BristolBear wrote:

Who do we think actually plays? I can’t see OHD playing more than a couple. Doubt Norwell plays at all.
I suspect Maddy has been signed so Burgess can rest and won’t play every game. Expect Rhodes and Sibley will be given time off too.

Hope to see plenty of Johal, Simmons, Garrett, Brookes and maybe a chance for Khan too. It’d a shame Bethell is just going to be carrying drinks in the hundred rather than getting actual white ball match experience.

Ethan as well as Henry. The most interesting for me, is Lamb - will he do enough to get a contract renewal. I hope so.

Andy wrote:

Looks bad on Brookes, Johal, Garrett and Miles when they're all fit and available but we've had to get someone in on loan.

See my post on Page 2 of this thread. Brookes, Johal and Garrett all been bu**ered up by the Coaching regime they encounter beyond Academy level (IMO !). And don't get me started on the paucity of 1st team Batting Coaching !

Andy wrote:

Interesting, thanks for that.

Do you not think Warwickshire with its large Midlands catchment area should have more academy players in its squad and playing XI's? For a long time now we seem to have been a county that relies on looking outside and signing from other counties as opposed to promoting from within.

We consistently seem have the least amount of homegrown talent of all the counties.

I agree Andy. We do seem to lack the ability to bring local talent through into the 1st XI. I see a lot of 2nd's cricket and we blood loads of promising Academy players - but they just seem to lose their way as soon as they get near adult grade cricket. I put it down to the lack of good Coaching they get at that level. The Academy Coaches seem really on the ball and get the best out of the youngsters. As soon as they get 1st Team Coaching, they drift off. Look at the demise of Henry Brookes, George Garrett or Manraj Johal, particularly since Pop Welch departed. And how many batsmen have we lost recently - even Andy Umeed has got a second chance at Somerset.

I agree, one of our problems is lack of private schooling in the County, but a bigger issue is our rubbish Coaching set up. Frostie is long past his 'sell by date' and Matt Mason clearly can't replace Welch.

Andy wrote:

If we are indeed releasing Matt Lamb in order to create space for the likes of Mousley and Benjamin then its total madness.

Dan and Chris may well turn out to be the guys but right now they not quite ready for regular spots in the 4 day side.

I agree with you about Chris B, Andy, but I do think Dan deserved a place - he has got a great batting record for the 2nds this season and his bowling is useful. But I do think Benjamin didn't deserve any more chances - at No 3 or No 6. Matt Lamb has been treated disgracefully. There's no way Benjamin should be in, in front if him.

And as for the number of opportunities Davies as been given.........!

GerryShedd wrote:

A good win against (to be honest) a fairly nondescript Notts team. Maybe best news - at last some runs for Rob Yates, 89 not out.

And Norwell & Stone played a full 4 days. Decent runs for Lamb (I hope enough to get a new contract offer) and wickets for Lintott (enough for him to be given another CC chance).

Solbear wrote:

Some astute comments and observations. This year has been very disappointing on many levels - the mindset seems to be so negative in the four day game, with draws seen as successes, perhaps a reflection of a collective lack of confidence. The coach, as others have said, is conspicuously absent and quiet, unlike last year, and again as others have said, our bowling is shocking. Craig Miles averages nearly 75, Danny Briggs looks a shadow of what he did last year and Henry Brookes seems to be going backwards at alarming speed. Why and how has this happened, so soon after winning the Championship? All very sad and disappointing to see. You can only hope that things turn around quickly, that we stave off relegation and that if we can attract a top drawer OSP (for a change!) and with the arrival of a couple of new faces from our rivals down the M5, things will look a lot better next year.

Agree with all that Sol. And you are the first to have uttered the 'R' word. I think relegation is unlikely, but possible. Even if we manage to avoid it, the Management have a lot of questions to answer. It has been a chaotic season, all the priorities seem to be wrong and this seemingly 'hands off' approach by Farbrace and Robinson hasn't helped. We never hear anything about the input of Trott, Mason, Frost and Westwood - do they even work for us anymore?! It really is a shambles!

paulbear wrote:

Just looked at the scorecard, Woakes 67 from 97 balls. Also saw the name Maddy and thought "Surely not, he's still playing and involved with the 2nds", but it was the 2nd XI keeper.

Darren Maddy's son, George !

Yep, CW got 67, Dan Mousley, 125 (opening again - why he's not playing for the 1st's against Northants, I've no idea) and (Captain) Jake Lintott, 52 (again, surely, if Briggs was out, he should have been in at Northampton, as front line spinner ?).

I'd put money on the fact that Mousley will come in for Stirling - as opener - given his 198 a couple of days ago (admittedly in a red ball game).

A convincing win - by 177 runs.

In our 2nd innings, we made 454 for 5 dec. A massive 198 from Dan Mousley (Captain in this game) and 174 from Ethan Brookes. They put on 325 for the 2nd wicket. We bowled Lancs out for 216. 3 wickets for Simmons, 2 for Johal, 1 for Booth - but 4 wickets for the Captain's spin (for 42, off 18 overs).

With those performances in mind, if the Firsts had a CC game, I'm sure there is no doubt, Dan would be in for Rob Yates (for his back up bowling, as well as his batting - and he was opening in the Lancs game). And if Davies hadn't got his ton, I reckon Ethan Brookes could be pressing for his place. I would imagine, there is also a fair chance that Dan M might come in for Jacob Bethell in the T20 tomorrow ?

Just got back from Barnt Green CC, watching Worcester Seconds take on Leicester. Vikai Kelley of course plays for Leics now. He never did anything with the bat for us - but he got 101 today !

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

mad wrote:

Very intersting line up today

https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m8b923f7b-4f9f-4806-8feb-30e183c48e09

Dan Mousley off to a flier

Isaac Mohammed who is 13 and highly regarded relative of Moeen I've not seen him yet but a couple of the lads at Moseley a few weeks back were raving about him. Moeen actually spoke a bit about him with Aggers on TMS during tea at the test yesterday. Also Kobi Herft who when I spoke to a couple of Lichfield players on Saturday they reckon he's different class. 18 year old Aussie kid playing for West Bromwich Dartmouth

No Woakes yet though he was on about playing some 2nds cricket soonish

A couple of other newbies are on trial in this match. 21 year old Finlay Bean is opening, he's an England Under 19 wicketkeeper, who turned down an academy contract with Yorkshire in 2020, despite a fairly succcessful record in their 2nd XI. And 23 year old David Scott, an all rounder, who has played for MCC Young Cricketers and Oxford University MCCU.

Finlay Bean made just 6, but David Scott hit a decent 71 off 89 balls. Kobe Herft made 59, putting on a 100 stand with Michael Booth.

Dan Mousley got 47 (off just 37 balls - obviously trying to push for a place in the First team) and Ethan B, 92, continuing his great form with the bat this season.

mad wrote:

Very intersting line up today

https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m8b923f7b-4f9f-4806-8feb-30e183c48e09

Dan Mousley off to a flier

Isaac Mohammed who is 13 and highly regarded relative of Moeen I've not seen him yet but a couple of the lads at Moseley a few weeks back were raving about him. Moeen actually spoke a bit about him with Aggers on TMS during tea at the test yesterday. Also Kobi Herft who when I spoke to a couple of Lichfield players on Saturday they reckon he's different class. 18 year old Aussie kid playing for West Bromwich Dartmouth

No Woakes yet though he was on about playing some 2nds cricket soonish

A couple of other newbies are on trial in this match. 21 year old Finlay Bean is opening, he's an England Under 19 wicketkeeper, who turned down an academy contract with Yorkshire in 2020, despite a fairly succcessful record in their 2nd XI. And 23 year old David Scott, an all rounder, who has played for MCC Young Cricketers and Oxford University MCCU.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Olly is back from injury (for now !). Played 2 matches for the Seconds in their T20 Championship. Gloucestershire on Wednesday (4 overs, 1 for 23) and Somerset today. They're obviously taking care of him at the moment - he didn't play in the Glamorgan game yesterday !

Olly bowled his full 4 overs and took 1 for 13 against Somerset today. Let's hope he stays injury free, the First team need him in the T20 this month (none of our seamers are 'pulling up many daisies' at the moment) and he is also a decent limited overs batsman.

white-lightning wrote:

Can Burgess play in the T20?
I think we're somewhat hampered without Hain (batting) and, of course, Woakes (bowling & Batting) Stone and Norwell (bowling). Even Dan Mousley is another good batting choice, unfortunately still out.
That is a lot of serious quality missing.

Dan Mousley is back and playing. He turned out in two 2nds T20's this week. Opened and got a very good (and quick) 81 in the game against Gloucester. Went in at 5 against Glamorgan and got 11.

PS Unfortunately, we did lose both those, so look to be out of the 2nds T20 top two - a shame as we were unbeaten in the early matches (though then had our current first choice T20 team playing).

A great win, when it looked like we were never going to get near. Mainly down to Ethan Brookes' batting - again (34 NO off 31 balls, going in at 5) - sticking when all around him were losing their heads and seeing us home with 8 balls left ! He has a big future with the bat (and offers useful seam bowling as well) - perhaps a successor to our Captain ?

Bowling highlights - Simmons 2 for 19 off 4 and Johal 1 for 22 off 3. The other wicket taker, Rhodes, was caned a bit (4-0-42-2), as was George Garrett (2-0-30-0). Matt Lamb opened the bowling with his (new) leg spin and kept the runs down reasonably well (3 overs for 22), OHD being the other opener (4 overs for 22). It looks like managament will continue on opening with one spinner in T20 this year.

Batting highlights - Other than EB, indisputably, Matt Lamb (opening) with 50 off 24 balls, but also Manraj (17), who held his nerve with Brookes, to mainly see us home. Yates (18) and the Captain (24) hung around a bit, but the rest (including Dan Mousley) didn't offer much.

Todays team and yesterday afternoons, were clearly run outs for red ball and 50 over match players. The first choice T20 team will almost certainly be yesterday morning 2nd's T20 group - Stirling, Bethell, Davies (to start with at least - with Burgess waiting in the wings), Hain, Hose, Benjamin, Brathwaite, Henry Brookes, Lintott, Briggs & Miles (with Olly Stone or Woakesy coming back when ready).

Well, even our CC team can do it, batting in white ball. Yates, 102 off 42 balls, Sibley, 33 off 16 and Davies 18 NO off 7 (Rhodes, 9 off, 3).

The bowling figures are pretty good as well - Johal 2 for 28 off 3, Rhodes 2 for 28 off 4, Mousley 1 for 19 off 3. Simmons 1 for 33 off 3 and Garrett 1 for 24 off 3, were the other wicket takers.

Completely different lineup for the second warm up game - which throws into question what our first choice team for Thursday will be:-

Yates, Sibley, Davies (again - they must be desperate for him to get some runs !), Rhodes, Burgess, Lamb, Mousley, Ethan Brookes, Simmons, Garrett and Johal.

Pretty much our CC batting and 2nds bowling lineups. Obviously Sibley & Burgess won't be in on Thursday (playing NZ) and I suppose many of the 'CC'ers' are just playing to get their 'eye in for white ball' (for the 50 over), but I guess Mousley might have a chance to be in the T20 squad ?

ajones1328 wrote:

From the warm up game today, it looks like Bethell will open

Seems fair enough from this showing!

Yeah. And in that warm up match (2nds T20 v Northants), Hose is in - and (again - 52 NO from 20 balls !) scored well. Given how well he's done for the 2nds this season, I'm sure he will be playing on Thursday, not Mousley, as Andy speculated.

Bethell is even opening the bowling, with his left arm spin - and took a wicket in his first over.

Highveld wrote:

https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m63e198ae-5872-4958-9df7-3db2bd6d74dd

Looks like Oli Stone has broken down again, as he was unable to complete his second over.

Yep. I'm there today. He looked bu**ered again. As said elsewhere, a real tragedy - he can't seem to complete any game these days. Amazing, that he must go through Nets and Practices without a problem, but whenever he bowls competitively, he breaks down - presumably cos he's fired up for it ?

On the other hand, Norwell is back bowling and has looked OK, but I think Olly's predicament (in the 3rd over), made him slow down a bit in pace from his first over. He is getting hit a bit now (5 an over), particularly by Zen Malik. Malik looks class. A Staffordshire lad, at Malvern College, he has played a bit for the Pears 2nd's - shame, I think our Staffs connections might have brought him to us.

The Brookes Brothers are bowling fairly well today. Henry was OK (1 wicket for 26 off 8 overs), but Ethan looked very good (2 for 17 off 6 so far). George Garrett has been really caned (6 an over!). Che Simmons looks quality - very fast and accurate (4 overs, 1 for 13).

Our team:-
Amir Khan, Shaikh, Ethan B, Hose, Bethell, Maddy (Keeper), Lintott, Stone (Captain), Henry B, Norwell, Simmons and Garrett.

I went to Portland Road today, for my first days cricket this season, having missed the opening First team games at the County Ground. And I picked a cracking day's play to see.
We finished off the Gloucester 2nd innings. A wicket apiece for Furrer, Johal and Lintott. Furrer looked the pick of the bowling - very quick. Johal was not at his best, despite being up against tail enders.
Chasing over 360 in just over 2 sessions play, was a huge task, but we went out with such purpose. Shaikh went early, but Amir Khan (96 - a shame) and Ethan B blasted away (particularly the latter, with 112 off 119 balls) and put on 180 odd in 35 overs. They both got out with still another 150 needed, but Hose and Bethell saw us home. Hose was out just before the end, like AK, just short of his ton.
Ethan B is developing into a very good batsman, alongside offering some decent seam bowling (now going in at 3). Amir Khan is a wonderful prospect (only 17 years old). And Hose could be almost back to the player he promised to be at Somerset.
It was all good to see.