When you realize that Dan Mousley has played more representative cricket than Sam Hain, you really do wonder what the England selectors have been smoking for the last few years.

With only one more CC game before late August we're not in a position to do much experimenting. Bringing one of the kids in for one game is a hiding to nothing. Smith to open and Davies down the order at the expense of Malik sounds ok but we shouldn't do much more.
Use the One Day Cup to give Shaikh and Vansh a run in the side then see if they're ready for the rest of the CC.

In my time watching the Bears we've had some truly great batsmen and some truly great bowlers. With all due respect to Tim Ambrose and Deryck Murray, I don't think we've had a truly great wicket-keeper. Piper was perhaps the closest we've come and the fact that he was so highly rated by those with whom he played speaks volumes. Sad for him to go so young.

The England management said they would learn from the Ashes debacle but do we think they have? There's a new opener (good) but then signs of the same mistakes coming through. A number 3 (Bethell) who arrives with no red ball preparation; a wicket-keeper who isn't a wicket-keeper; a spinner who remains inexperienced and can't get a contract with a Division 1 County; and a seam attack that is a little same-y and has two players (Robinson, Stokes) whose fitness is wobbly.
The first Test looks like it will be rain affected so we may not learn a lot. If Bethell's talent can overcome the lack of practice and they can stop Harry Brook throwing his wicket away, we may get away with it. Still, it looks rather like more of the same and hope for the best.

I'd take Bohannon like a shot if he were available, although he's not much of a white ball player. Banton, on the other hand, has never really nailed red ball cricket at Somerset. He's a powerful limited overs guy but is that enough, especially given the other franchise opportunities he will get.
I get the feeling that we have quite a few youngsters who aren't quite living up to their promise. If we could fix that, looking elsewhere would be less of an issue.

Sad news but, as they say, he did "have a good innings".
He was captain of Warwickshire when I first started watching and for a good few years later. He scored masses of county runs and pretty much invented the forward short leg position. I even saw him bowl!
An international in both cricket and rugby, I don't think there's been one since.
Undoubtedly one for the Warwickshire Pantheon.

Last year, his IPL stint cost him a year's Test cricket. This year, the correct decision would be to pick Jamie Smith at 3 and James Rew at 7. Toss a coin as to who keeps wicket.
Jacob will be lucky to keep his Test place.

It's going well isn't it? Yes, the squad has weaknesses (batting lacks solidity, bowling lacks variety) but we knew that before the season started. Given what we've got, we're performing better than par.
For the rest of the season, I'd like us to rotate in some of the youngsters from the 2nds rather than hunt for another overseas (although I wouldn't object if the Aussie spinner with the unspellable name wanted to come back). We should have enough for a strong top half finish which would please me greatly.
Well done lads!

That seems like a very good choice.

Reported today that Key and McCullum are to remain in post.
What was Einstein's definition of insanity again?

He was always a skilful bowler but never great pace. I don't suppose he will have got any quicker since leaving us, so it's difficult to see him being first choice if everyone is fit. Handy as a reserve, though.
One of his main contributions for us was to generate footmarks for Jeetan Patel to aim at. I wonder if Rob Yates could make as good use of them.

Perhaps we will see a Warwickshire player score a Test hundred at Edgbaston.

With the number of new signings plus uncertainty about who might be playing franchise or international cricket, I'm a bit confused as to exactly who constitutes our squad for 2026. Even so, you probably don't need to look beyond Sam Hain for leading run scorer and Chris Woakes (if he stays fit) should have some fun against County level batsmen on early season pitches.
We'll have enough to stay well clear of relegation (if there is any) but we're not Champion material. 4th or 5th maybe?

I remember him well & that's a very decent tribute from the club. 104 wickets in a season, eh?

Continuing to recycle this thread: here's to a happy and successful 2026 for the Bears.

Whilst there's no such thing as a weak Australia team, the present group are a long way short of some Aussie XIs we've seen. Yet they have played England off the park. I don't think there is a lack of talent in England, it comes down to poor selections and bad tactics. That must be the fault of management and there must be some accountability.
It would be nice to see the entire ECB sacked but that ain't going to happen. McCullum must go - his approach has produced some entertaining and exciting games but the win-loss ratio is nowhere near what a major Test playing nation should want. So too, sadly, must Stokes. He's been a giant for English cricket and replacing him as captain and all-rounder poses a problem, but he is so personally identified with Bazball that it is impossible to see him fitting in with another regime.
2026 is a relatively light year for English Test cricket so it can be used as a recovery/development year. Get a new coach in quick then work with him to shape out what team you want in 2027. There's the talent there if you use it properly.

Not a great surprise. It's unlikely he would have got much playing time next season. Still, a classy statement with which to sign off and I hope we can make the most of his vast experience in his new coaching role. Good luck to him.

They give with one hand then they take with another. It's good to see Warwickshire back in the team's title but I note that the home Blast fixtures are listed on the BBC website as being played at EdgBLASTon (sic). I don't know whose idea this was.
Maybe this appeals to the younger folk but I'd be much happier if they just listed the fixtures simply without trying to be clever.

I don't mind finding another word for it but I still think it is valid to question whether a short-term import with no real "investment" in the club is as effective as one might like to think. If we can get a galactico like Maxwell or McCullum then I get it, but Sams? Good, yes but stellar, no.

On the plus side, Sams is a strong player and I'm not going to criticise the club for showing ambition.
On the minus side, I'd have to ask (again) how much we can expect from a mercenary who is probably going to bowl no more than about 40 overs for us before disappearing never to return. Would he even be contracted for the knock-out stages or would he be off to another franchise tournament? We've recruited rather a lot of seam bowlers to the permanent squad now and I might think that we would be better advised to spend management and coaching time - not to mention money - on them.
If he's being targetted as part of a considered strategy, fine. If it's just a case of "here's a player, let's have him" then, no.