Will Rhodes: Top five moments so far

In just three years since becoming one of Warwickshire’s youngest ever captains, Will Rhodes has led his side in some wonderful red-ball matches.

Here, the Bears skipper, who has just signed an extension to take him up to the end of 2025, selects his favourite five so far.

v Hampshire at Edgbaston, 2022: Won by five runs 

It was the opposite to the last day of 2021 in that, in ’21, almost everything went right on the last day, but this time almost everything went wrong for the first part of the day. We were battling against very good opposition, the weather and the light and, with survival at stake, there were a lot of nerves around.

But you always say you need two players to stand up and that’s what happened. Sibbers’ knock probably went uncredited by a lot of people, but that innings got us into a position where we still had a chance, and then Liam Norwell did what he did. Liam’s desire, firstly to play when he was far from fully fit, and then to bowl the way he did was fantastic. Brilliant stuff from him and a truly memorable day.   

v Somerset at Edgbaston, 2021: Won by 118 runs

An incredible day and one that I think everyone who was there will always remember. We had to win the game to win a championship, so the previous three days had been pretty stressful and, with four sessions, left we were behind. It was a big ask on a really good wicket but, when there is something huge on the line, you just find that extra yard, that extra five or ten per cent that you need.

It was an amazing team effort. There was no one individual performance that won us the game, it was a massive collective effort and that includes the crowd who roared us to victory.

v Kent, Edgbaston, 2018: Won by an innings and 34 runs 

I was new to the club and really wanted to make an impression in a First v Second clash. After we bowled them out cheaply on day one, I remember going out to bat with Dom and saying, ‘I’m taking it on here.’

I ended up with a run-a-ball hundred which set us up for a win that saw us promoted as champions. It was fantastic to send off some true Warwickshire legends – Trotty, Barks and Wrighty – in style by getting back to Division One where the Bears belong.

 v Yorkshire at York, 2019: Won by three wickets 

It was at a stage of the season when we needed a win. We had beaten Surrey a couple of weeks before but were still low in the table so it was a big game. Added to that, it was a big one for me personally because when you go back to your old club you always want to put in a performance that they will remember and that you will as well.

I had played a lot of junior and league cricket at York so knew the conditions really well and to score some runs on the last day was fantastic. It would have been perfect to get a hundred but still to contribute to a win and take the points back down the road to Birmingham was pretty special.

v Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston, 2021: Won by 170 runs

It was the first game with crowds back after Covid and they really made themselves heard as we bowled ourselves to victory. When you play on the Hollies side of the square, the crowd often gets involved and it was a great four days and a brilliant last day. At any point during the game it could have finished in any of the four possible results and that’s the sign of a top game of championship cricket.

The fans were back and the two teams put on a real show all game and then Danny Briggs stepped up on the last day to bowl us brilliantly to victory and really leave his mark on the Bears.