The Bears/Pears/County Cricket Thread 2015

[adrenachrome]

Warwickshire CCC ‏@CricketingBears

Match Abandoned and unfortunately we're now out of the #RLODC.

[adrenachrome]

espncricinfo

This competition is seriously degraded by not having a reserve day, in my opinion. Nonetheless, we have only ourselves to blame for earlier clusterfucks.

Interestingly, most pundits would argue that we are a better 50 over side than a T20 blast franchise, but results say otherwise.

Rain helps Kent secure quarter-final

Essex, Kent and Hampshire secured progression from Group B into the quarter-finals of the Royal London Cup after a damp evening which led for four no results.

Kent's match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston was called off without a ball bowled, which confirmed Warwickshire's exit - their progression was reliant on them winning and other results going in their favour - but Kent where left needing to see what happened at Old Trafford.

For a while, as Lancashire began a reduced 20-over match and moved to 68 without loss in the ninth over it appeared they may scupper Kent for the second time in a week after their nail-biting T20 Blast quarter-final. However, the rain returned in Manchester and the players could not resume which meant Kent progressed on run-rate at Lancashire's expense. Kent's reward was a trip to the Kia Oval to face Surrey.

Royal London Cup quarter-finals

Tuesday 25 August:

Nottinghamshire v Durham

Wednesday 26 August:

Gloucestershire v Hampshire

Thursday 27 August:

Surrey v Kent

Essex v Yorkshire

Note: Fixtures confirmed, but dates still unconfirmed by ECB

Essex, whose coach Paul Grayson is under pressure for his job, were first to have clarity over their fate when their match against Sussex was abandoned after 32.3 overs of the first innings with an inexperienced Sussex side reasonably placed on 154 for 3. The result took Essex to 10 points and secure of moving into the knockouts. Subsequent results gave them a home tie against Yorkshire.

 The final game to be called off was between Nottinghamshire, the group leaders, and Hampshire. The point meant Hampshire took third spot in the group, although given a reasonably strong net run-rate they would likely have progressed even with a defeat given other results.

Nottinghamshire were handsomely placed on 254 for 3 after 39 overs following a powerful top-order display which featured half-centuries for Riki Wessels, Alex Hales and Dan Christian - the latter's 72 coming off 48 balls with five sixes.

Nottinghamshire have a home quarter-final against Durham while Hampshire travel to Gloucestershire.

[tomd2103]

Warwickshire CCC ‏@CricketingBears

Match Abandoned and unfortunately we're now out of the #RLODC.

Real shame (obviously not for Kent and Hampshire), as it promised to be an exciting finish to the group with a few teams still with a chance of qualifying.

[AVH87]

The only chance of a trophy is now the T20, would be great to win that again in front of our home crowd.

As I feared pre-season, our batting is not strong enough to mount a serious title challenge in the County Championship. Chopra, Westwood, Porterfield etc. are one of the weakest top 3s in the league.

[PGW]

Chopra out this morning with a wrist injury, team therefore is:
Porterfield (C), Westwood, Evans, Trott, Hain,Clarke, Ambrose,Barker, Patel,Wright & Rankin
We won toss and put Notts in, cloudy overhead and floodlights on from the start.
35-0 8.3
Taylor 17*
Hales 18*
Hales just dropped by Westwood - a very hard one but definetly catchable

[PGW]

Other Div 1 scores:
Sussex v Yorks 22-2
Somerset 35-1 v Worcester
Durham v Middx 15-0
Notts 39-0 v Bears

[PGW]

Notts 61-1 13.2
Taylor Ct Ambrose b Rankin 22
Hales 38*   9 x 4's
Mullaney in

[PGW]

Hales 50 (68) 11 x 4's
102-1 24 overs
Mullaney 25
Hales 54

[PGW]

Nipped out at lunch so latest Div 1 scores are post lunch:
Sussex v Yorkshire 110-3
Somerset 118-2 v Worc
Durham v Middx 79-4
Notts 135-1 v Bears

[PGW]

158-1 36.3
Mullaney 50 (72) 8 x 4's
Hales 82
97 partnership

[PGW]

239-1 50.5
Hales 123*
Mullaney 89*

[PGW]

 313-1 64.5
Hales 174*
Mullaney 109*

Great choice from Porterfield to insert them!!!!

[PGW]

Mullaney Ct Patel b Barker 112 (171) 13 x 4's
318-2
257 partnership
James Taylor in

[PGW]

Hales b Wright 189
Taylor Ct Ambrose b Rankin 29
Wessels 9*
Patel 0*
372-4  85 overs

[PGW]

Close 404- 5
Wessels Ct Porterfield b Clarke 15
Patel 20*
Wood 4*