Lions pair to boost Warwicks' title hopes

By Paul Bolton, County News Correspondent

Warwickshire will be boosted by the return of England Lions pair Chris Woakes and Varun Chopra for their LV= County Championship match against Middlesex at Edgbaston tomorrow.

Woakes missed the victory over Worcestershire in Warwickshire’s last Championship outing two weeks ago and also the Clydesdale Bank 40 defeats by Kent and Sussex last week.

Chopra missed the two CB40 matches while he was making his England Lions debut against Australia A in a rain-ruined contest at Edgbaston.

Warwickshire have also included former England slow left-armer Ian Blackwell in their squad for a probable Championship debut for them. Blackwell, 34, has been signed on loan from Durham for the rest of the season to cover while off spinner Jeetan Patel is away on Test duty with New Zealand in India.

Blackwell, who  made his Warwickshire debut in Sunday’s CB40 win over the Unicorns at Wormsley, has not made a County Championship appearance in almost three months.

Warwickshire’s position at the top of the table was strengthened even though they were not in Championship action last week as Nottinghamshire were beaten by Durham at Trent Bridge.

Sussex, who have won four of their last six games, have emerged as fresh challengers to Warwickshire whose home and away matches with Nottinghamshire are still likely to be the title deciders.


Date: 20/08/2012 14:24:50 by Paul Bolton
In: Warwickshire | Today |