Warwickshire CCC Match Preview - 14/08/2022

A huge thanks to The Commercial Flooring Company for becoming the official match sponsor.

Leicestershire are looking to make it two home wins from two, as the second installment of the double-header weekend at Uptonsteel County Ground sees Warwickshire make the trip across the Midlands.

The fixture follows Friday’s 45-run victory against Somerset, in which Louis Kimber’s maiden List A hundred and a fine all-round display from the bowling unit helped make it three successes from four to start the competition.

The Bears are a place and a point behind the Foxes following their gripping four-win victory over Sussex at Edgbaston on Friday.

Last Time We Met:

The last List A meeting between the two sides came at Edgbaston last summer, with Warwickshire emerging victorious by a narrow seven runs.

The Bears posted 303 for six from their allocation, spearheaded by a superb unbeaten 119 from Matt Lamb.

The Foxes looked to be coasting in reply. Openers Harry Swindells and Rishi Patel put on 159 at more than a run-a-ball, before the latter reached his maiden List A century to put Leicestershire in the box seat.

But, on 217 for two and with 15 overs to go, Patel was dismissed, sparking a collapse that saw the Foxes limp to the close seven runs short of the target.

In Focus:

Chris Wright is set to feature against his former employers on Sunday, and could be a thorn in the side of the County he took over 300 wickets for.

In the opening four games for the Foxes in this campaign, Wright has developed a strong new ball partnership with Beuran Hendricks. The South African has acted as three strike bowler, while Wright’s probing spells have been economical, going at 4.38 runs per over “ the least expensive in the Foxes’ attack.

Such efficiency was evidenced perfectly during Friday’s win. The 37-year-old returned incredible figures of 10-1-27-2, ridding of the dangerous Lewis Goldsworthy and managing the run rate to help the Foxes extinguish Somerset’s hopes of a successful chase.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Speaking of players facing their former sides, Michael Burgess will also be one pitting himself against a former employer. The ‘keeper-batsman was part of the Foxes ranks, before joining Sussex at the end of the 2016 campaign.

He’s enjoying a terrific 2022, averaging 46.56 in the County Championship and 86.00 in his opening three One Day Cup innings, striking at 115.53 in the latter.

It backs up a solid 2021 campaign, where he averaged just shy of 40 for the Bears. A prized wicket for the Foxes in Sunday’s Midlands clash.

Squad:

Leicestershire Foxes: Barnes, Bowley, Hendricks, Hill *, Kimber, Lilley, Mulder, Patel, Scriven, Steel, Swindells +, Walker, Welch, Wright.