From BBC WebsiteOnly one team will be promoted from Division Two of the County Championship this summer in order to reduce the number of top-tier teams in 2017.A top division of eight teams will be introduced next year, down from nine, with 10 counties in the second.Each county will now play 14 games rather than 16, while the Royal London One-Day Cup moves to early season."The changes for 2017 will be good for fans, players and our international teams," ECB chairman Colin Graves said.One-Day Cup group games in April and May ahead of a July final does away with the end-of-season Lord's showpiece, and allows the T20 Blast to take centre stage in the second half of the season.A two-tier T20 Blast has been rejected, at least until the next broadcast deal in 2019, when plans to change the competition to a city-based franchise tournament could also be revived.Four-day cricket will again largely take a break during July and August."The season is easier to follow," Graves added. "The blocks help players focus on specific skills, and there's a better balance across all three formats."
Report: Birmingham Bears v West Indies Match 2By Brian HalfordBears lost to West Indies by three wickets in a Twenty20 thriller at the Dubai Stadium. Hain hammered 85 from 57 balls to lift his side to a challenging 157 for five in their 20 overs. Spinners Ateeq Javid (4-0-18-2) and Josh Poysden (4-0-25-2) then pegged back the West Indies reply and the international side went into the last four overs still needing 43. A ferocious assault by Darren Sammy (34, 17 balls) and Ashley Nurse (25, 9 balls) got them over the line with seven balls to spare. But it was another highly creditable effort from Birmingham, captained by Laurie Evans and fielding a much-changed team from that narrowly beaten in the first game in the two-match series last Friday. “There were some really good performances from some of our guys,” Evans said. “It was disappointing to lose but to have pushed a side as good as West Indies so close in both games reflects an awful lot of credit on our players. “Sam Hain batted really well against a high-quality bowling attack. It was the sort of pitch where it was difficult getting in and he stayed there when we lost a few wickets and gave us something to bowl at. I think it was a total about par or even a bit over in those conditions. “Then West Indies came out all guns blazing but Teeqy and Josh bowled brilliantly to get us back into it. For most of the bowlers it was their first bowl outside this year, so it was a really good effort but we just ran into some world-class hitting at the end.” The Bears batted first and were given a sound platform by Hain and Jonathan Trott (28, 24 balls). Twenty-year-old Hain, who has never played a senior T20 game for the Bears, reached his half-century from 42 balls before accelerating to spectacular effect, scoring 35 from his next 15 balls. Tim Ambrose added valuable support with an unbeaten 29 (20 balls). West Indies’ reply started with fireworks from Johnson Charles (48, 26 balls) but Javid and Poysden bowled skilfully to put a brake on the scoring. They were supported by excellent catching, Evans clutching two fine boundary catches and Ian Westwood taking a blinder at deep mid-wicket to dismiss the dangerous Dinesh Ramdin. West Indies went into the last four overs needing more than ten an over, a tallish order, but Sammy and Nurse unveiled the sort of clean hitting which West Indies hope will take them to T20 World Cup glory later this month.Don't forget to grab your T20 Bears 2016 Season Pass for just £77
Bell: Warwickshire ready for toughest season yetBy Martin King - 16th March 2016CAPTAIN Ian Bell is confident that Warwickshire are ready for the challenges of the Specsavers County Championship Division One, which he believes is the strongest and highest quality it has ever been.As he leads the Bears into a season for the first time as club captain, Bell is under no illusion about the demands of the fixture-list which begins with a brace of away games, against Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl and Middlesex at Lord’s.Warwickshire are heading towards the new campaign in the unaccustomed position of having everyone fit and available.Not only is the squad injury-free but Bell, Jonathan Trott and Chris Woakes, so often away on England duty in recent years, will be in the mix for the early games.The Bears have a squad which appears capable of challenging for honours in 2016. But Bell knows that, with Surrey and Lancashire having come up from Division Two, this year’s Specsavers County Championship Division One is brimming with powerful squads. “Division One this year will be the toughest that it’s ever been with the two counties having come up with Test Match grounds and looking strong,” the captain said. “The squads in the First Division get stronger every year. The standard is very high.“But we know what’s in front of us. We will have some good days and some challenging days and it’s how we react to the latter that will be really important.“It is the first time for a long time that we will have everybody available for the start of a season. Usually we have been without a couple of myself, Trotty and Woakesy.“But we will have Woakesy for the first few weeks so we are going to have a lot of competition in all departments of the team. For the early matches we are going to have to leave out two very good seam-bowlers. “We have tough decisions to make but those sort of tough decisions are nice to have.“We have got a strong squad which, injuries permitting, will allow us to rotate our seamers the way Yorkshire have done to such good effect in the last couple of years. We won’t have to flog our bowlers in the first few weeks.“I am very excited about the season. There is a lot of cricket ahead and a lot of hard work ahead and no doubt there will be ups and downs but myself and the guys can’t wait for the challenge in front of us.”Warwickshire entertain Gloucestershire in the first home friendly of the 2016 season at Edgbaston on 28th and 29th March. Play starts at 11am and entry is free.
Brian Halford (Bears media correspondent I think) tweeted a few days ago hinting of a second oversees player for this years T20. "Reports from Arbroath suggest that Warwickshire are making moves towards recruiting a second overseas player for this season's T20."It has to be a batsman surely?
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Topic: Bears/Pears/Domestic Cricket Thread 2016 (Read 184180 times)
