Preview: Warwickshire vs Kent, Metro Bank One Day Cup

Warwickshire face Kent at Rugby School in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup tomorrow, aiming to keep the momentum building after Sunday’s solid win over Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

joshstacey

2025-08-12T16:30:00.000Z

Warwickshire face Kent at Rugby School in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup tomorrow, aiming to keep the momentum building after Sunday’s solid win over Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

A classy century from Alex Davies and an equally impressive five-for by Tazeem Ali lifted the Bears to a 62-run victory over the Steelbacks in the opening instalment of the Rugby Cricket Festival.

An excellent crowd enjoyed an entertaining game, importantly concluding in a Bears win, in the lovely setting. Captain Ed Barnard wants more of the same tomorrow against a Kent side already under pressure in the tournament, having started with defeats to Sussex and Durham.

“It was a really good performance on Sunday,” Barnard said. “Davo played one of the best knocks I’ve seen in 50-over cricket and got us to a really good score, along with important contributions from Kai Smith, Jake Lintott and then Michael Booth at the end, hitting a couple over the rope to get us to a really competitive total.

“Then all the bowlers bowled well, led by Taz, who was outstanding. For him to get his first five-for for the club was great to see. For a leg-spinner, his control was brilliant - I have no qualms bowling him at any point in an innings. He is a superb bowler with a big future ahead for the Bears.

“Now, as a team, we want to build on that win with something similar against Kent, and we are all looking forward to another game at Rugby.”

Kent will arrive in the summer’s latest heatwave - a far cry from August 2014 when they were due to be the Bears’ first ever opponents at Rugby School, only for the match to be washed out by the remnants of Hurricane Bertha. This time round, the marquees will be gleaming in the sun as Barnard’s side, which will be selected from an unchanged squad, strives to complete back-to-back wins.

“It is such a lovely setting in the sunshine,” he said. “It was a really nice atmosphere on Sunday with a good crowd, and it was great to hear a few ‘You Bears’ rising from the seats - that’s always nice to hear! We’ll be aiming for the same again tomorrow to get another four points in the bank and keep the momentum building.”

Barnard himself will be leading from the front as he closes in on personal milestones with both bat and ball. He requires ten runs to reach 2,000 career List A runs and three wickets to reach 100 career List A wickets – what price on him achieving both against Kent tomorrow?