Report: Warwickshire v Sussex, Rothesay County Championship

Day One

Ethan Bamber took three wickets on his Warwickshire debut but centuries by Tom Clark and John Simpson gave Sussex the upper hand on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship at Edgbaston.

Clark struck 140 (279 balls) and Simpson an unbeaten 116 (142) in a partnership of 200 in 44 overs as Sussex recovered from 40 for three to close on 386 for five.

Three early Bamber wickets appeared to vindicate Captain Alex Davies’ decision to bowl first but Bears struggled to push home that early advantage.

Warwickshire started with four debutants: Bamber, Sri Lankan Vishwa Fernando, Taz Ali and Kai Smith.

Bamber unfurled an excellent opening burst of 7-5-8-3. The former Middlesex all-rounder trapped Tom Haines lbw, playing across the line, then removed Daniel Hughes and Tom Alsop with successive balls. Hughes copped an lbw decision before Alsop edged an outswinger to Rob Yates at second slip.

The brittle foundation of 40 for three was diligently shored up by a stand of 121 in 37 overs between Clark and James Coles (51, 102). The latter played fluently to be first to his half-century but then rather gave it away when he skied an ill-judged leg-side swipe at Taz Ali to give the 18-year-old leg-spinner his first championship wicket.

Any hopes the sizeable home crowd harboured of another Sussex clatter proved ill-founded.

Sussex skipper Simpson enjoyed a superb first season at Hove last year, averaging 74.81 with the bat in the championship, and resumed in the same vein as he breezed to a 58-ball half-century. Clark, meanwhile, concentrated implacably and reached his fourth first class century, from 223 balls, with his 15^th four.

Clark perished six overs before the close when he edged Ed Barnard behind but in the next over Simpson followed him to three figures, becoming the first Sussex player ever to reach a first class century with a three to backward point on a Friday in Birmingham. Sussex’s return to Division One has been highly encouraging. 

Ethan Bamber on his wicket-taking debut: “It was a nice way to start. It is a big responsibility to set the tone with the new ball so I was pleased to take some wickets and start well for my new club.

“The pitch has developed into quite a true batting surface during the day but it felt this morning that you could get some steep bounce off the surface. There was some nice pace in it and good carry.

“Some of the life in the wicket deadened later on and there was less lateral movement but if we are totally honest I think we’ll admit there were too many boundary balls. We didn’t quite bring our best skill set into play, especially in the latter portion of the day, and I take my share of responsibility for that with too many poor balls with the second new ball.

“But it looks a good wicket and with a good first session tomorrow we are still very much in the game.”

Squad: Warwickshire v Sussex, Rothesay County Championship

Ian Westwood has named a 14-player squad in his opening game as Warwickshire’s First Team Coach.

Sri Lankan fast bowler Vishwa Fernando, who’s made 27 Test appearances for his country, is in line to make his Bears debut having arrived at Edgbaston on a short-term deal for the first three County Championship games.

Fellow seamer Ethan Bamber is also set to make his first Warwickshire appearance after impressing on tour in Abu Dhabi and in the pre-season friendly against Northants when he took three wickets.

Taz Ali (18) and 20-year-old Kai Smith – given the gloves for that warm-up game at Edgbaston last week – are the other two players hoping to get a first taste of red ball cricket for the Club.

Olly Hannon-Dalby (quad) and Chris Rushworth (calf) both miss the 2025 curtain raiser against Sussex but are the only two Bears currently on the treatment table.

Squad

Davies (c)
Taz Ali
Bamber
Barnard
Booth
Briggs
Fernando
Hain
Lintott
Mousley
Shaikh
Simmons
Smith
Yates

How to follow

Members and supporters can follow the match live in our Match Centre at edgbaston.com, which will include a free-to-watch stream and a live text commentary. You can also see a ball-by-ball feed and watch highlights of all the action.

Supporters can get involved by sending their match-day comments and thoughts on Twitter via @WarwickshireCCC and we’ll publish the best ones on our live text commentary in the Match Centre.

Supporters can also watch the Live Stream and get instant push notifications of all wickets, innings and match results via the Edgbaston app, which is free to download on iOS and Android.

Match updates will also be available across the Club’s social media accounts, simply search for @WarwickshireCCC.

Injury Update: Warwickshire v Sussex, Rothesay County Championship

Warwickshire go into the first game of the season without experienced seamers Chris Rushworth and Olly Hannon-Dalby.

Rushworth has a calf pull and only recently returned to light training having been sidelined for much of the pre-season tour to Abu Dhabi.

The 38-year-old – who took 13 wickets in six red ball appearances last season – is expected to be out of action for several weeks.

And Olly Hannon-Dalby will also sit out the Rothesay County Championship Division One opener having suffered a quad muscle tear in training earlier this week.

However, fellow seamers Ethan Bamber (below), who joined from Middlesex last summer, and Sri Lanka quick Vishwa Fernando are both in line to make their Bears debuts.

First Team Coach Ian Westwood, said: “We’ve known for a while that Rushy would miss the start due to a calf problem. He’s seen a specialist and we’ll work him gradually back to bowling; we don’t want to rush it and risk him breaking down again.

“But Olly’s is a new injury which is a blow so close to the start of the new season. A scan has revealed a small tear and he’ll likely be out for April.

“Vishwa has settled well into the squad and Ethan has looked sharp in pre-season and taken wickets. They’ll be complemented by Ed Barnard, while Michael Booth and Che Simmons are also in contention.”

Westwood has a clean bill of health on the batting front with Sam Hain, Dan Mousley and Hamza Shaikh all expected to feature in the top order after recently signing contract extensions at the Club.

Match Preview: Westwood ready for new season challenge

Ian Westwood has seen the dawn of more than 20 seasons as a Bear. Now he’s preparing for one in his new role as First Team Coach – and says he’s ready for the challenge of leading his hometown Club in 2025.

“There’s always a buzz around Edgbaston at this time of year,” said Westwood as he prepares to take on Sussex in his first game in charge.

“It’s my first as first Team Coach but the excitement feels just the same. We’ve done a lot of hard work and prep in the winter, pushed ourselves on tour, everyone is working well in the nets and the lads are raring to go.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge. It’s been good so far, I’ve enjoyed it, but now it’s onto the main part of the job, to put the team out and for us to play some good cricket and start competing.”

Warwickshire’s last Championship encounter with Sussex came in September 2018 when Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, and Dom Sibley all reached three figures (112, 124, and 144 respectively) in a high-scoring Division Two draw.

And it’s 10 years since the two sides met in Division One.

That 2015 clash at Edgbaston saw two dominant batting displays with Sussex declaring on 601/6 before Laurie Evans was unbeaten on 213 and Tim Ambrose hit 153 as Bears replied with 612/6d.

Westwood opened the batting with Varun Chopra in that 2015 match and ended his Bears playing career in 2017 having made more than 250 Bears appearances.

He knows his way around the County Championship as well as anyone and recognizes the importance of gaining early momentum.

He added: “The Championship can be a lot about momentum. If you can get off to a good start it really helps set the tone and to kick on as the games start coming thick and fast.

“But every game is important. You often look back at the end of a season and no matter where you are in the table, the odd point here and there can make all the difference.

“We just want to play some good cricket, pick a team that gives us the best chance to win each game, and take it session by session, don’t look too far ahead.”

Westy said he wants to do 2025 “his way” but has taken counsel from some former Bears and Head Coaches as he prepares for his debut season in the top job.

He said: “I want to do it my own way, but of course I like talking cricket so I’m always picking people’s brains along the way. Matt Walker (Bears Batting Coach and former Kent Head Coach) is vastly experienced and has been a good sounding board. And there are lots of ex-Bears I’m still in touch with to talk cricket.

“It’ll be my first time picking the eleven. Naturally some people will be disappointed, which is what you want. It would be wrong if people not in the starting line-up were not disappointed.

“Competition for places can be tough at times, but it’s also important in a squad to keep pushing everyone to get better.

“We know it’s a long season, games come around quickly so we’ll need the full squad to play their part if we’re going to challenge.”

Bears vs: Sussex make Division One return after 10 year absence

Sussex head to Edgbaston for the opening round of the Rothesay County Championship 2025 in what is their first taste of Division One in a decade.

The south coast Club achieved promotion last September having won eight and losing only two of their 14 games under Director of Cricket Paul Farbrace in his second season since leaving Warwickshire.

Friday’s curtain raiser also sees a swift return to Edgbaston for Mark Robinson who landed a short-term coaching role with his former side just weeks after leaving as Bears’ First Team Coach.

Division Two promotion

Sussex’s promotion push was led by captain and wicketkeeper John Simpson who scored 1,197 runs (74.81 ave) – the third highest in Division Two.

He was an ever present in the red ball side alongside opener Tom Haines (819 runs) and Tom Alsop (799 runs) who both returned averages over 40.

With the ball, off spinner Jack Carson took 50 wickets, while 33-year-old England bowler Ollie Robinson claimed 39 scalps.

India internationals Jaydev Unadkat and Cheteshwar Pujara also played important cameos in the charge to the Division Two title.

Fast bowler Unadkat took 22 wickets in five games at 14.40 apiece, while 37-year-old Pujara – who has more than 100 Tests to his name – hit 501 runs in nine innings at an average of 62.62.

Undakat has agreed to return to Hove this summer but will only be available for the season run-in.

Sussex’s other overseas signings for 2025 are Aussie opener Daniel Hughes (pic above) who averaged 56.66 in six innings last season and will be available for the whole campaign.

West Indies quick Jayden Seales bagged 24 wickets in six games for Sussex at the start of last season and is expected to line-up against the Bears.

But fellow seamer, Aussie Nathan McAndrew who took 11 wickets in just two games for the visitors last term, does not arrive until June.

Sussex’s only domestic captures are that of rookies George Thomas – the 21-year-old who’s made 19 List A appearances for Somerset – and teenage fast bowler Nantes Oosthuizen who is yet to make a senior start.

Pre-season build-up

Sussex arrive at Edgbaston on the back of four two-day red ball warm-ups in March against Kent, Surrey and home and away to Hampshire.

Simpson hit an unbeaten 72 at Kent’s Spitfire ground, while Oli Carter and Haines put on 160 for the first wicket at home to Surrey. However, Sussex’s bowlers struggled against the title holders as they racked up 360/4 in 60 overs.

Most recently (29-30 March) Tom Clark fired an unbeaten century at Hove against Hampshire in a 129-run second wicket stand with Hughes.