Two Bears Hitting Tons in St John's Wood

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Wednesday 29 September 2021 at Lord’s Cricket Ground
Result	Not yet decided, though Warwickshire are odds-on favourites at this point
Competition	Day 2 (of 5) of The Bob Willis Trophy – the end of season game at “The Home of Cricket” between the top two counties
Hopstats	My fourth visit, but the first for some considerable time. Lord’s is one of fifteen grounds at which I have watched organised competitive cricket. A group of five of us, with roots back in our university days and a combined wisdom of three centuries, sat in the Lower Compton stand to watch the game.
Context
Warwickshire took hold of this match yesterday by winning the toss, choosing to bowl, and then skittling Lancashire out for only 78 before reaching 120 without loss themselves. The only real question is whether the weather will stay good enough for the remaining days. For Day 2, we expect to see Warwickshire build a big lead with maybe a declaration after tea if things go well.
In One Sentence
It was only occasionally spectacular, but it was certainly very solid, as Warwickshire accumulated runs at a decent rate, with a string of productive partnerships led by centuries for both Yates and Rhodes, ending the day with a lead of 386 runs.
So What?
A declaration may be imminent. If the weather intervenes, Warwickshire take the trophy on the basis of highest first innings score.
Match Report
Warwickshire lost Dom Sibley shortly after he had completed his fifty, but that was the only wicket to fall in the morning session. Will Rhodes scored at a good pace, making over thirty of the fifty partnership with the opener Rob Yates closing on the century. It was generally calm progress. The Lancashire pace bowlers put in a good effort – one delivery got through Yates’ defence and passed over the stumps. The introduction of spin with Matt Parkinson slowed the run rate only slightly, and it was through an off drive off his bowling that Yates completed the ton. Rhodes also completed his fifty before lunch as we went in search of sustenance with Warwickshire at 224-1.   The range of available food in the ground was disappointing for a supposedly big showpiece occasion, and I equalled my personal record for the number of Danish pastries consumed in one day. The previous occasion was in Denmark. The post-lunch Warwickshire progress was serene, and landmarks were passed regularly. The hundred partnership, the new ball, the 200 lead and so on. The only blip was the departure of Yates for 113, the first of Parkinson’s victims. Sam Hain had joined Rhodes and they passed the 300 mark before Rhodes completed his own century, albeit with one of the least convincing shots of his innings. Hain reached his own fifty in good time, with a glorious drive, and the tea interval came with Warwickshire in total command at 339-2.   100 up for Will Rhodes - steered or edged? In the final session, before bad light ended the day, Warwickshire added another 125 runs but Rhodes watched the departure of Hain for 55 and Matt Lamb for a duck before building another fifty partnership with wicketkeeper Michael Burgess. Burgess was stumped for 44 by his opposite number Alex Davies (soon to join Warwickshire) but Rhodes kept up his personal accumulation, including the odd boundary. Tim Bresnan and Danny Briggs also fell to the spinners, who took five of the seven wickets to fall. The ball by Luke Wells to bowl Lamb turned enough to encourage Warwickshire to feel that they will have time to bowl Lancashire out again even if there are rain interruptions. 150 for Rhodes   At the end, Rhodes had reached 151 not out, with Craig Miles at the other end and the board showing a dominant 464-7 with a lead of 386. Matt Parkinson ended up with the best bowling figures of 3-71 from a marathon stint of 30 overs. It will be a surprise if Warwickshire don’t win this game from here. It is almost unthinkable that they won’t win the trophy. You Bears!
Other Match Pix
Rob Yates on his way to a century   Will Rhodes (Warwickshire)
Ground Pix
What Next?
Follow @GrahamYapp on Twitter! All being well with Covid, fuel supplies, plagues of locusts and extinction events, a trip to York City v Whitby Town in the FA Cup is lined up for Saturday.