.

I've sussed out K. Smith - mainly by realising he's a Keeper (I mistook the Live Play 'dagger' as the Captain logo!). It must be Kai Smith, a 16 year old (nearly 17), who plays for the UAE Under 19's (don't know what he's doing in the UAE at 16 !).

You're right BB, Kelley must definitely be on his way now. As regards Matty L playing today, I agree its unlikely he would be in the T20 squad - he didn't pull up any trees in the 20 over game early on, though he is a man in (White ball) form now, so you never know.

Playing today for the Seconds, in the 4 day game at New Road.

I see a K Smith is playing (batting) and is Captain this match. Does anyone know of him? It isn't Kelvin Smith is it, an Aussie, plays for Melbourne Renegades?

And an M G Booth - Michael Booth, the Natal batsman?

Woakesy's there as well. That's good, hopefully shaping up for Friday's T20. A 12 man team, so I guess Garrett or another bowler will come in for him on Thursday?

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Andy wrote:

He might come in for Carver...

Dan M is in for Bulpitt, Carver stays. They've obviously gone with the extra spinner / batsman instead of a seamer - shame, I would have liked the left armer to be given another chance (though I'm sure we'll see him again). Team:-

Pollock, Yates, Rhodes, Burgess, Mousley, Lamb, Bethell, E Brookes, Carver, Garrett & Johal.

We won the toss and elected to bowl.

Although York wasn't Carver's home Club ground, he will have bowled there a lot (he played for Sheriff Hutton Bridge for 4 years, in the same League) - and it might well be a wicket that takes spin (a lot of Yorkshire Club grounds do).

Reabank wrote:

Well that was a very exciting way to spend two hours on a Thursday. Not for the first time this season we win a game we looked very likely to lose. Good batting from Lamb and Ethan to get us to 300 and Rhodes and Garrett were steady at the end - but Leicestershire threw it away a bit. Watched it on the feed - with 7,000 others at the end plus another say 300 in the ground?

I am pleased to say that George has (partly) proved me wrong. I thought he'd had 'his day' and we'd never see him show some of the stengths he displayed today, particularly being able to hold himself together in a (very) pressured situation at the end. His technical skills still seem to be lacking though and he was very lucky in getting a couple of wickets. He also bowled a lot of loose balls.

I do hope he moves on from here. He still needs to develop his technical abilities, but he's only 21 and COULD still be the promisingly decent seam bowler we saw a couple of years ago.