Team for the 3 day Friendly at Portland Road, starting today:-

Isaac Mohammed
Malik
Gekis
Jani
Wylie
Lintott
Briggs
Miles (Captain)
Simmons
Dandy (Keeper)
Blakemore
Sylvester

Yorkshire won the toss and chose to bowl.

Team:-
Isaac Mohammed
Malik
Shaikh (also playing for the 1st's !)
Gekis
Wylie
Lintott (Captain)
Miles
Tazeen Ali
Dandy (Keeper)
Blakemore
Mahmood

Lintott has 'burning desire' to play red-ball cricket - https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/cj3ed01n605o

Great interview on BBC Cricket. Talking about his history, his record and his desire to play red ball cricket. I had a feeling he'd supplant Briggs as our first choice spinner in the CC this season and this interview probably has been done to justify that.

Good on him, he deserves it. For his perseverance, as much as his skills.

https://edgbaston.com/fixtures/first-xi/warwickshire-v-yorkshire-friendly-15-march/

First match on tour.

https://edgbaston.com/news/bears-hunt-for-next-generation-of-seam-bowlers/

An Academy player, making a step towards the first team. Played a couple of times for the Seconds.

Again, interesting that no comment from Robinson - Stuart Barnes did the chat.

https://edgbaston.com/news/new-zealand-test-captain-latham-signs-for-warwickshire/

As KoS predicted - a major Overseas signing. NZ Captain - I guess Larsen was instrumental in getting him.

2 match loan from Leicestershire, to cover injuries (Booths & Simmons) and departures (Rae). Apparently, you can only take loans from a different Division and players who have played less than 2 CC matches

https://www.leicestershireccc.co.uk/news/walker-joins-warwickshire-on-loan-until-end-of-season

https://www.leicestershireccc.co.uk/player-single/roman

Team:-
Malik
Isaac Mohammed
Benjamin (Capt)
Kai Smith (Keeper)
Levi Gekis (Academy & Staffs all rounder)
Wylie
Miles
Booth
Arjuna Rao
Taz Ali
Francis Moore
Ben Blakemore (Academy & Staffs seam bowler)

Somerset won the toss and put us in.

Same team:-
Yates
Barnard
Rhodes
Shaikh
Burgess
Smith
Benjamin
Lintott
Booth
Ali
OHD

Yorkies won the toss and put us in.

A few interesting additions to the team at Nottingham today:

Tom Hinley - a left arm spinner who had one CC appearance for Sussex (and came through the Development squads at Hove)
Hishaam Khan - a left arm seamer who's has played for Leicestershire & Kent Seconds, but most recently has been a regular in the Staffs MC team
Most interestingly, Liam Guthrie - a 27 year old Aussie, left arm fast bowler, who has many First Class & One Day appearances for Western Australia (and came through their Development squads), Tasmania & Hobart and this (Aussie) summer, for Queensland & Brisbane.

Just one change from the Sussex game - Theo Wylie in for Sam Hain. 2 left arm seamers again - Toole & Sutton. Garlick in as a bowler.

They've actually made a start this morning (at both grounds) ! Seconds team:-

Hamza Shaikh
Amir Khan
Chris Benjamin (Keeper - one of 3 in the team !)
Nikhil Gorantla (RB - played a few 2nds games for us last year, from Essex 2nds & Cambridgeshire)
Kai Smith
Theo Wylie
George Maddy
Jake Lintott (Captain)
Che Simmons
Jacob Garlick (RB, RM - from the Academy)
Tom Davis (RB, RM - from Kent 2nds)
Matt Burton (LB, RM - from Worcester, Hampshire 2nds & Wiltshire)

Essex won the toss, choes to bat and are currently 69 for 3 (a wicket apiece for Burton, Simmons and Davis - all clean bowled)

https://edgbaston.com/fixtures/first-xi/warwickshire-v-yorkshire-friendly-21-march/#match-match-reports

https://edgbaston.com/fixtures/first-xi/warwickshire-v-yorkshire-friendly-20-march/#match-match-reports

Match reports of the 2 x 90 over red ball game with Yorkshire in Abu Dhabi.

We (sort of) lost, but some good performances - batting yesterday particularly - but OHD and Norwell bowling well today.

https://edgbaston.com/news/warwickshire-confirm-pre-season-match-schedule/

Middle East Tour schedule and other pre-season games.

https://edgbaston.com/news/bears-prepare-for-campaign-in-middle-east/

21 man squad - all you'd expect, with Hassan Ali & Dan Mousley in the PSL and Moeen Ali & Chris W training at Edgbaston.

https://www.thenational.scot/sport/24154457.andy-umeed-back-scotland-rediscovering-love-cricket/

Great article on Andy's 'comeback',, with Somerset and now with Scotland. Obviously, he's no longer the player we released.

https://edgbaston.com/news/hain-ready-to-embrace-hobart-opportunity/

Sam is joining Hobart in the T20.

https://edgbaston.com/news/simon-kerrigan-joins-warwickshires-pathway-coaching-team/

Kerrigan is the new High Performance (Academy) Coach - and will also work as the First team Spin bowling Coach.

No huge surprise as regards a contract with us, but Michael Booth has signed for 3 years:-

https://edgbaston.com/news/booth-buzzing-to-be-a-bear-after-signing-first-pro-deal/

He has been playing a fair bit this year - for the Seconds and in the 50 over team - and done OK (probably no more than that at the moment).

Kai has signed a 2 year contract. Great news - he is a big prospect:-

https://edgbaston.com/news/teen-prospect-kai-smith-signs-bears-contract/