Woakes and Bamber ready for Leicestershire test

Chris Woakes and Ethan Bamber have been speaking to talkSPORT ahead of Warwickshire’s highly anticipated Rothesay County Championship clash with Leicestershire at Edgbaston Stadium this week.

2026-09-23T14:00+01:00

The duo have both played key roles in four-day cricket for the Bears this term with Warwickshire 11 points above Somerset at the top of the Division One table going into the final game of the season. They are one positive result away from a first title in five years and a ninth in the Club’s history.

Day one gets under way at 10:30am on Thursday 24 September with the playing XI set to be announced at the toss. Free tickets are available for day one, with tickets for days two, three and four priced at just £15 with U16s free of charge.

Woakes, who has represented England on 217 occasions across formats during a glittering international career, was part of the Warwickshire team’s that won Division One in 2012 and 2021.

“It’s a big week for us and a big week for the Club,” Woakes said, speaking to Gabby Agbonlahor and Alan Brazil on talkSPORT. “We’ve had a great year and to be in this position going into the last game of the season is really nice.

“An opportunity to win silverware is where you want to be. It’s a big week and we’ll be playing to win, that’s for sure.

“We’ve got a great set of lads here and a great team, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. It’d just be nice to finish it off with a trophy.

“This Club is heaped in tradition with silverware, so hopefully we can add to that.”

While Woakes has been involved in the last two Warwickshire successes in the competition, Bamber is targeting a first trophy of his career.

The right-arm opening bowler has enjoyed a sensational season, taking career-best figures of six for 26 in last week’s win over Essex, while picking up a career-best total of 60 wickets so far this campaign.

“I’ve never won anything,” Bamber said. “I’ve never been close to winning anything, so I couldn’t tell you what it would feel like if we are able to get over the line, but I think it would be a really proud moment.

“It’s what you play for. The time, the effort that goes into it and the different situations you have to navigate.

“The fact that a day in April can affect what happens at the end of the year. I feel like it would be a really special thing to reflect on, just the body of work that it takes.

“I feel really grateful to be here and very privileged to play for this team with the lads that I do, and I think it would be a really special moment.”