Bears/Pears/Domestic Cricket Thread 2017

[tomd2103]

That's a stupid system.

What's your thoughts on the team names though - Durham's a bit boring isn't it?

Did you prefer Warwickshire or Birmingham?

You seem to be struggling with the concept. I don't mind teams being named after where they come from. I get bored by tedious, generic, names like "City", "United" or "Town".

"Bears" isn't employed by any other county and reflects the county emblem so makes sense. If we were called "Birmingham United" or, shudder, "Birmingham City", that would obviously be rubbish.

I prefer Warwickshire.

Me too and you only ever hear that name sung at games anyway.  The new franchise will carry the Birmingham name though, but I don't think it should have the Bears association, as that is Warwickshire's identity. 

There is quite an obvious alternative animal name though that is associated with Birmingham, especially seeing as there is a large statue of one outside a city centre shopping mall and not by a well known city centre road which both carry the name of said animal

[cdbearsfan]

I was thinking that Bulls would be the likely choice for the new club, the other day.

[Rotterdam]

Good point.
My mates and I were discussing this the other day at golf. Does anyone have an idea as to how the players will be distribute? Best we could do was group areas and take players from there; so Warks, Leicesters, Northants and Derbys...Worcesters, Glam, Gloucester, Somerset...Maybe two London teams based at Lords and the Oval made from Sussex, Middlesex, Hants, Surrey and Essex. Teams then have a budget to attract the likes of McCullum, Gayle etc.
Any thoughts?

[cdbearsfan]

I expect it will just be a team for each test ground, with Durham now excluded. It's all about big cities so they aren't going to care about the likes of Worcestershire or Somerset.

I reckon they'll have two Londons, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff and Southampton.

I can't say I'm looking forward to it, wish they had just revamped the existing Twenty20 Cup.

[tomd2103]

I expect it will just be a team for each test ground, with Durham now excluded. It's all about big cities so they aren't going to care about the likes of Worcestershire or Somerset.

I reckon they'll have two Londons, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff and Southampton.

I can't say I'm looking forward to it, wish they had just revamped the existing Twenty20 Cup.

I agree those will be the locations (though Bristol could be in the mix as well), but Rotterdam's question was how the squads will be decided and it is something I have been wondering as well.  Will it just be the playing squads from the teams based at those grounds and the players from all other counties will go into an IPL style 'auction'?

I think it is something that needed to happen and if it is scheduled properly could be a success.  The big problem is going to be fitting the international games around it as having the internationals available to play in it should be a pre-requisite.     

[Gareth]

This obsession with the city cricket from those in charge is weird, they can't even support the current structure by having the England players available - be interesting to see if chasing the £'s works

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Can I just say, from a totally neutral and unbiased observer's point of view, how much I loathe the jizz-fest over The Point and other associated red monstrosities whenever Sky are at Lancashire's ground. It's a carbuncle and the ground looks like an industrial site.

Doesn't help that they have a full roster of ex-Lancashire shills on the payroll.

[aev]

Can I just say, from a totally neutral and unbiased observer's point of view, how much I loathe the jizz-fest over The Point and other associated red monstrosities whenever Sky are at Lancashire's ground. It's a carbuncle and the ground looks like an industrial site.

Doesn't help that they have a full roster of ex-Lancashire shills on the payroll.

I quite like the ground, but fk me, Flintoff is an absolutely dreadful commentator.

[tomd2103]

Can I just say, from a totally neutral and unbiased observer's point of view, how much I loathe the jizz-fest over The Point and other associated red monstrosities whenever Sky are at Lancashire's ground. It's a carbuncle and the ground looks like an industrial site.

Doesn't help that they have a full roster of ex-Lancashire shills on the payroll.

Paul Allott did a full on tourist advert for Manchester during the game last night!!

Still very tight in the group and looks like it will be win or bust tomorrow night now. 

[Chris Jameson]

Flintoff is the cricket equivalent of Savage.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Flintoff is the cricket equivalent of Savage.

With added game-show hysteria.

[UK Redsox]

I don't mind Freddie most of the time but he's a bloody awful TV commentator.

David Lloyd raves about The Point but does so in the humourous way that is the 'Bumble' character.

With Paul Allott it all seems a bit more calculated, which is hardly surprising given that he's DoC at Lancs.

[cdbearsfan]

Will Woakes be allowed to play tomorrow if England haven't picked him?

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Will Woakes be allowed to play tomorrow if England haven't picked him?

The commentators at the test said his exclusion today would mean "he could get some more cricket under his belt", which surely could only mean T20. Hopefully.

[Chris Jameson]

I confess, I stopped watching the Test and watched Yorkshire make a record 260 against Northants, Adam Lyth made 160. Not proper cricket.