Alex Davies steps down as Warwickshire captain

Alex Davies has stepped down as Warwickshire's club captain, with Ed Barnard taking over the role across all formats. Davies, 31, was appointed to the role ahead of the 2024 season, and topped the County Championship batting averages in his first season in charge, scoring 1,115 runs at 50.68, with four hundreds. Warwickshire finished seventh and fifth in Division One of the Championship under his direction. They also won the North Group of the Vitality Blast twice, but they couldn't get past the quarterfinals. "Captaining the Bears has been undoubtedly the proudest few years of my career to date," Davies said. "To be part of moulding and building a squad capable of winning trophies has been a real privilege. "In order for that to happen, I believe I need to be firing on all cylinders with the bat and gloves which is why I'll be stepping down from the captaincy duties ahead of the 2026 season." Barnard, who came from Worcestershire in 2023, is currently captaining the One-Day team. For the past two seasons, he has served as Davies' replacement in the Championship and Blast. Davies stated, "I couldn't be passing the Bears on to a better person in Ed." "When asking him to be my vice-captain two years ago it was clear to me that one day he was going to be a great captain, and it's his time now. I look forward to being there for him every step of the way should he ever need. "I'd like to say thanks to all the players and staff for their unwavering support throughout my tenure, and look forward to still giving my all to the bear moving forward." Barnard, 30, was named captain of the PCA Men's Team of the Year 2025 after securing 29 wickets and scoring a career-high 922 Championship runs. "I'm very proud and honoured to be offered the chance to captain Warwickshire," Barnard said. "It's humbling to be added to the list of great cricketers and people, and I'm very aware of following in their footsteps. I've really enjoyed working under Davo and hope to continue the progress the group has made over recent seasons. Ian Westwood, Bears' Head Coach, said: "I'd firstly like to thank Davo for his commitment to the Captaincy role over the last couple of years. He has devoted his entire being to leading the group. We will benefit from his experience and ability to lead the team, even if he doesn't stay in the position. "Barney is a natural successor and we are delighted he's accepted the offer to become our next captain. He already has captaincy experience from leading the boys in 50-over cricket and is perfectly placed to take on the mantle in the County Championship and Vitality Blast. "He is not the loudest in the dressing room but has the enviable quality of demanding respect through the way he conducts himself and offers his opinions in the right way. With Barney in charge, we're ready to go with a group that has gained confidence from the preseason tour to South Africa.