Bears & Pears Cricket Thread 2011

[Dave Cooper please]

I've had an excellent day at New Road today. Beating the championship leaders in a day and a half is some achievement. Now you Bears can return the favour by beating Yorks!

Sounds like a dodgy pitch to me, I demand an enquiry.

The bounce was low but the pitch looked pretty true to me. My definition of "dodgy" would be the Edgbaston pitch in May, when 3 of our batsmen had to retire hurt, so the Bears only had to take 7 wickets to win.

Warwickshire batted okay on it.

[cdbearsfan]

Judging by what I've heard, the pitch at Edgbaston we were docked points for does sound dangerous. Thing is, if it WAS, and the umpires didn't report it.., why weren't the umpires punished as well as Warwickshire?

Anyway, I would tell the batters to just go and have a whack tomorrow. If it comes off, we'll have a lead of 150 or so, if not we'll have a lead of 30ish... not a disaster. Thanks to Worcestershire's win, a draw is no good to Yorkshire so hopefully batting fourth we will benefit from a generous declaration to try to engineer a result, if we can't just beat them anyway.

[Dave Cooper please]

Judging by what I've heard, the pitch at Edgbaston we were docked points for does sound dangerous. Thing is, if it WAS, and the umpires didn't report it.., why weren't the umpires punished as well as Warwickshire?

I was at two days of that game, okay I wasn't facing the bowling but it didn't look any worse than a heck of a lot of early season seamers. Warwickshire scored 380 odd without looking unduly worried, the odd ball reared up and rapped the gloves, mainly Wusster gloves I must say so maybe they didn't have the bowlers to exploit the pitch. The ball that hit Solanki was a genuine fast bouncer.
The umpires didn't report it because there was bugger all wrong with it except that Wusster coudnt handle it as well as Warwickshire could. The match went well into four days with minimal rain breaks, hardly the statistics of a truly dodgy pitch.

[frank]

Judging by what I've heard, the pitch at Edgbaston we were docked points for does sound dangerous. Thing is, if it WAS, and the umpires didn't report it.., why weren't the umpires punished as well as Warwickshire?

I was at two days of that game, okay I wasn't facing the bowling but it didn't look any worse than a heck of a lot of early season seamers. Warwickshire scored 380 odd without looking unduly worried, the odd ball reared up and rapped the gloves, mainly Wusster gloves I must say so maybe they didn't have the bowlers to exploit the pitch. The ball that hit Solanki was a genuine fast bouncer.
The umpires didn't report it because there was bugger all wrong with it except that Wusster coudnt handle it as well as Warwickshire could. The match went well into four days with minimal rain breaks, hardly the statistics of a truly dodgy pitch.

Warwick certainly had the more hostile bowlers and your batsmen were better able to cope with an uneven bounce than we were. You are, after all, a better team than we are. Worcester were also unlucky to be batting on the 3rd day - which is the one I watched - when the pitch was particularly difficult after rain on a surface that was already cracked, followed by sunshine. Bell and Trott both criticised it, as did the umpires. The reason why the umpires didn't call in the pitch panel was that the ECB had already summoned it. 
Anyway, back to the present game: good luck to the Bears tomorrow. As you say, Chris, a draw isn't much use for Yorkshire and a lead of anything more than 100 should give you a very good chance of a win.

[Dave Cooper please]

But was it really worth an eight point deduction? There were also other circumstances, it was the first time that pitch had been played on since the ECB forced Edgbaston to install new drainage to comply with test match status, plus the changing conditions from the new stand.
Either way, I can guarantee there have been worse pitches than that this season that have gone unpunished, some games haven't lasted two days, was that just down to 22 shit batsmen?

[spangley1812]

I've had an excellent day at New Road today. Beating the championship leaders in a day and a half is some achievement. Now you Bears can return the favour by beating Yorks!

Sounds like a dodgy pitch to me, I demand an enquiry.

The bounce was low but the pitch looked pretty true to me. My definition of "dodgy" would be the Edgbaston pitch in May, when 3 of our batsmen had to retire hurt, so the Bears only had to take 7 wickets to win.

Is that the dodgy pitch that the Bears scored almost 400 runs on in the 1st innings...............

[ADVILLAFAN]

Lancashire and Somerset both picking up bugger all points from their matches. Shame Durham look certain to win.

We've managed to put ourselves into a reasonable position against Yorkshire.

[Villan For Life]

The tykes are 238 - 5 in their second innings, a lead of 201. We really need to get the remaining 5 wickets pretty damn quickly because because a chase of anything over 250 will be a tough ask on a day 4 pitch.

I'm going to venture down to Edgbaston tomorrow, it promises to be a good days cricket.

[spangley1812]

Yorkies finish @ 319 for 5 a lead of 282, the last wicket have put on 149 so far. I hope im wrong but its not looking good

[Villan For Life]

Ultimately a frustrating day for the Bears. Troughton & Chanderpaul were well set and they were going for it when bad light stopped play. 135 off 20 was needed which if the sun was shining we'd have been well set for a win.

Bears are now second behind Durham with a game in hand. Still all to play for.

[Rotterdam]

I agree Zogmeister. I fancied us to chase down that total with 20 or so left.
We must do well against Notts.

Is Rankin back?

[Simon Ward]

Bears 2nd XI playing Glamorgan over the next few days for the title of best second team.

[Villan For Life]

Bears 235 - 3 off 82.5, bad light stopped play. Westwood in not out on 144, a good knock from him.

Lancs are 337 - 7 having recovered from 125 - 5.

Bears have earned 1 bonus point, Lancs 3.

We really must win this one but I fear that the weather will have a big say in the outcome.

[The Left Side]

COYB

[ADVILLAFAN]

Why has there been no play in the cricket today? it has been overcast, but not too bad in Chelmsley today and hasn't rained at all - Get the lazy sods back out there.