LVCC: Warwickshire v Somerset Preview

WARWICKSHIRE v SOMERSET

County Championship, Division One

Warwickshire will realistically need to beat struggling Somerset to keep their hopes of a fairytale title defence alive. A disappointing start to the season saw the Bears slip into the relegation zone at one point but, following a three match unbeaten run, still have an outside chance of retaining the pennant.

Despite the winter change of coach - Dougie Brown replacing Ashley Giles - Warwickshire’s return to form has been driven by similar strengths to those which saw them clinch the title last year. In particular, a clutch of all-rounders - Chris Woakes, Rikki Clarke and Keith Barker - have scored valuable lower order runs as well as taking their share of wickets. That will be diminished slightly in this match, as Woakes is in the England Test squad, but Clarke and Barker will both play.

Somerset too will feel the effect of international call-ups, with two players selected for England Lions’ three one-day matches against Bangladesh A. Jos Buttler will be missed but perhaps not as much as Jamie Overton, the 19 year-old quick. Overton has been sensational this season, giving batsmen the hurry up as well as bowling consistently enough to build pressure. Marcus Trescothick does have other high quality seam bowlers to call on, but nobody with the pace and aggression of Overton.

In the absence of Overton significant responsibility is sure to be burdened by Piyush Chawla, the Indian leg-spinner who has been signed for the final part of the season. Chawla hasn’t quite lived up to the potential he showed as a teenager but, against English batsmen who are unaccustomed to facing spin, is likely to be a threat as the match goes on.

These two sides last met in late April when Warwickshire held on for an unlikely draw thanks to the efforts of last man Oliver Hannon-Dalby. The failure to win that match will be of major regret for relegation threatened Somerset and that could well act as an incentive over the next four days.

Team News

Warwickshire are without their front-line seam attack due to the international call-ups of Chris Woakes and Boyd Rankin, though Woakes may return on day two if he is excluded by England. Jim Troughton returns as captain after an extended absence and will have to decide which of youngsters Tom Milnes, Recordo Gordon and Ateeq Javid to omit. Were Gordon to play he would make his Championship debut.

Warwickshire Squad: Jim Troughton (c), Tim Ambrose (wk), Keith Barker, Varun Chopra, Rikki Clarke, Laurie Evans, Recordo Gordon, Ateeq Javid, Tom Milnes, Jeetan Patel, William Porterfield, Ian Westwood

Somerset are without Jamie Overton and Jos Buttler. However, Piyush Chawla will make his county debut and there are no significant injury worries. With George Dockrell in the squad two spinners might be risked but it is perhaps more likely that seamer Adam Dibble will get the nod with the Irishman unluckily missing out.

Somerset squad: Marcus Trescothick (c), Alex Barrow, Piyush Chawla, Nick Compton, Adam Dibble, George Dockrell, James Hildreth, Chris Jones, Craig Kieswetter (wk), Steve Kirby, Alfonso Thomas, Peter Trego, Max Waller

Key Men

With the other senior seamers absent left-armer Keith Barker will have a major role to play. Fresh from an outing for England Lions against the Australians he is sure to bowl a lot of overs with support coming only from Rikki Clarke, Jeetan Patel and the youngsters. The former footballer hasn’t quite matched the season he had in 2012 but has returned to form lately, putting in a particularly impressive display during the match against Middlesex at Uxbridge in early July.

Given their current plight it is high time that Marcus Trescothick, enduring an unusually lean season, stepped up for Somerset. The captain is without a first-class hundred in 2013 but that will be forgotten if now, with his side thick in a relegation fight, he finds the form which has long seen him viewed as one of the most devastating batsmen in the county game.

Prediction

Warwickshire look good at the moment and, despite the absence of Woakes and Rankin, should have enough to see off Somerset. Bet365 agree, making the home side 8/11 favourites for this fixture. Somerset are priced at 11/10.

Date: 20^th – 23^rd August

Umpires: Rob Bailey and Steven Gale

Weather: A mild week with no real threat of rain