Warwickshire County Cricket Club make a swift return to Rothesay County Championship action this week as they host Glamorgan at Edgbaston Stadium, with play due to begin on Friday 15 May at 11:00am. Here’s all you need to know…
Red Ball Showcase
This week’s fixture against Glamorgan is the Red Ball Showcase, with several initiatives in place set to both bring a new audience to the game, and celebrate the players and people at the heart of the Club.
Friday is Schools Day, with over 1,000 school children from the local area watching the action. Saturday is ‘County Cricket Day’, with free tickets available on the same day that several former legends of the Bears due to be in attendance. Sunday will recognise long-standing members, and on Monday free tickets are again available to all fans that want to watch.
Bears’ form guide (last three)
W-D-W
The Bears are in fine form and will be targeting a third win in four games when they return to Edgbaston for the second of back-to-back matches at The People’s Home of Cricket this week. After drawing the opening game of the season, Warwickshire slipped up in their next outing against Sussex but have been almost perfect since.
A 41-run win against Essex was followed by a draw away at last season’s champions, Nottinghamshire, where the Bears went into the final day as the only side realistically in with a chance of winning. Last time out against Yorkshire, the Bears responded to a difficult first day by blowing their opponents away, eventually running out 377-run victors – one of the biggest margins of victory in Warwickshire history.
It was an outstanding performance from all involved, and it was a result that saw the Bears climb to second place in the Rothesay County Championship table, just six points off top spot.
Three in focus
Olly Hannon-Dalby
Having been recalled from his loan spell at Worcestershire, Olly Hannon-Dalby was straight back into the Bears line-up for their clash with Yorkshire last week. Hitting his straps from the off, it was a stand-out four days for the right-arm quick. Seven wickets in the match, including four for 38 in the first innings, helped Warwickshire to a dominant 377-run win.
Sam Hain
Last week’s victory over Yorkshire was also a memorable one for Sam Hain. The right hander top scored with a brilliant 57 in the first innings when the ball was moving considerably, before returning to fire an unbeaten 164 in the second innings to help set up the win for the Bears. Hain will be looking to continue that form against Glamorgan.
Tom Norton (Glamorgan)
Tom Norton had a Rothesay County Championship debut to remember last time out against Somerset. The 18-year-old became the youngest player ever to take a County Championship hat-trick – and the first on debut for 120 years – with the wickets of James Rew, Tom Lammonby and Archie Vaughan.
Opposition insight
Glamorgan are enjoying a fine return to Division One of the Rothesay County Championship having gained promotion from Division Two last season. The Welsh outfit currently sit fifth in the table, just five points behind Warwickshire, and arrive at Edgbaston having won back-to-back games to catapult themselves into the title mix.
Away at Hampshire, Glamorgan were on top from start to finish, winning by an innings and 69 runs for their first triumph in Division One since 2005. They didn’t have to wait long for a second win, doing so by two wickets in a classic at Sophia Gardens against Somerset. On that occasion 76 from Sean Dickson, plus a remarkable 50 not out by night-watchman Ryan Hadley, saw Glamorgan successfully chase 283.
Previous meetings
This week marks the first time in eight years that Warwickshire will welcome Glamorgan for a County Championship fixture. In that match in the 2018 season, Ian Bell produced two outstanding innings to help Warwickshire secure a four-wicket win.
In the first innings Bears leg spinner Josh Poysden took five for 29 as Glamorgan were dismissed for 220, before Bell notched his first century of the match with an unbeaten 106. Australian star Usman Khawaja (125) struck a century of his own for Glamorgan in the second innings, to leave the Bears needing 294 for victory. Bell (115*) was at it again in reply, leading the Bears to a four-wicket victory thanks to another unbeaten ton.
In the reverse fixture later that season, the Bears would do the double over Glamorgan, again thanks to Bell’s brilliance. His double-hundred helped Warwickshire to 503 all out in response to Glamorgan’s first innings 203. Jeetan Patel then took seven for 83 as Warwickshire won by an innings and 35 runs.