Maybe the ump was keen to get the game over with before the predicted rain arrives, rather than dodging the showers for the rest of the afternoon. And it was an odd shot for Finch to be playing in the circumstances.
Whenever I see him on a scorecard now I think of this post you made last year:
Joey Evison got a howler as well, that ball would barely have hit a second set of stumps down the leg side.
and a name straight out of a Carry on film, played by Charles Hawtrey probably.
Apparently on some Wisden podcast it was suggested that gauge was faulty and there will be no punishment.
Hmmm. I really feel for the sake of transparency there should be some kind of formal announcement about this. Either acknowledging the gauge was wrong (though I'm as confused as you are at that possibility - perhaps using the wrong gauge entirely?) or pronouncing punishment.
Oh dear. Yeah, shocker that. Like the old school umpiring where you could be given out on the basis of playing a non-traditional shot. That's just not cricket, sir!
I honestly don't think that was ever very likely, and I also think that the division is more competitive than we're told by some people. We both know that Essex are capable of beating Surrey when they meet; they're a really good side. And yet Somerset beat them and drew with Surrey. Clearly Hampshire are going to be very competitive now that they've got into their stride. Durham look competitive, and Worcestershire gave Surrey a heck of a fright in the previous round of matches. Go back 12 months, and Lancashire thrashed Surrey at the Oval and we needed to score over 500 in the fourth innings to beat Kent. Notts' bowling attack looks dangerous if they get enough of them on the park. Who does that leave? Warwickshire usually go OK don't they? And iirc it's not so many years since they won the thing, or maybe it was some covid version of the CC. Don't get me wrong, I think the current top 2 are favourites but it's going to be competitive. As always, it will be affected by who's available, the weather, how often some of the sides play each other and the form of key individuals.
I do, but apparently it closes at 23.00 local time so you won't get to see much of the match.
I have no idea what we've done in the past, but I'd suggest we use this one as the CC is effectively suspended during the first block of Blast games.
