Warwickshire, like Essex, had an excellent season in 2002. Winning one trophy (vertue of beating us in the B&H Cup final!), finishing runners-up in the Championship and third in the Norwich Union League. They want to build on that success this season.

They have a capable squad to do that, although winning the Championship is probably beyond them.

Perhaps because they look a little light in batting and bowling compared to the likes of Surrey, Kent and even Lancashire.

They do however have three young stars to watch. Mark Wagh, Ian Bell and Jim Troughton are all high quality players and the latter two are tip for real big things with England.

Wagh himself started off the season with a bang, with 73 vs Notts at Trent Bridge. Bell and Troughton didn't score many in that match, but the class will tell and they will pose a problem to us, as they did at Lord's last season.

With Dom Ostler, Dougie Brown and Ashley Giles coming in at 6,7,8 the batting although looks strong, has a tendancy to collapse.

The bowling is just four men; the pacmen of Alan Richardson (4-85 vs Notts), Melvyn Betts (4-49 vs Notts), Michael Clark and Dougie Brown (3-61 in opener) and England spinner Ashley Giles (94 with the bat at Trent Bridge).

Michael Clark is the bears overseas replacement for Shane Bond for a few weeks, but the Aussie is injured for this match with a groin strain and would suggest that the bowling will lack bite and variety.

They will rely on former Essex man Nick Knight, Bell, Troughton, Ostler, Brown and Giles to get them going this season, after losing the opener at Trent Bridge, in a thriller which they lost to Nottinghamshire by just 3 wickets.

Club captain Michael Powell is a long term injury problem, so Ashley Giles is taking over the reigns in Powell's absense. Surprisingly, it wasn't club vice-captain Dougie Brown who got the job.

Ashley Giles won the toss and decided to bat. His team only made 222 in their 1st innings and when Notts scored 349 and took a lead 127 it didn't look good for Giles's men. Especially when second time around they slipped to 170-6, but Giles himself lead a recovery with 94 and with the tail took the score to 390 and set the hosts a testing 264 to win. At 209-3 it seemed an easy Notts win, but Melvyn Betts took 4 wickets for next to nothing and Notts were suddenly 219-7. However, Read and Franks saw the outlaws to the win by 3 wickets and Warwicks took only 3.25 points, having been deducted 0.25 for slow over rate.

We had the better of the draw with Middlesex at Chelmsford and the batters look in good form. The bowling, although lacks bite also, toiled hard with not nuch reward and with Midders and Larry in the side, they could be vital if the match goes the distance.

The last time we met in a Championship match was at Chelmsford in 2000, when, of course, we won to win promotion, by chasing 201 in 56 overs and winning by 6 wickets thanks to Ronnie and Stephen Peters. Since then, we've been kept apart by the divisions.

A tight match in prospect and for us, looking to build on the draw against Middlesex. We have won 3 of our last 5 meetings in the Championship, so let's hope the weather won't play a part.

The only injury worry is Andrew McGarry, who picked up a side strain on the last day vs Middlesex and walked off the field after bowling 3 balls into his 17th over. This means Graham Napier will take McGarry's place, although John Stephenson has been named in a 12 man squad. So the squad (predicted XI first):

D.D.J. Robinson, W.I. Jefferson, A.P. Grayson, A. Flower, A. Habib, *R.C. Irani, + J.S. Foster, J.M. Dakin, J.D. Middlebrook, G.R. Napier, S.A. Brant....J.P. Stephenson.

Michael Clark is out for up to 10 days after picking up a groin strain on the last day vs Notts, so won't play. Graham Wagg is probably the favourite to take his place, or Neil Smith if they fancy another spinner. Long term injury is club captain Michael Powell, who is out for several weeks after breaking his foot in the nets on the eve of the season. Apart from that, the same team as vs Notts. Predicted XI:

N.V. Knight, + T. Frost, M.A. Wagh, I.R. Bell, J.O. Troughton, D.P. Ostler, D.R. Brown, * A.F. Giles, M.M. Betts, G.G. Wagg & A. Richardson

It's a close one to call this game. Batting should dominate, but depending on how the pitch plays and with the forecast for the last two days, I think a draw.

What are your views?! Put your views on the message board or e-mail me, links below:

Date: 22/4/03

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