Sport Bears aiming to make hay while the sun shines
FIRST-TEAM coach Jim Troughton wants Warwickshire to build on their “good, hard-earned win” over Northamptonshire by delivering more of the same against Derbyshire at Edgbaston today.
The Bears return to Specsavers County Championship action fresh from an innings-and-48-run win at Northampton, which sprung them to the top of Division Two. Their position at the summit was then fortified when last week’s round of matches, which they sat out, was sentenced to draws by rain.
Warwickshire resume with a fixture which itself has a recent history of serious weather damage. This will be Derbyshire’s fourth championship visit to Edgbaston this century and the three previous ones were all rain-ravaged draws.
But the Bears have fingers crossed for some sunshine as they set about striving to build upon their excellent performance at Wantage Road.
“That was a good, hard-earned win earned by disciplined cricket and hard work,” said Troughton. “Now we have to back that up.
“It was lucky for us that the last round was rain-affected so teams were denied the chance to win games.
“Over a long season everyone will have their good and bad luck.
“You have just got to take advantage when Lady Luck, or Mother Nature in this case, looks favourably on you.
“Derbyshire will be tough opposition. They started the season with a great win over Middlesex and though their game at Leicester was ruined by rain, they will come to us in confident mood.
“So we have got to hit them hard and play the same sort of cricket that earned the win at Northampton.
“That was a really good effort. You have to play very well to win a fourday game in three days and to do that always lifts everybody. But it was just one win – now we have to go again.”
Troughton and captain Jeetan Patel could have some interesting selection issues to face with Ryan Sidebottom and Henry Brookes both taking starring roles at Northampton after replacing the injured Olly Stone and Keith Barker, both of whom could be fit to face Derbyshire.
“We will see how Olly and Barks are close to the game,” Troughton said. “It is a long season so what we won’t do is put them under any pressure to come back too soon.
“Ryan and Henry came in and did a fantastic job with bat and ball so that does take the pressure off a little bit. What those two guys need to do, if selected, is to use the confidence from last week but remember what got them success – delivering their strengths consistently.”