One point from the Middlesex forum last night. The county was baffled by the data presented in the HPR that most county cricketers and apparently 94% (i e all but one) of Directors of Cricket were in favour of playing less cricket. This was emphatically not the case for Middlesex, for whom the scheduling rather than the volume is the problem.

This needs to be reiterated with Warwickshire. We will not swallow their bullshit about players apparently wanting to play less and have their fellow players thrown on the scrap heap

I'm far less concerned about home away integrity than others. I think probably better to have 8 in the top division to ensure this but I also understand the arguments for 10 in the top division to prevent short term thinking among counties. Having watched the recent Lancashire forum available online they are against a six team top division for this very reason so I wonder if we might see proposals to go to two top divisions of six with one feeder division? That was one rumour a few months back. I hope not because I think 8, 9 or 10 are the best sizes for divisions. There's barely enough teams for two divisions let alone three.

14 games can be made to work if we have some championship games in August. England and Wales is patently unsuited to only ten games with weather much more of a factor. The ECB are offering a schedule with 14 games anyway (10 CC + 1 play off + 3 random friendlies in August) an idea that almost everyone thinks is crap, so they may as well have 14 proper championship games

16 would be brilliant but I just don't think our season has room for 18 rounds of CC cricket within it anymore. 14 rounds there definitely is room for if they're skillfully scheduled.

https://play.acast.com/s/2fd1e566-c888-4214-aeeb-58c19269d813/45847682-c642-11ec-b957-8f724e8e51ab

interview with Sam Robson forward to 24 mins Backs retention of 14 CC matches just spread more evenly not all in April May but more in June July August. Some very astute observations about need to avoid clubs being stuck in feeder leagues for decades at a time. Wants to keep two up two down. I definitely agree with him there

Really thoughtful hope the club's listen to him

Podcast with George Dobell and Steve Harmison.

Almost no chance of Strauss review plans being voted through.

Unlikely to even be a vote

Next 8 weeks critical

Hundred is losing more £££ than the ECB have been letting on

Listen here👇 first 15 mins about Liam Norwell then Strauss review

https://play.acast.com/s/d0e70954-32ac-4e91-86c3-1c34bfb4a075/6336ca3ea84a980011ad00a6

Harmison spot on "the members just wanna watch cricket - 25 days in a whole summer is just ridiculous"

Found Olly's championship stats
Bowler, Balls bowled, maidens, runs, wickets, best bowling, average, 5-wickets in an innings
OJ Hannon-Dalby, 2834, 141, 1256, 53, 6-40, 23.69, 3

2834 balls bowled equates to 472 overs across the 14 games

Carried that team

Cheers for that - some lovely writing about the game isn't there

Wasn't there for Botham 81 but was at the MCG in 98 for what was the longest day AND the longest session in test history - Dean Headley and Darren Gough skittling the auld enemy leaving Steve Waugh stranded. I think for pure drama, situation of the match/season and importance Norwell 2022 tops even that great day

Derbyshire statement is appropriately firm. I totally understand Warwickshire not wishing to make such a statement but the direction of travel is clear now surely Strauss isn't gonna get his way. Few if any inside the game really want it

Derbyshire County Cricket Club held a Members’ Forum on Wednesday 28 September with the sole purpose of allowing Members the opportunity to voice their opinions regarding the High Performance Review and to discuss the report with the Club’s Supervisory Board.

The hybrid Forum drew the greatest attendance of a Member event for a number of years, highlighting the strength of feeling among the Membership for the topic.

Chairman, Ian Morgan OBE, and Chief Executive, Ryan Duckett, provided an overview of the report and its potential impact on Derbyshire commercially, as well as its fundamental changes to the fabric of the game.

Head of Cricket, Mickey Arthur, praised the standard of the county game, as well as the loyal support of Members up and down the country, while stressing his view that the issues remain with scheduling rather than the quantity of matches.

Members raised questions and spoke with passion, with the overriding expression being one of opposition to the proposals which impact the domestic structure, including a reduction in the amount of cricket played across all formats.

The discourse suggested emphasis should be placed on the schedule, rather than structure, while there is no compelling argument within the current proposals to suggest that change would necessarily be for the betterment of the game.

The Club would like to thank the Members for their ardent and considered opinions and the Supervisory Board will take these views into account should the parameters of any vote be confirmed by the England & Wales Cricket Board.

Apologies poor phrasing on my part I didn't intend that to sound negative - I meant it was great to see them all out on that balcony at the very end which it was. They'd not have wanted to jinx things beforehand. Great to see them enjoy the moment just like us members on the opposite side

Definitely wasn't having a dig it simply struck me at the time that here at long last was a rare moment of united joy at the club rare indeed in these times of heightened anxiety for all manner of reasons. Evrn the sight of Matt Lamb and Michael Burgess, Graham Welch and Keith Barker going for a stroll around the ground during the day added to this sense.

Will be watching highlights of that for a week and possibly again at xmas if there's nowt on

Word for the captain too. Has racked his brain all season trying to fashion 20 wickets and bloody well managed it today. Even that short break he gave Norwell when he brought himself on for 3/4 overs could well have been crucial. OHD as well has anyone totted up his overs bowled in the season yet? Must be 460 ish? What a legend!!!

Tremendous advert for the county championship. If the board and committee fail to see the value of 2 division county championship cricket after that well then I have no more to offer and I will give up following cricket forever.

No sign of the committee whatsoever until that final wicket but afterwards there they all were applauding ecstatically - and so they should be

They know or at least have some sense now of what it means and what they must do with the ridiculous bloody Strauss review

Worcestershire's chairman in a similar forum yesterday confirmed a no vote would be made by their club

Rain was still fairly heavy around 7 but by 8 had eased considerably. It has also brightened up since about 9. Hoping any delay will be short but any delay at all will scupper already remote chances of setting 150+.

May have to set 135 and try to skittle them

Forums were held at Headingley this morning and at Derby this evening

From Derby;

At tonight's members forum. The overwhelming view of the @DerbyshireCCC members and (without committing) the board, is that the ECB High Performance Review can be filed in the bin.

And from today's report on Yorkshire's defeat to Gloucestershire;

The majority of Yorkshire members who assembled in the Long Room before start of play at Headingley were of identical mind on the two great issues of the day: the Strauss Review should be consigned to the waste bin and Yorkshire had no chance of beating Gloucestershire to secure their place in Division One next season.

Their view on the Strauss Review, which seeks a drastic reduction in the amount of county cricket, was voiced in no uncertain terms in a Members Forum as they gained assurances from the acting chief executive, Andy Dawson, that an EGM would be called as appropriate and that the vote would be binding. The members' revolt around the country appears to be taking effect - although in Yorkshire's case there may still be one or two complications ahead.

Some reflections on the forum from some Yorkshire members present - worth reading as the Warwickshire forum on October 26th is likely to share similarities

Andy Dawson (Yorkshire CEO) said he was marginally in favour of reducing the number of T20 matches from 14 to 10, citing the crazy scheduling this year of Yorkshire's home matches - 6 in 12 days

Andy Dawson also read out a prepared text (no doubt agreed with the Committee) at the beginning of the meeting, and he repeated it at the end, "that the Club will not support a reduction in the number of first class county championship matches without prior agreement with the Members".

By a show of hands members opinions were gauged on various options for T20 and 50-over cricket. The feeling of many in the Yorkshire forum was that it's pointless to have an opinion on one change in isolation of the others so many did not raise their hands for either option. In other words, people did not want to be tied in to saying Yes or No to these proposed changes since it all knocks on to the CC (and vice versa).

Hants won't be in any rush so will likely only get 28-30 overs before lunch

Need to go big especially in the hour up to lunch once in and the ball loses a bit of it's shine

Then declare at or just after lunch - I'd say at lunch as bad light will be an issue from around 5.30pm

170+ to win and about 65 overs. Would like nearer 200 but will be tricky against Abbas

Any chance of setting up a game? Hants might have fancied chasing 280 in 75 under normal circumstances. Doubt that's likely unless the pitch has flattened

Yorkshire have the signatures for their EGM. It is slightly different from the SGM Warwickshire members have been signing - see below;

> Act to protect the County Championship - Yorkshire CCC members in call to club

YORKSHIRE’s members are threatening to call an extraordinary general meeting demanding that chairman Lord Kamlesh Patel vote against controversial proposals to cut the number of County Championship games.

A group led by Simon Parsons, a long-standing member and a former representative on the club’s members’ committee, has obtained the necessary 400 signatures to force an EGM in response to plans in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s High Performance Review.

The review, led by Sir Andrew Strauss, the former England captain, recommends cutting the number of Championship fixtures from 14 per county to 10 from 2024 onwards.

Yorkshire are holding a members’ forum to discuss the Strauss review at 9.30am on Wednesday in the Headingley Long Room and they will be sending out an email survey to members in the coming weeks.

Parsons is warning that the membership is ready to rise up if necessary, mirroring disquiet felt across the country.

He told The Yorkshire Post: “From what I’ve seen, there isn’t any appetite for the Strauss report among the Yorkshire members; there isn’t any appetite to reduce the amount of County Championship cricket played. The club has got to give a guarantee that the members will have a say. They have to give a clear indication that each member will have a vote on this matter.

"My findings are that at least 95 per cent of the members do not endorse what is in the Strauss report concerning the reduction of Championship fixtures.”

In a document seen by The Yorkshire Post, the motions that would be tabled at an EGM are as follows:

Sir Andrew Strauss, who led the England and Wales Cricket Board's High Performance Review. Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images.

> “A. The club’s chairman will oppose any reduction in the number of first-class County Championship fixtures for future seasons, without the prior consent of the membership.

> “B. Any specific proposals for reform of the schedule/structure received by the club from the ECB for a vote of the county chairs will also be put to a vote of members (having given members at least 7 days’ written notice of the proposals prior to the EGM).

> "The club’s chair will respect the wishes of the member votes when casting the club’s vote in any decision-making forum.”

Under club rules, Yorkshire would have to convene an EGM within 42 days. The recommendations in the Strauss review need the support of 12 of the 18 first-class counties.

Parsons continued: “The ideal solution for me is the status quo of 14 Championship games. I don’t think 12 games - a compromise that might be foisted on members - is palatable either.

“Clearly, a lot of the problems are caused by The Hundred, which I think is the ruination of cricket. The scheduling is a farce. The idea of a separate competition running alongside The Hundred doesn’t work either; there is no point in having this so-called Festival of Cricket.

“Personally speaking, I would like the Championship to continue alongside The Hundred rather than to cut the number of Championship games. People still came to watch the Royal London Cup alongside The Hundred, after all; look at the crowds at York and Scarborough.”

200 overs is a long way off to be settling for a draw. Irrespective of the league situation Hants really have very little to play for other than the chance to record another win at Edgbaston like they did last year. Restricting a side to 270 on first innings in what is now effectively a three-day game and at a ground like Edgbaston is an ideal situation for any side going into bat second. With pressure off there is no doubt a powerful batting side like Hants could score 400 in a day steadily picking up the run rate as Will Rhodes tries to rotate his seamers into their 3rd and 4th spells given all the overs available tomorrow and with that short Pershore Road square boundary especially if Warwickshire don't get the rub of the green early on.

It'll be like proper red ball cricket probably up to tea time but if Hants are still batting they will go 50-over mode themselves after tea, try to enjoy themselves. The remainder of the game will be played like 50 over cricket on day 4 with run rates up and wickets tossed away with abandon. Can't wait personally I just hope the rain keeps off. I'd given the season up but can you just imagine???

Of course this pitch could have some surprises in store for us and if Hants are desperate to just get the season over with and get off on their holidays you never know the mentality side of it could get to them. Just have to hope our three seamers have a great day and Rhodes, Briggs or one of the youngsters can chip in. Warks will set a target if they are able to. It might even end up being almost tokenistic 135 to win off 40 overs or something like that

Hampshire interest is likely to be in setting up their own chance of effecting an innings victory. They'll look to bat big put 450 on the board and bowl us out after lunch on day 4.

That could play into Bears hands although we'll have to have their first innings wrapped up not long after tea. Even if Hants reach parity Bears could potentially bat quickly for 30 overs on Day 4 and set something like 180/190 to win in 2 sessions

Dream scenario will be knock em over for not much more than 230 then rack up 150 before close, add 50 more on Day 4 then declare setting Hants 240 ish to win in about 70 overs

Bonus tonight would've been. Remains a tall order. Pressure will be on to get round quickly between overs so can keep Norwell or Henry on for longer spells if they get on some sort of streak. Spin could come into it but by time they're on Hants would likely be near saving the follow on. Target will be to roll them for 200 in two sessions then like Somerset game Day 3 last season score quickly in the final session so we can pull out early-ish on day 4

Sticking Hants in now would be bold but with our attack this game maybe the right call

Recall 2011 it was Hampshire's flat dead pitch and no decent spinner (Metters?) which cost us the title. Irony of ironies if our own flat pitch ended up snookering us tomorrow/Thursday

Whichever way they go it's a massively tall order. I just think you want to have a look and see how up for it Hampshire are early tomorrow at the latest. Ploughing on to 400 to make a game safe in the old tried and trusted way might not be the best option in this circumstance. Set up some kind of game situation that Hants might fancy having a look at setting up themselves for could be a better option. The risk of course on Edgbaston's notoriously flat wickets on days 3-4 is Hants go way past our score and then bowl us out cheaply for an innings win

I guess this latest delay means we bat the rest of today and stick them in at 10.30 tomorrow see what happens?