Warwickshire vs Sussex

The Rothesay County Championship returns tomorrow (20 August), as Sussex make the trip to the Midlands to face Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

It has almost been two full months since that crazy contest against Hampshire at Hove, in which the visitors claimed the victory. It hasn't rained a day in those two months, except today, on the eve of the return of the red-ball game - typical!

While the forecast doesn't look too clever for the opening day of the contest at Edgbaston, the weather should clear to allow Paul Farbrace's side the opportunity to make their return to the whites a positive one. Heading into a tireless final block of six matches in six weeks, Sussex have realistic ambitions of winning Division One, as they currently sit 5th, 11 points behind the leaders Nottinghamshire. Of course, without the points deduction at the start of the campaign, it would have been Sussex sat in pole position at this moment in time.

There will also be an air of caution for Farbrace and co, with the bottom two sides in Hampshire and Leicestershire - both currently on 72 points - victorious in their most recent matches in what is an incredibly well-contested County Championship this year.

Team News

It is a much-changed squad from the 14 that were named against Hampshire two months ago. Dom Goodman and Tom Price miss out through injury. We send our congratulations to Jack Leaning and his partner who are celebrating the birth of their first child. Leaning therefore, will not make the trip to Edgbaston. Tom Alsop and Oli Carter also miss out on a place in the 13-player squad.

In terms of incomings, it was announced earlier today that Ari Karvelas has re-joined Sussex and he has been named in the squad alongside the returning Tom Clark, James Coles, Daniel Hughes and Jaydev Unadkat.

Squad: Carson, Clark, Coles, Crocombe, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Hunt, Ibrahim, Karvelas, Simpson, Tear, Unadkat.

The Opposition

Just six points separate Warwickshire from Sussex, with tomorrow's hosts currently 3rd in the tightly-packed table.

June's back-to-back matches saw Warwickshire draw against Yorkshire at Scarborough and against Somerset at Taunton, picking up 25 points in the process

Sam Hain, as ever, has led the way with the bat for the Bears, scoring 622 runs at an average of 62.2. Ethan Bamber is the second-highest wicket-taker in Division One, having picked up 37 wickets this season at an average of 25.16.

How to Follow

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