Warwickshire 27-30 April

Ali888 wrote:

RB wrote:I like Church’s commentary. It’s much better than many of the TMS lot.

I like Mark Church but I’m not impressed with his commentary. He repeats himself far too often and I could really have done without stories about his father wearing the same clothes for several days.

I've never known anyone repeat things as much as him,especially players full names.I first noticed it when it was brought to my attention many years ago by one of our sons.He asked me "Dad,why does that man keep saying Murray Goodwin?"

It's unbelievable.

A good day for us today.Onwards and upwards................well done Jamie Smith.

Well batted Jamie Smith. He is such a different proposition (especially batting second) when freed from the wicket-keeping burden.

70 runs in 50 mins or so thanks to Smith and the tail. Excellent innings lead

Come on the lads

Kemar is fucking incredible

Effectively a two-day victory with the amount of time lost. We have earned an extra day's rest. Two wins on the board already, with three of our tougher fixtures already out of the way. Another one at Chelmsford to come, then what should be the calmer waters of Middlesex and Kent at home.

Worrall and Lawes opening the batting

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Brilliant win for the champions! Great team effort, but special mention for Kemar, Jamie Smith and Dan Worrall

Delighted with the victory with Smith, Roach and Worrall outstanding today.   We were without Abbott too (and others of course).   Three tough fixtures out of the way.   This has been a good start to the season.

A couple of minor concerns, we dropped several slip catches and I wonder whether Smith should be in the slips, I think he might be a better bet than Patel or Steel.   Jacks will take his place in the slips I assume when available.

I thought Lawes had a poor game, he seemed to have difficulty controlling the swinging ball, he will learn no doubt as he is a fine prospect.

Badges wrote:

Ali888 wrote:

RB wrote:I like Church’s commentary. It’s much better than many of the TMS lot.

I like Mark Church but I’m not impressed with his commentary. He repeats himself far too often and I could really have done without stories about his father wearing the same clothes for several days.

I've never known anyone repeat things as much as him,especially players full names.I first noticed it when it was brought to my attention many years ago by one of our sons.He asked me "Dad,why does that man keep saying Murray Goodwin?"

It's unbelievable.

I hope Goodwin was playing...

Churchy is always repeating himself. Always repeating himself, Churchy. Reversing the sentence as part of the repeat seems to be one of his vocal tics.

What you need is the equivalent of Grumpy Gus from the Middlesex live feed, remorselessly taking the mickey out of some (OK, most) of what Kevin Hand says. Fraser seems to be on the live stream a hell of a lot, though yesterday he was supplanted by Azeem Rafiq of all people for a time. I particularly enjoyed Fraser anticipating that Hand would be bigging up the match at The Oval as a thirty-two pointer Championship decider. I think not! Middlesex might win a live stream competition though, partly because they only allow grown-ups on the mic.

The Bazball Must Score 450 in 110 Overs approach seems to have gone down the toilet at the moment thankfully. Apart from Durham who have played 4, no one has got out of single figures in 3/4 games in either division. 1st Division averages 1.2 points per game so far. Not sure it makes any sense unless I'm missing the "point".

Another top class win against one of the better teams in the division. These two victories are more impressive when you consider we are still without Jacks,Curran,Overton and in this game Abbott as well.

I have no problem with 250-450. It also encourages, as a biproduct, better and flatter wickets rather than "result" wickets.

I agree, though it does make bowling points rather easier to accumulate than batting points. Perhaps they should be awarded after 4, 7 and 10 wickets instead of 3, 6, 9 as at present...

RB wrote:I have no problem with 250-450. It also encourages, as a biproduct, better and flatter wickets rather than "result" wickets.

Well better wickets are hardly flat in my view. It probably encourages 500 plays 500 bore draws if anything. Give me a result wicket any day, even a bunsen is better than a road (like Old Trafford). And the average county player isn't a Bairstow or Stokes.

Chinaman wrote:

RB wrote:I have no problem with 250-450. It also encourages, as a biproduct, better and flatter wickets rather than "result" wickets.

Well better wickets are hardly flat in my view. It probably encourages 500 plays 500 bore draws if anything. Give me a result wicket any day, even a bunsen is better than a road (like Old Trafford). And the average county player isn't a Bairstow or Stokes.

I was referring to the "Darren Stevens" argument, it's right the pitches play better so 60mph colly-wobblers can't take a bunch of wickets for not a lot, because that won't happen in Tests.

Great start to the season . Now we have the local derby and we must keep our foot on the gas .

Not a Favourite with the Surrey supporters lets give him a little bit of time I reckon he will make Runs.

Ryan Patel I was Referring to by the way.

RB wrote:

Chinaman wrote:

RB wrote:I have no problem with 250-450. It also encourages, as a biproduct, better and flatter wickets rather than "result" wickets.

Well better wickets are hardly flat in my view. It probably encourages 500 plays 500 bore draws if anything. Give me a result wicket any day, even a bunsen is better than a road (like Old Trafford). And the average county player isn't a Bairstow or Stokes.

I was referring to the "Darren Stevens" argument, it's right the pitches play better so 60mph colly-wobblers can't take a bunch of wickets for not a lot, because that won't happen in Tests.

Yes but they are not all colly-wobblers, and I still want a result pitch.

Essex at Chelmsford not too many
More tougher matches. Cook,Hamer,& Porter Excellent attack and Batting line up strong.Must try and be positive against Hamer when allowed to he can dominate and be a match winner. Shame Will Jacks is not available he took him to the cleaners last Season.

Abbott in for Lawes the only change for Essex I would think, though if the pitch is a green top he might come in for Steel instead.

I do like it when an overseas player becomes part of the team rather than a guest, this obviously happened to Hamer some time ago (lucky Essex) and I think Roach is now in that category. I do miss the days when for instance Saqlain or Clarke would turn up every season unless they were touring with their international side.

offdrive4 wrote:Abbott in for Lawes the only change for Essex I would think, though if the pitch is a green top he might come in for Steel instead.

I do like it when an overseas player becomes part of the team rather than a guest, this obviously happened to Hamer some time ago (lucky Essex) and I think Roach is now in that category.   I do miss the days when for instance Saqlain or Clarke would turn up every season unless they were touring with their international side.

That's as maybe but it's not a criticism you can level at Roach.

Roach's international commitments since joining us in 2021:

late joining in 2021 due to Tests vs Sri Lanka (H) in late March 2021 (wasn't there still a quarantine on new arrivals at this point?)
June 2021: Tests vs South Africa (H)
August 2021: Tests vs Pakistan (H)
(winter 2021-22: played Tests vs Sri Lanka (A) and England (H), ODIs vs India (A))
June 2022: Tests vs Bangladesh (H)
(winter 2022-23: played Tests vs Australia (A), Zimbabwe (A), and South Africa (A))
This summer he is due to play 2 tests vs India at home.

And given his "leg fell off" (Stewart, 2022) in a Championship match, he has played for us more or less every game he's not playing for the West Indies or been injured.

Why hasn't he been capped yet?

RB I was complimenting Roach.