On the day that the English cricket season officially (or unofficially) started with the traditional season curtain raiser where the County Champions Sussex were entertained by their hosts the MCC at Lords; Warwickshire were given a scare by the students of Oxford UCCE.
So far their pre-season has started well, with two convincing wins against Worcestershire in One Day cricket and with a number of impressive performances with bat and ball. However the two day game against Oxford served as a reminder that this is still largely the same group of players who represented the club last season. There is no doubt that the club are in a much better place than they were at the fag end of last season, but Ashley Giles was right to try and stem expectations last week in an interview with The Post.
There are promising signs, not least, perversely that the last wicket pair of Carter and Woakes had the character and strength of mind to play a pair of rear guard innings to save the match. It might not be the sort of thing we would choose to see, but one of the most disturbing things about last season was the lack of spirit in the side. A good bit of battling goes some way towards showing that the squad has improved their mental fortitude over the winter, which can be no bad thing.
Friday, 11 April 2008
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2 comments:
"Carter and Woakes prevented them toppling over it in a thrilling finish which had the crowd on the edge of his seat."
Do you think that is a deliberate or accidental insinuation that there was only actually one person there?
As for the ball issue, that's a bit of a joke isnt it? I know it's not a first-class match but still: surely even in uni matches both sides use the same type of ball?
It does make you question the value of games like this. I am really not sure the benefit of having these 12 or 13 a-side games. It is hard enough to have a competitive environment in a friendly match, but by messing around with the format it must be next to impossible.
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