szkocjasid

Unless they swap the reserves round, can only see Sam struggling after heat 2 against the 1/2 & 3/4 pairings, especially against Berwick. I'd rather see the two 2.00 reserves racing at 7 & meeting each other 3 times, better for their development. If I was Berwick, I'd now counter this by putting Borke at 7.

Can't say it's very weak at 3 & 4 till you see them ride. Normally I'd agree & put Vissing at 3, but as someone said - let's them see the track before their first outing. If it doesn't work, can change the riding order for the official matches.

If I was Birmingham I'd have sacrificed heat 13 & aimed for points in heats 8 & 14. Plus tell Ermolenko he can put Cook in heats 12 & 14 if he's riding better than Flint. 1. Vaclav Milik 2. Steve Worrall 3. Wiktor Lampart 4. Scott Nicholls 5. Tom Brennan 6. Zach Cook 7. Leon Flint

Because someone asked a question & people keep replying. I'll add mine, Birmingham have strength in depth but lack heat leader strength. Riss isn't really the rider needed to improve the team.

Technically promoters have a right to suggest that, as riders should score more points than last season (without improving), due to a weaker league. If every promoter did it, it could work, but we know that'll never happen.

Don't understand how teams can lower the points limit but still put up prices?

Would Garrity even be better than Morley anyway? Not ridden for a few years. Won't have up to date equipment etc. I wouldn't pick him anyway, no matter how good he might be. Not after the crime he committed.

Before Kemp locked up Leicester were on a 3-3. Once Joe T fell, if Kemp was excluded & Joe awarded 2nd, they would have lost the heat 2-4. That's not an advantage. Kemp's mistake (rightly) cost them points.

That can't be a rule, otherwise the guy in 4th could wipe out the guy in 3rd & get a point for 3rd as the race had "already finished" when 1st crossed the line?

Last year Wolves were allowed a facility for Becker, likewise Scunthorpe for Kennedy, when both got injured pre-season.

I'm sure Nicholls will be 75% below Doyle's average, so qualifies under the "no facility rule"

Agree this is Belle Vues best chance of an away win at Ipswich.

Gilkes has a chance, but Oxford's top 6 will make it difficult. Think Sheffield need to rely on their top 5 for a result.

Edwards opposite number is Kerr, think he'll struggle to score much at all.

That makes sense, to test his fitness in an individual meeting before racing for Birmingham. If he rides a Polish league match first, then this wouldn't be acceptable to the Brummies.

That's already happend, both Pawlicki & Milik signed on higher assessed averages this year.

After only just beating Birmingham, Sheffield have to be the favourites here. But expect Oxford to have the advantage at reserve. Personally I would have moved Harris to 5.

While it's a very good turn out, it's disappointing after it was announced EVERY rider would be there. Perhaps they should have announced beforehand that every team would have a rider present, then shock us all when at least 5 from every team turned up?

My initial thought was damaged limitation, keeping the score close for an aggregate win. But with Lawson in heat 8, Iversen isn't guaranteed a win there anyway. I would have put MPT at 2.

I must have missed those swaps then.

I'd have Sayfutdinov & Doyle at 1 & 5 (depending who's higher at the time). King at 3 or 4. Rew & Ellis at 2,3 or 4. Jenkins when he moves into the top 5 at number 2. Don't see why they can't swap riders around based on the opposition. Not that you see many managers do that.

Why not race it the Sunday of the Polish Final (there's 3 of them to choose from). Don't think there'll be any Polish League fixtures these days, so apart from the top Poles, everyone else should be available. Should run the British Final the same day as one of the Polish finals for the same reason.

I was probably expecting Cook to come into heat 14 after he won heat 12. But as Flint won his last race (8) I can understand why he was left in. Some team managers are more ruthless than others.

So how many people are going to admit to being wrong about Birmingham's team tonight I wonder?

This Berwick team is one that could do very well. Good top 2. Etheridge capable of maximums at home (helps with aggregate wins) two improving Brits at second string & Borke at reserve who should do better at Shielfield than he did at Armadale. If everything goes to plan, they're good enough to challenge for the title.