By Grockle
June 13 2003

New games - new rules - same old problems. Even though Cox and Dutch look immense, we still can't put together a win - even in the new 20/20 scheme. Were we impressed? It's very quick but I'm not sure it's for me yet!

WARWICKSHIRE 20/20 - 13 June 2003

Well here we are, the future is upon us.  Strange rules let's see how it goes.

The team;

Gazzard - Cox - Blackwell - Burns - Parsons - Dutch - Durston - Turner - Laraman - Francis - Jones

Knight opens with 10 off first with 6 to River end off Burns. Trott goes to Laraman for 2 in 1.5 overs - 12 for 1.  Ostler sprinting to wicket (you've only got 90 secs to get there).  Over 3 is from Frankie, Burnsy is varyin it a bit then!. After 4.3 overs Knight is caught by Blacky and Warwickshire are 33 for 2. 37 after 5 and the fielding restrictions go at end of next which sees  Jonah on at Old Pavilion. 16 off the over brings the 50 up in 5th. But a brilliant catch from KP sends Ostler on his way at 66 in 7.5 for 23. 

Wes Durston gets a go next  at the Old Pavilion and gets a wicket from first ball - 66 for 4 - straight down Burns throat. Then  worryingly, Keith Parsons twists his knee going for a ball but seems OK. There is actually 2 off Wes's over but Keith has gone off by the end of it and Gareth Andrew in on for him and remains for the rest of the Bears' innings.

Dutchy now comes on at the River end, he is the 7th bowler used in first 10.  Warwickshire reach 74 for 4 at halfway point and at 76 another one goes down as Ian Bell is out but they still manage to bring the 100 up in  13.3overs.. 127 for 3 at 15 - Burns is varying his bowlers regularly so batsmen don't get settled but his side are still going for a lot.

Trevor Penney moves to 50 at 150 for 5 in the 16th. But Wes gets another in the shape of Penney for 52 at 155 for 6 - caught Cox. The batsmen will take the fielder on and Wagg does and fails to Cox - 170 for 7 with 1 over to go.

Wes is given the last over and they take 18 - 187 at the end - 9 an over.  Although the last over knackered his figures, Wes Durston  took 3 for 31 including 18 off the last one - not too shabby and by far the best bowling we saw.

So we come to the Somerset reply.  Cox and Gazzard start 9 off 1st. This is quickly followed by 14 off 3 balls for Cox in 2nd and a score of 24 for 0 after 2. He then takes 10 off 2 balls in 3rd leading to  34 off 3 - well above the required rate and it is all looking remarkably rosey!. Wagg finally gets Gazzard at 49 and Blackwell first ball - oh dear 49 for 2.  That fair takes the wind out of our sails.  Our great allrounder is not there to steer us majestically to victory - it all seems to fall apart from here on in!

50 comes up at 4.4 as Dutchy gets off the mark. It has moved to 60 at 6 and the fielders get to go where they like. 73 for 2 at 7overs - tootling along nicely.  Duchy is catching Cox fast but only one batsman seems to be scoring!  Nevertheless we have reached 90 at 9 - Colin Oboya comes on and he bowls Cox for a great 47. Which creates the situation of 93 for 3 at the halfway mark. Unfortunately, Carter gets Burns for 3 - we're 98 for 4 at 10.4, all bowled and the momentum seems to have gone oout of our line-up. The 100 arrives at 11.1 but we seem to be behind the rate, in feel anyway.

Dutchy hits 50 at 13.1 and it is great to see him doing this one day stuff the way we know he can - 119 for 4.  Wes puts a 6 through the fielder's hands but that is  followed by immediate LBW to Smith - we are running out of batsmen and it's getting hairy. Keith Parsons arrives with a runner (Cox) - the knee must be bad. and although he puts up a fight, he is out to a brilliant C&B off Wagg.  We're slowing and are only on 133 for 6 at 15. Laraman returns to the fray and sticks his first ball straight up in the air - 133 for 7.

145 at 16.1 Dutchy flat bats six to the Old Pavilion he is still fighting but he's running out of mates to help and we are 148 with 3 overs to go. Back comes Unis on 41 off 18. Noddy is still on 1 and doesn't look anything like the stroke playing one dayer he was last year.. He manages to trebles his score to take us to 151 but it is all becoming academic.

We need 34 off 2 - and we have no chance.  Oboya colmes back on for 19th and we now need 31 off 8 as Rob goes home scoring 6 - 158 for 8.    Jonah's in but it's almost all over when he's LBW with last ball of 19th.

30 off 6 turns into...

29 off 5  which in turn leads to...

25 off 4 which moves on to...

25 off 3 which develops into...

21 off 2 which gets as far as...

20 off 1 which isn't enough

Dutch caught for 70 off last ball and we lose by 19!!

What do we think? It was OK.  You need to keep the press on all the time.  No batsman can be allowed to get in. No bowler can stay on if they go for some and the fielding has to be excrement hot.  Is it worth seeing?  It's over a bit quick but it is fun for those who've never seen the game before.  Tractor et al boycotted it but I can't see why if they watch one day stuff.  It wasn't fully cricket but it had it's moments and there were some wonderful hits and brilliant catches - Wagg's was stupendous and KP's wasn't far behind.  Would I pay to see it?  Yeah I think I would.  Would I pay a membership for it?  Not really, and as the Stragglers was open to all and sundry today, one has to wonder why you pay the fees you do.  Management policy it seems was to ignore the rights Vice President's have paid for and let everyone in on a 'family day' - some of the drinkers who invaded the Business Club didn't look like 'family' groups to me.

Will it catch on?  No but it was an experience and it did allow three hours of relaxation after the drudge of work.  Pity they've put it on during the exam period for most older school kids but let's see how it progresses.

Will we progress in it?  Not on today's showing, although we did post the second highest score of the day in losing and would have won every other match had we been playing in them!

On to Scotland on Saturday - can't wait for the 'real thing'!