Warwickshire v Sussex (h): Rothesay County Championship preview

The Rothesay County Championship returns this week, with Warwickshire County Cricket Club entertaining Sussex at Edgbaston Stadium from Thursday 20 August.

2026-08-19T15:00+01:00

Play gets under way at 11:00am as Warwickshire look to maintain their push for a first County Championship title since 2021. Here’s what you need to know…

Team news

The Bears have named a 13-player squad for the visit of Sussex, with the playing XI set to be announced at the toss.

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

State of play

When the first ball is bowled on Thursday, it will be almost nine weeks since the Bears last played red-ball cricket. Through eight games there is little to separate the teams at the top of the Division One table, with Warwickshire currently third, just five points behind current leaders and defending champions Nottinghamshire.

Notts have 116 points, while Somerset and Warwickshire sit second and third on 111 points. It’s that tight though, that only 11 points separate the top six teams. A win or a loss either way could be costly for any team hoping to maintain their title charge.

Through eight games, the Bears have won two, lost one and have been involved in five draws.

Every team has six games left to play. Warwickshire have home fixtures against Sussex, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, and away fixtures against Hampshire, Glamorgan and Essex.

Opposition insight

Sussex are one of the teams also in the title mix, and currently six fifth in the table, only six points behind the Bears and 11 points off top spot.

With four wins from their eight fixtures so far, the Hove-based Club have as many outright wins as any other side in the division. They are also the only team to beat the Bears so far in the County Championship this season.

Previous meeting

The two teams met in the second week of the season, with Sussex winning by five wickets in a back-and-forth contest in Brighton.

Warwickshire led by 63 after the first innings after 50s from Kai Smith and Chris Woakes helped the Bears to 267 all out, before they dismissed Sussex for 204 thanks to three wickets from Ethan Bamber and two apiece for Ed Barnard and Jordan Thompson.

Rob Yates top-scored with 90 in the second innings for the Bears, as they reached 264 all out, setting the hosts 327 for victory.

Daniel Hughes struck a well-made 83 at the top of the order for Sussex, however at 176 for three, they were pegged back to 184 for five, as the Bears looked to be on top.

An unbeaten sixth wicket stand of 144 between Jake Leaning (120*) and Tom Price (70*) though, scuppered any hopes of victory, as Sussex picked up their second successive win to start the season.