[leeiswba]

Cracking finish in Liverpool for Lancs to win by 1 wicket.

All on tomorrow at Edgbaston now; bears win and it’s theirs, if not it’s Lancs

[LiamTheBaggie]

Congrats to Lancashire - were not going to take ten wickets today.  Somerset came with a plan of taking as much time out this game as possible and fair play to them it worked.

Entertaining session watching Sibley, Rhodes and Yates belt it around the ground. A flamingo six from Sibley being the highlight as we chase a lead of 270.

We’ll need a miracle on this very flat batting deck.

[Adder]

Congrats to Lancashire - were not going to take ten wickets today.  Somerset came with a plan of taking as much time out this game as possible and fair play to them it worked.

Entertaining session watching Sibley, Rhodes and Yates belt it around the ground. A flamingo six from Sibley being the highlight as we chase a lead of 270.

We’ll need a miracle on this very flat batting deck.

[TheJacko2000]

Congrats to Lancashire - were not going to take ten wickets today.  Somerset came with a plan of taking as much time out this game as possible and fair play to them it worked.

Entertaining session watching Sibley, Rhodes and Yates belt it around the ground. A flamingo six from Sibley being the highlight as we chase a lead of 270.

We’ll need a miracle on this very flat batting deck.

The hopeless Somerset batting is certainly doing it's best to take the title to Edgbaston...

[BlackCountryPride68]

They've done it! I dare say the Albion will conspire to spoil the mood but what a win. Anyone lucky enough to have been there?

[LiamTheBaggie]

My word. Absolutely incredible. The greatest cricketing moment I’ve seen in the flesh.

County Champions 2021. WARWICKSHIRE LA LA LA

[LiamTheBaggie]

To put Warwickshire win into more context - this from George do bell of cricinfo

To put the result in perspective, it was Essex's first defeat in first-class cricket since 2019 - they had gone 21 games without a loss - and the first time since Simon Harmer arrived in 2017 they had conceded more than two - yes two - to lose a game in the fourth innings. Warwickshire, by contrast, went into this game having won only one Division One Championship match (or Bob Willis Trophy match) at home since September 2016. Harmer has not conceded more runs in an innings when he has not taken a wicket in his period at the club.

This post   

One home win since 2016.

13 games later they’re champions   

[TheJacko2000]

This post   

One home win since 2016.

13 games later they’re champions   

Congrats to the Bears but let's be honest that's embarrassing from Somerset on that wicket.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Congrats to the Bears but let's be honest that's embarrassing from Somerset on that wicket.

Most definitely. That pitch was as flat as a pancake. Should not be losing 10 in 52 on that.

Have to say though - the bowling unit were first class and have been all year.

There was a group of lankies who came today and swiftly disappeared at tea 

[LiamTheBaggie]

The Bob Willis trophy in its rightful home - Edgbaston.

What a brilliant way to end the season.

Warwickshire la la la.. 

[Baggies]

Hearing that the Ashes squad announcement will be tomorrow. No Ben Stokes and no Jofra Archer, I was secretly hoping the tour was called off as it could easily be another white wash even with the Aussies looking ordinary.

As for the Twenty twenty world Cup squad, I'm not overly confident with the conditions kot favouring us and players coming in out of form. Squad below:

England’s preliminary squad:

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) CaptainMoeen Ali (Worcestershire)Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)Sam Billings (Kent)Jos Buttler (Lancashire)Tom Curran (Surrey)Chris Jordan (Surrey)Liam Livingstone (Lancashire)Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)Tymal Mills (Sussex)Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)Jason Roy (Surrey)David Willey (Yorkshire)Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)Mark Wood (Durham)

Travelling Reserves

Reece Topley (Surrey)Liam Dawson (Hampshire)James Vince (Hampshire)

[LiamTheBaggie]

Ashes squad announced today - Dom Bess replaces Moeen Ali.

No places for Parkinson, Mahmood or Livingstone - all three will join up with the Lions

[Dudleylad]

Im shocked Livingstone didnt replace Moeen if I am honest.

[Adder]

Im shocked Livingstone didnt replace Moeen if I am honest.

His 1st class batting stats last season were abysmal and he'd be no more than a very occasional spin bowler at test level.

[Baggies]

I’ve found it a bit of an uninspired line up really, I don’t see how they win down under.

Stokes and Archer being out makes it really difficult, while not being able to call up Olly Stone is a blow. Zak Crawley is lucky to have been called up again as surely he needs to find some consistent form in the county championship before he gets another chance for England. Despite his 2 poor performances I’d possibly have preferred James Bracey being given another go in the squad. I’d also not have been averse to a debutant being taken, as if we can hand out debuts vs India we can hand out debuts bs Australia.

[Adder]

I’ve found it a bit of an uninspired line up really, I don’t see how they win down under.

Stokes and Archer being out makes it really difficult, while not being able to call up Olly Stone is a blow. Zak Crawley is lucky to have been called up again as surely he needs to find some consistent form in the county championship before he gets another chance for England. Despite his 2 poor performances I’d possibly have preferred James Bracey being given another go in the squad. I’d also not have been averse to a debutant being taken, as if we can hand out debuts vs India we can hand out debuts bs Australia.

I see your point about Crawley. I think they are suspecting that Australian pitches will suit his game in a similar way to how they seem to suit Malan. Crawley always looks the part until he gets out, at least against the pace bowlers.

[hardtobeat]

I fear we are going to go into at least the first test with either a very long tail or not our best XI. A team consisting of Anderson , Broad , Leach and possibly Wood would leave the batting very thin.Personally I wouldn't take Broad and there must be concerns over just how many wickets Anderson and Woakes can take in Australian conditions. The batting looks as usual without Stokes overly reliant on Root although I hope Malan may nail down a place . The weakness in the batting probably means we will see Bairstow and Buttler in the side when the reality is the latter has done very little to justify a test place in recent times
Stokes Archer and to a lesser degree Stone all big misses and overall I can see nothing but a heavy series defeat

[wodenson46]

Bit of an interim team, covid affected run up etc, very very surprised if we get anything at all from this series, certainly not The Ashes. But you never know, and can live in hope at least until the first ball is bowled.

[phbaggies]

Just got 2 tickets for day 1 v South Africa next August at Edgbaston, can't wait!

[Adder]

To look on the slightly brighter side of the Ashes - the Aussie batting is distinctly flaky...apart from Smith and Labuschagne. We could do with someone like Burns/Malan/whoever having a big series ...and Root to keep firing.

[LiamTheBaggie]

To look on the slightly brighter side of the Ashes - the Aussie batting is distinctly flaky...apart from Smith and Labuschagne. We could do with someone like Burns/Malan/whoever having a big series ...and Root to keep firing.

Shame they’re two excellent players mind. Labuschange would fit our side like a glove.

I do have concerns regarding our attack. It’s all a bit samey

39 year old Anderson averages 35 in Australia
35 year old Broad averages 30 in Australia
32 year old Woakes averages 50 in Australia

I’m interested to see how Ollie Robinson performs after his successful summer.

Mark Wood has express pace but appears brittle - he’s the only bowler who possess anything different to what we already have.

Bess and Leach have average records.

In comparison to Australia:
27 year old Pat Cummins averages 21 in Australia
30 year old Josh Hazlewood averages 24 in Australia
Mitchell Starc averages 26 in Australia
Nathan Lyon averages 32 in Australia


That’s a pretty formidable bowling line up against our very, very brittle batting line up

[Baggies]

I'd be shocked if we win a single test really. The only way I see is getting a win would be if Joe Root scores a 200 in the first innings and puts them under pressure.

The 3 best test sides in the world are India, New Zealand and Australia. The gap between the rest is huge. We might well be 4th best but it's a weak generation.

The Aussies batting line up doesn't need to be brilliant, but if you look at their averages it's actually quite impressive. Warner, Head, Burns and the exciting Pucovski all average higher than our entire batting line up (sin Joe Root). They beat us in every area of the pitch. It's why we should have been more adventurous with our squad selection.

[hardtobeat]

Bumbles comments regarding the selection are enlightening!!

[Dudleylad]

I agree with every word he says.

Mahmood not going given his pace is the most baffling of the lot.

[hardtobeat]

I agree with Mahmood( instead of Broad) and probably Parkinson (instead of Bess)but don’t think I would have taken Livingstone his red ball record isn’t to hot .