Big Nath is confidence booster for Will to go on attack
AUSTRALIAN paceman Nathan Mcandrew will make his home debut when Warwickshire face Northamptonshire at Edgbaston in the LV= Insurance County Championship today.
A solid draw against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford last week righted the Bears’ ship after the surprise heavy defeat at Somerset and left Will Rhodes’ side sixth in Division One with a game in hand on three of the five teams above them.
A highlight of the match in Manchester was Mcandrew’s first wickets for the Bears. His four-wicket burst applied a crucial brake to Lancashire’s innings and prevented them piling up a decisive first-innings lead.
In only his second game for Warwickshire, it was a timely sign that Mcandrew is settling into English conditions – and especially welcome in light of the continued absence of injured England pair Chris Woakes and Olly Stone.
It was hoped Woakes would return for the Somerset game two weeks ago, but a niggling knee problem continues to keep him out. Stone has played some Second XI cricket but principally as a batsman and is some way off a first-team return.
With Mcandrew starting to fire, however, and Liam Norwell back in the squad after his concussion injury, Rhodes has confidence in the attack at his disposal.
“It was great to see big Nath bowl so well at Old Trafford,’’ said the captain. “In his first game at Taunton, there was some jet-lag and a few nerves around and he also had no luck at all, but he really showed what he can do against Lancashire. He bowled with pace and aggression and really helped drag us back in the game. “It’s great to have Liam Norwell back in the squad too, fully over his concussion and with plenty of Second XI overs under his belt from the last week. Nath, Olly Hannon-dalby
and Craig Miles all put in serious shifts at Old Trafford so if any of them does make way against Northants it will be for a well-deserved rest. “Overall it was a good performance against Lancashire. It is a tough place to go and not many teams leave there with much, so to come away with 13 points from a draw was very pleasing.”
The Bears now face a Northamptonshire
side perceived as one of the less strong in Division One but who have acquitted themselves well so far this season. They sit one place and ten points below the Bears.
“They are a very useful team,” said Rhodes. “They have had a couple of good draws away to difficult sides and have a lot of good players who maybe tend to pass a little bit under the radar. Luke Procter is having a fantastic season and Ben Sanderson is one of the best seamers on the county circuit. We know we will have to play well but we know Edgbaston well and have a gameplan which has worked well for us.”
Nath showed what he can do against Lancashire. He bowled with aggression and helped drag us back in the game.
Will Rhodes