According to Will Rhodes, Danny Briggs is fit again. He developed a neck problem on the way up to Headingley - one of the more bizarre injuries in an injury-full season for the Bears.
Chris Woakes is available, though Will Rhodes says that the Club had to lean heavily on the ECB to let him play.

Cannot see why they won't let him play because if he decided to take up his IPL contract, he would be playing and doing lots of travelling anyway.

Just seen a headline on the Cricinfo News page and it is official, CHRIS WOAKES IS PLAYING V SOMERSET. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!

14 man squad:-

Rhodes, Benjamin, Bethell, Bresnan, Briggs, Burgess, Hain, Holder, Lamb, Miles, Norwell, Sibley, Woakes & Yates

So Briggs is back in. Which 3 will miss out - I would say Holder is a cert again and Briggs will come in for Jacob from the Headingley team, but the other one - Yates once more ?

Lamb or Benjamin could also miss out.

With nothing to play for, Somerset might have played a weakened team but it doesn't look like it:
https://www.somersetcountycc.co.uk/news/first-xi/county-championship-preview-warwickshire-v-somerset/

Sibley
Rhodes
Yates
Hain
Lamb
Burgess
Woakes
Bresnan
Briggs
Miles
Norwell

I think that makes the most sense and would be what I would go for. Will they be tempted by Benjamin over Bresnan? That's the only tweak I could consider ...

Andy wrote:

Sibley
Rhodes
Yates
Hain
Lamb
Burgess
Woakes
Bresnan
Briggs
Miles
Norwell

Should be plenty of bowling options especially if Yates plays as well but we must get a decent score to try and catch up with Hampshire's lead. I'm hoping for a low scoring game at Liverpool but if someone wins there, we have to win and get some good batting points. We have to match Lancs and hope they win but I have confidence that we will win also. I've a feeling that all games will produce a result and the weather looks dry for all 4 days.

From what Will Rhodes was saying today, I can't see Bresnan missing out - but you never know.

paulbear wrote:

Cannot see why they won't let him play because if he decided to take up his IPL contract, he would be playing and doing lots of travelling anyway.

It's never wise to apply logic when trying to understand what the ECB are doing. From what I understand, Chris was originally only going to be allowed to play in one of the two last games but the pressure was put on by the club to allow him to play in both.
From that, I would guess if the Bears finish in the top two and get to play in the Bob Willis Trophy final next week at Lord's Chris Woakes will miss out, which will be a shame.

I would sooner be champions rather than win a trophy which seems a bit unnecessary to me. Champion county is the ultimate prize and if you consider that Essex won it last year on a first innings lead, it shows that winning it is not that important.

Is there any extra prize money for winning the Bob Willis Trophy?

I’d like to assume so.
If there’s not, I’m sure Tom Harrison will donate some of his bonus.

Andy wrote:

Sibley
Rhodes
Yates
Hain
Lamb
Burgess
Woakes
Bresnan
Briggs
Miles
Norwell

That’s the team for me. I’ll be stunned if it’s not the choice of the coaching staff. Off to get supplies from Waitrose soon, then onward to the pleasure dome! Sooo nervous!

Here's my preview of the match:
https://deepextracover.com/2021/09/lvcc-match-preview-warwickshire-v-somerset/

Lost the toss, not a great start!

Live Scores etc
https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m640a0d0c-167b-47e0-b8fc-6089ceed8bdd

Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYrCSIQY1LM

Team:-

Sibley, Yates, Hain, Rhodes, Lamb, Burgess, Bresnan, Woakes, Briggs, Miles & Norwell.

So Yates in for Benjamin and Briggs for Bethell (from Headingley). Probably what most of us would have gone for, given CB's recent scores ?

Exiled Bear wrote:

Lost the toss, not a great start!

Yep, winning the toss in September is pretty significant.