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: 20th – 23rd August
Umpires: Rob Bailey and Steven Gale
Weather: A mild week with no real threat of rain
