Mark Robinson believes his side has ‘momentum’ as the first instalment of the Bears Vitality Blast campaign ends this week.
With four wins from six on the board after two successive triumphs, the Bears are preparing for an exciting double-header.
The Steelbacks are up first on Thursday at Edgbaston - tickets still available here - and a short drive to Worcestershire for a local derby follows 24 hours later, giving the Edgbaston outfit an opportunity to build on their second place in the table. And with the return of red-ball cricket on Sunday, the First Team Coach is pleased with how his side navigated their way through the competition so far.
“I think all season we’ve been great as it hasn’t been straightforward,” said Robinson. "We’ve had lots of changes that have been forced on us so that’s a testament to the squad this season.
“We feel we’ve got some momentum after being tested, but the togetherness of the squad overall is helping us overcome those setbacks.
“It’s been tough for the support staff too as we’re having to manage the red ball players too, but we’ve got a good group here.
“Alex (Davies) keeps leading well, Briggsy is a good ally in the white ball team and then there’s the selflessness of the likes of Ed Barnard and Craig Miles who are desperate to play. They’re being named in squads, not playing, but sacrificing their egos for the good of the group. That’s what allows teams to do well."
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Barnard and Miles will be on standby however as Robinson awaits some clarity on injuries.
Hassan Ali (elbow) and Rob Yates (illness), who have both been key contributors so far, are touch and go and a decision will be made close to the toss.
Chris Woakes is unavailable after his two Blast appearances and will prepare for Sunday’s LV= Insurance County Championship fixture against Hampshire at Edgbaston.
“We’ve kept our standards and performances high and in this competition we're four from six, which before the tournament we would have taken,” added the 57-year-old.
“We’ve bowled magnificently and found a way with the bat to get over the line although I believe we’re getting better on that front.
“We lose Woakesy, it was great to have him for those two games, and he’ll be better for it. Sam Hain has had a few niggles body-wise, but he’s getting better by the game.
“I think we’ll keep getting better and individuals will continue to improve.”
Squad
Alex Davies (C & WK)Hassan AliEd BarnardChris BenjaminJacob BethellMichael BoothDanny BriggsMichael BurgessGeorge GartonRichard GleesonSam HainJake LintottCraig MilesDan MousleyTheo WylieRob Yates
Head-to-Head
It's the 42nd meeting between the Bears and Steelbacks in this competition with the Bears winning 21.
How to follow
Members and supporters can follow the match live in our Match Centre at edgbaston.com, which will include a free to watch Live Stream and a live text commentary. You can also see a ball-by-ball feed and watch highlights of all the action. Supporters can get involved by sending their match day comments and thoughts on Twitter via @WarwickshireCCC and we’ll publish the best ones on our live text commentary in the Match Centre. Supporters can also watch the Live Stream and get instant push notifications of all wickets, innings and match results via the Edgbaston app, which is free to download on iOS and Android. Match updates will also be available across the Club’s social media accounts, simply search for @WarwickshireCCC.
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