Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire (h): Rothesay County Championship preview

Warwickshire entertain Nottinghamshire in the Rothesay County Championship this week, in a top-of-the-table clash at Edgbaston Stadium.

2026-08-26T15:00+01:00

Before play begins at 11:00am on Thursday 27 August, here’s what you need to know…

Team news

Warwickshire have named a 15-player squad for the fixture with Notts, making two additions to the squad that won against Sussex last week with Sam Hain and Che Simmons included.

Bears squad: Ed Barnard, Alex Davies, Nathan Gilchrist, Chris Woakes, Zen Malik, Dan Mousley, Vansh Jani, Rob Yates, Olly Hannon-Dalby, Jordan Thompson, Ethan Bamber, Michael Booth, Will Young, Sam Hain, Che Simmons

Bears in title contention

What a win it was last week for Warwickshire! A thrilling one-wicket victory against Sussex kept their title hopes alive and kept them within touching distance of this week’s visitors and 2025 champions, Nottinghamshire.

In one of the great Rothesay County Championship fixtures at Edgbaston, the Bears chased down 203 on day three, doing so nine wickets down, to make sure of a sensational win.

Chris Woakes was at his best in the first innings, taking four for 36, while Michael Booth’s three for nine was crucial as Sussex were dismissed for 156. The Bears then edged in front, with runs down the order from Booth (34*) and Ethan Bamber (24) seeing the hosts take a five-run lead into the second innings.

Three wickets for Bamber (three for 42) and two apiece for Woakes, Booth and Ed Barnard helped dismiss Sussex for 207 in the second innings, setting up a nerve-jangling chase of 203.

After slipping to 42 for three in reply, Dan Mousley (58) and Vansh Jani (62) steadied the ship, but four wickets for seven runs saw the Bears go from 149 for three to 156 for seven as Sussex fought back.

Step forward Woakes, whose unbeaten 23 proved crucial, alongside contributions from Booth (16) and Bamber (9), as well as a seven-ball, unbeaten nought not out by number 11 Hannon-Dalby, saw Warwickshire pick up a crucial win.

They sit five points behind Notts who occupy top spot.

Opposition insight

The defending champions arrive at Edgbaston having picked up an impressive win of their own last time out, as they toppled Surrey by 145 runs at The Oval.

With the scores all-but even after the first innings, 95 from Joe Clarke in the second innings saw Notts set Surrey 329 for victory. Surrey’s reply never really got going with Ollie Pope, who struck an outstanding 111, the only player to go past 20 runs, as Olly Stone (four for 50) and Dillon Pennington (three for 46) did the damage for Notts.

The Outlaws have won four, drawn four and lost just once in nine games so far in this year’s competition.

Previous meeting

The two teams met in four-day cricket at the end of April, with the fixture ending in a hard-fought draw.

Warwickshire were in the ascendency for much of the fixture at Trent Bridge though, after they piled on 459 runs in the first innings. They had looked in trouble at 140 for five and then 179 for six, but an outstanding 165 from captain Ed Barnard, and vital contributions from Chris Woakes (64) and Michael Booth (70), saw the Bears to an imposing total.

Booth then took four for 71 with the ball, and Woakes three for 44 as Warwickshire dismissed Notts for 279 to lead by 180 after the first innings.

Chasing the win, the Bears enforced the follow on, but on a pitch that continued to get better for batting, Notts saw out the remainder of the game thanks to hundreds from Haseeb Hameed (115) and Kyle Verreynne (115).