Blast Preview: Bears v Yorkshire Vikings

Michael Burgess believes a brace of home games against North Group high-flyers this week gives the Bears a great chance to get their Vitality Blast group campaign back on track.

The Bears face Yorkshire Vikings at Edgbaston on Wednesday night and then Notts Outlaws on Friday (both 6.30pm), seeking to end a sequence of three successive defeats which has dropped them out of the qualifying places.

A strong start to the group phase means the Bears are still very much in contention. However, they probably need to win at least three of their remaining five games to make it through to the quarter finals.

That is very much within their capabilities, says wicketkeeper/batsman Burgess. "It is disappointing to have had this little run of defeats but it is still very much in our hands," he said.

"One of the most frustrating things is that we have put some really good away wins together but then lost in front of our own fans.

"We have all loved being back playing at Edgbaston with the crowd behind us, so now we want to play our best in front of them and give them some wins to cheer.

"We have a great chance to do that this week with two huge home games against top of the top sides. We owe Yorkshire one after losing the opening game at their place and we have some great games with Notts in recent years. We had a really good win at their place which we'll be trying to repeat this week."

The Bears have named a 13-man squad which includes a welcome return for wrist spinner Jake Lintott, who has been ruled out of the last three games by COVID.

Paceman Olly Hannon-Dalby and all-rounder Ethan Brookes also join the squad but the Bears remain without Dan Mousley (broken finger) Henry Brookes (thigh), Olly Stone (back stress fracture) and Chris Woakes (England duty).

Squad

Will Rhodes (C), Carlos Brathwaite, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Ethan Brookes, Michael Burgess (WK), Sam Hain, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Adam Hose, Matt Lamb, Jake Lintott, Craig Miles, Ed Pollock.

How to follow

With Saturday’s double header officially sold out, Bears Members and supporters can follow the Club from home via the Match Centre on edgbaston.com and through the Edgbaston app (available for free on iOS and Android).