We play away at Notts on June 11th.

I look at it this way. At the members forum last year several attendees requested more weekend cricket. Having this Blast Off means that we get to play our Blast opener on a Saturday rather than the middle of next week like the other 14 counties. Certain counties only want 5 home Blast games going forward and they want them on Fridays, Saturday's and Sundays - Lancs, Yorks, Derby (clearly) and I know Durham and Warks would prefer fewer Blast games than the 7 they stage currently. Some of the southern counties want the opposite e.g. Somerset Essex with their smaller grounds that are easily filled even in midweek would like to keep 7 Blast home games or even increase that number.

This looks like a fudge and I know many feel it detracts from the County Championship having this Blast Off while it's still going on but I do think maybe naively on my part it has been set up with the best of intentions.

Also gives the broadcaster Sky two games to show for the price of one production set up fee and the ECB can use it to LAUNCH the Blast.

Sky are scaling down their Blast coverage I think this was hinted at last season. Some of their games their commentary team will do it remotely as in they won't be at the ground just use the YouTube and fixed camera feed. I was hoping they'd keep Blast Fridays and have CC games Sunday to Wednesday. That way Sky could have a Jeff Stelling type programme Friday Night Cricket following all the games with the likes of Darren Maddy and Trotty in the studio discussing all 7 or 8 games (you'd still have one London game on the Thursday)

I actually like that they're trying to resurrect bthe Blast Group stages after the ECB have spent the last 3 seasons decking it up. Finals Day is still superb but to me the group stages and even last years quarter final were awful. Also if and when the Hundred gets binned off this will show there is scope within the existing 18 county set up for events to draw in crowds of 16-17'000 that previously Lancs only get for their roses clash and Bears only ever get when we play the Pears

But admittedly it does look messy and perhaps given a big Ashes series is coming up there ought have been another round of CC cricket in early June to give the IPL returnees who've hardly played for three months some time in the middle

There was a fair bit of needle in this match never going over the top mind. Jamie Porter psyching himself up as he gathered himself to run in and bowl. Thought the Burgess feather through to the keeper looked like it might have dropped short too and there were a few questionable lbw decisions. Then there was Snater giving OHD a very vocal send off more in frustration at himself than anything untoward. And Hassan I'd agree man of the match alongside Rushworth and Rhodes. Three (possibly four?) dropped catches so unlike us this season could've had this settled before the luncheon interval had they stuck.

Wonder if we've now established the kind of rivalry with Essex we had with Kent in the 1990's
Champion side pre-COVID being knocked off their perch somewhat

Rushworth was always a solid signing for me. There are no guarantees but he was always more likely to continue being one of the country's top 3 or 4 wicket taking seamers of the last 12 years than struggle here. He's still bowling a sequence of deliveries whether it's in Div 1, 2 or test level he'd do a similar job.

It's as good a signing for me as Hampshire picking up Keith Barker four years ago. Quite unusual for us to get a bowler with such a pedigree as we've become accustomed to obtaining rough diamonds to fashion from Wright, Rankin through to Norwell and Miles bowlers making their way

The question I'm left pondering is are batting sides now as good as they were when he was last in Division 1 before the ECB demoted them in 2016? Also how will Warks attack look in mid-season if/when we have a drier spell with less seam friendly conditions. Norwell, Brookes come into the equation?

Think they won't play Jimmy against Ireland. He's had a decent run of games in the CC now looked primed this morning with 2 for 5 off his 8 over spell. Possibly only one of Broad and Robinson will play too. So Woakes probably will play against Ireland along with anyone else who's short of bowling time returning from the IPL maybe even Sam Curran or one of the Overton's

Andy wrote:

Do we think Woakes play at Lords no matter what due to his exceptional Test record on that ground?
Possibly but I think it'll be more to do with availability of others and the conditions in the week leading up to the game. Stokes will want Lord's to be the harder and flatter than normal as he's said he want those wickets. Big gamble that I think but it's bold. Chances of that type of wicket being able to be produced at Lord's if the weather played ball they've got the resources to produce such a pitch.

Rainy week and Broad needing a rest perhaps it is when Woakes comes in but not if conditions dictate we need to bring Wood in or extra bounce of Potts say.

Was probably the edict all the way along from on high for him to play a certain number of first class matches. Remember the 2021 title win having to beg ECB to allow him to play that second game versus Somerset. I'm guessing we haven't felt the need to invoke that option this time with Hassan having had his rest week and with us having Barnard to bowl Woakes-lite spells and maybe even Rhodes is fit enough to turn his arm over if a partnership is needed to be broken and maybe wanting to utilise ohd to open the bowling with Rushworth

Woakes will almost certainly be in the squad for that test v Ireland and they'll have him ready to step in in case Jimmy Broad or Robinson aren't available for Edgbaston and as a rotation option for rest of the series

The Warwick pool that kept Essex or was it Surrey? afloat in the 1970's? Or helped rebuild crumbling Oval or Chelmsford at that time?

We do seem to like trialling left arm seamers ever since we let a mighty fine one go 😢
This Josh Croom sounds interesting though.
Top scored in the Southern version of the B'ham league last season for South Wiltshire. Berkswell have picked him up this season although as we all know theres been hardly any club cricket played yet and he's spent winters in Glenelg in Adelaide

The upgrades to the squad have been substantial over the last two seasons. Sure Davies didn't come off really last season but he was brought in at a time where it was possible Sibley would have already moved back to Surrey which was the rumour towards the end of the title win so he needed replacing. Not saying Davies is better than Sibley but a different style of player that would help us accrue a greater haul of batting bonus points in the long run. They dispensed with overseas batting after Vihari and Malan found it tricky in April in England Hassan instead comes in and instantly effects games. Chance then arises to give extended runs in the team to Mousley and eventually perhaps Bethell and Benjamin alongside the experience of Rhodes and Hain. Rhodes is now getting towards what Bresnan was in 2021 in terms of experience. Sure he needs a score even a scratchy 70 or 80 would be brilliant from him but his game nous will have grown over the past four seasons now. Keeping Burgess happy is crucial and having Woakes available even if it ends up being for just this phase of the season is an added bonus.

Barnard is the upgrade on Lamb/Milo where we get two players in one and also the replacement for Bresnan we never had last season to an extent.

Rushworth rather than a dozen or so who've been tried since COVID is a massive upgrade. On top.of all his own attributes it ought to mean we can utilize Danny Briggs more effectively this season. He's not just gonna be thrown the ball in desperation like Jeetan Patel often was towards the end of his stint because the seam attack was so pop-gun. Briggs will chip in with the bat like always and be used in an attacking role more and help make up for the lack of true pace in the side to blow away tails unless we get Norwell back or Henry Brookes gets on one of his Broad-like spells

GerryShedd wrote:

Still top of the table now that the other matches are finished:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-division-one-2023-1347099/points-table-standings
Rob Yates may have been a bit in and out with his batting so far but he seems able to catch anything at first slip.

ESPN tables are always a bit unreliable.
We're joint top with Surrey both on 60 points. Ten ahead of third placed Essex.

One ghost we're slowly laying to rest is this assumption we're quite a cautious, even negative dour side David Hopps for instance has banged on about it for three seasons and the Somerset commentators were for whatever reason incredulous that we didn't try to smack it about on day three and pull out early on that last day and set up some kind of contest and bring Somerset into the game.

Today we're the only side that has pushed the boat out and won. All 7 other fixtures this weekend have been draws

So to add to our ability to keep games alive like we did so often in the title winning season 2021 we now have in our locker an attack that can bust games wide open and beat teams by innings

Back top of the league (for a couple of hours at least)

If Surrey was a reality check (Suggestion after that thumping was that Warks were unlikely to finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd) has this thrown cat amongst the pigeons again???

paulbear wrote:

You can only think that Hampshire have managed to win games because of their bowling because as a lot of Hampshire fans will tell you, their batting looks poor.

Over the hill? Missed their best shot at the title in yonks either side of COVID. The other county who might be described in this fashion we host next week. Yet they might beat odds on favourite Surrey today

Rushworth cracking bowler. Absent Jimmy and Broad being around all this time you'd have to think he'd have had some form of England recognition during the 2010's. Another is the chap we saw walk across the screen just before lunch Keith Barker

BristolBear wrote:

In a situation like this let’s be honest, if the bears have to bat again by bowling them out, Hampshire haven’t scored 300+. If they’re 3 or 4 down early, they’ll remove all risk, try take time out the game. So the awkward chase at the end is more likely to be a case of, do you have the overs left to score 60-70.
Whereas declaring overnight, means even if you bowl them out cheaply, you give Hampshire something to defend. So less brave, more stupid.

Yep you'd declare overnight if you wanted to dangle a tempter "Hampshire can still win" carrot. That wasn't a necessary strategy this morning.

Had it been very overcast and a low scoring game with 2 session left they might have pulled out at 130 ahead

Indeed get the runs beforehand so you don't need so many of them them later on. In this situation now there still could be a tricky little spell here for Hants before lunch and potentially a bit of a target for Bears to knock off after 5pm if their lower order can club their way to a score of 220 odd

Yes Rushy 0-1

Time is obviously not the issue in this situation there's 80+ overs left. If we need 90 overs to bowl these out they'll be well ahead by then anyway. The issue is because of the loss of a days play we only have a 2.3 runs per over lead to attack with. Not seen a lot of the game but hopefully a 180 lead on this pitch in these conditions is as daunting for the Hants batters as a 250 lead elsewhere

Pull out earlier and Hants might have been able to establish a 100+ lead before we skittle them

All ifs buts and maybes

There's no prospect of a second new ball as if that comes about they'll be well ahead. As a result of that you probably have to weigh up the options. Bat for 15/20 overs and get well ahead hopefully 250+ then pull out with 75 overs remaining would be my guess. Will want a mini session before lunch maybe 45 mins-1 hour but ideal to have weight of runs firstly.

Alternatively if the morning is overcast might be worth getting bowling first thing and then knock off any runs required by a chase after tea. Might be 150 to win though so could get tricky

Derby is traditionally hard and bouncy. Add that to Leicestershire batting order frailties and it did cloud over and went cool just as he came on first change. Even after it warmed up though he kept taking wickets. Shame as I'd liked to have seen a cameo of sorts by Rehan Ahmed.

Of note the scoreboard here is huge and that's terrific. Hopefully when Warks get around to replacing the pavilion end scoreboard it'll be similarly as good

He's been superb. Leics openers were so comfortable. It did cloud over and went cool for a bit just as Henry came on but superb to get the edge, then pin the next guy. Figures of 4-1 a few moments ago. He looked decent in the seconds game I saw couple of weeks ago v Somerset albeit a limited number of overs

Could this be the start of something for the lad? He's got all the attributes and still the right age to go on. Hopefully opens his mind to possibilities beyond the razzamatazz of hit and giggle formats