Warwickshire's bowling attack in its new guise continued to impress after beating Kent with a thrilling innings. Photo: Getty Images/Harry Trump
A team just one season behind their last title doesn't have to be such an underdog to win a county championship. But such was Warwickshire's slump last season, saved from relegation solely by Liam Norvell's heroic 9-for-62 performance against Hampshire, cast by two masochistic marathon spells on the last day of the competition when the sun finally came out to chase away the autumn's damp, rheumatic fear that precious few outside of Birmingham would take the risk even with odds so generous, now narrowed to 10-1.
Their 14-run inning win over Kent, ending with six spare overs at Edgbaston on Sunday, propelled them to the top of Division One, and there are some good reasons to believe they could stay there even if Joey Evison is Kent's last player. a man out for 99 who came in at 99 for seven pushed their five-man tempo attack to the brink of low-light purgatory.
The main reason the Brummies are having fun is to revive their bowling resources. Injury limited Norvell to just four first-class appearances last season, and he missed the field in the first two games of 2023. But Chris Wakes, who missed the whole summer with the reds a year ago, is back and joined by three astute players: Durham's record-breaking wicket-taker Chris Rushworth, Worcestershire's Ed Barnard and Hasan Ali, a slippery Pakistani who quickly gained enough strength. of sorts to rival Heinz, who scored 25 wickets at 20.60 in his five appearances for Lancashire in 2022.
Together with the hardy Oliver Hannon-Dalby, who posted a top 53 wickets last season, sharing a new ball with thousands of players, the quintet shared all of Kent's 20 wickets. At Taunton in a draw with Somerset, when they ran out of time after losing on the first day, the Wax-less quartet lost all of Somerset's 16 wickets. The Warwickshire 'Wizard' will remain in England, counting on home tests — at 34, Woakes has almost seven years on James Anderson and two on Stuart Broad. Mark Robinson, the Bears head coach, and Gavin Larsen, the new director of talent, now have enough bowlers in their ranks, especially with Norvell's return, to cushion his absence and possible appointment as England's veteran Test attack leader in case of injury. and age take their toll on Anderson and Broad.
While the April and May weather turns England into lotus country for swing and seams, a spinner will be needed in the later round of matches to smash the entire Warwickshire demolition team. Moin Ali signed a three-year white-ball contract to return home after 15 years at Worcester with a clause in his contract to play first-class cricket on a match fee deal. But it is unlikely that they will call him to this. All of his last four red ball games were test games, the last one 19 months ago, and he hasn't appeared in the league since 2019.
Almost certainly Moen's absence will mean captain Will Rhodes will have to rely on Danny Briggs, who found himself in a straitjacket playing a one-day bowler in Hampshire and Sussex. His left-handed darts are just as hard for a batsman to hit under and overhand in T20, but he's taken 30 championship wickets in each of his last two seasons, adding stealth to some inventive variations and his masterful control. His ability to undermine the patience of batsmen, making them jumpy and embarrassingly self-critical in just four overs, made him Blast's most successful slow bowler. Warwickshire's belief in him in the longer format allows him to play a vital role in title contention. And he also knows how to hit.
The deep hit seemed indispensable this season, given last year's first-class work, especially with the return of Sibley House to Surrey in the winter. After playing five centuries in 2021, earning him a spot on the Lions tour to Australia, Rob Yates had just 298 runs in 17.52 last season. He redeemed himself with a century in a decisive victory over Hampshire in the last game, triumphing over his shaky confidence and he seems to have regained his fluency with 128 against Kent. Alex Davies, who had been promoted to regular opening partner Yates in place of Rhodes, who had taken over the role during Sibley's 18 months with the England Test team, scored 118 against Somerset in the first week. The first wicket of two and 41 is not in the realm of Hobbs and Sutcliffe, but each of the rookies contributed to the century and, in addition, found a teammate with whom to form a great partnership.
Many won't be surprised to know that on both occasions, that teammate was Sam Hain. With 1,137 runs at 63.16 in just 12 games last season, he has maintained his excellent form this year, with 119 at Taunton and 165 against Kent. Harry Brook may not have lined up for a mid-tier slot in England, but Heine's lack of fireworks shouldn't hold him back when the next spot becomes available. Brook was not as explosive as he was in red ball cricket until he got the opportunity and trusted his captain and coach. » /> Sam Hain is waiting for his chance with England. Photo: Getty Images/Harry Trump
It will not be easy for Warwickshire to stay ahead. Lancashire and Surrey will prove to be formidable title contenders, with Hampshire set to bounce back from defeat at the Oval. However, with a well-established top four all making runs, Dan Moseley's promise, fast bowling depth and a chance of losing only to Wokes, and even then intermittently in favor of England, this could be their year again. They are stronger than they were when they last flew the flag.
Discussion topics
Despite all the criticism leveled at Sussex for signing Steve Smith on a short-term contract, the Australian No. 4, who made 1,727 test runs in England with a score of 59.55, has very few lessons left. Not so Matt Koenemann, the slow-moving southpaw who made his Test debut in Australia's recent loss to India. At no time since 1993 has Australia fielded two front-line spinners in an Ashes Test away test, but if Nathan Lyon suffers an injury, their understudy is getting a useful education in Durham on field use, winning four of 70 in the second inning against Sussex and five of 53 in victory over Worcestershire.
Stuart Broad's desire to see Nottingham Forest take on Manchester United in Sunday's 4:30pm Premier League game added urgency to his efforts at Trent Bridge on day four. After going wicket-free for 15 overs in the first inning, he came back a second time in Somerset's second hit to wreck Cameron Brancroft's stump and find Sean Dixon's lead. Dane Paterson of South Africa took five of 46 to tally for Knotts at 15:10, giving Broad enough time to make a short jump to the City Ground… where Forest lost 2-0.
Stuart Broad was able to see how his beloved Nottingham Forest lost to Manchester United. Photo: PA/Joe Giddens
Middlesex's top order continues to improve in the second inning…but you're unlikely to notice it. Against Essex in the first round, they fell to 20 on five but solidified to 76 on five seconds. In Northampton they were in familiar territory: 36 on five and then 80 on five. Toby Roland-Jones hit 12 wickets in 15.16 in his debut season as captain, but the Middle Saxons are headed for relegation if the batsmen continue to crumble like a harmonica.
Results of the week
Lewis Gregory makes 11 out of 148 matches against Somerset, who lost to Notts. This is a batsman's game, hence the statistical equivalence provided by centuries and five wickets. But centuries are far more common in the game than five-wicket matches, and the results of 10-wicket matches are always worth celebrating, not only because of their rarity, but also because of their sheer effort.
Match of the Week
A huge margin of wins — seven wickets, 165 runs, nine wickets, an innings and 14 runs, 121 runs — in five matches that had a winner, it was generally argued that even competitiveness, an essential ingredient for a good match, was lacking. But we sometimes forget that cricket has a third dimension besides runs and wickets: namely, time. And Joey Evison's 99 points, which almost saved Kent against Edgbaston, brought him much closer than the naked result tells us. A few more clouds — and where only in Birmingham do they always «look a little blacker than Bill's mother's» — and Kent could have saved them.
Quote of the Week
“It's Mo Abbas' number, Pep. You are walking down the corridor. When Manchester City booked the Hilton hotel at the Ageas Bowl for a trip to St Mary's to play Southampton, the manager was kicked out of the penthouse, according to Hampshire's Keith Barker.
In addition to the coverage of cricket in the Telegraph, a column dedicated to the game of the county will be available after each round of the championship.
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