We want more than simply surviving
WARWICKSHIRE SKIPPER WITH INSIDE TRACK ON THE BEARS’ CAMPAIGN
THIS week’s home game with County Championship Division One leaders Essex was the start of a vitally important period for everyone at Warwickshire.
Of course, the first priority from the final three games is to cement our place in the top flight and we have to be aware that Notts are more than capable of ending the season strongly. We can’t take anything for granted on that front.
But we are looking for a lot more than simply guaranteeing survival.
After what has been a tough season, we desperately
want to end on a high and wins over Essex, Notts and Yorkshire would help us do exactly that and seal a mid-table finish.
I know it’s going to take a lot of good cricket to achieve that but I genuinely feel it’s in the locker for us to win these three matches.
We have gone through quite a transitional phase this year but it’s now time for all players – both senior and those who have broken into the team – to stand up and deliver performances we can all be proud of.
While not qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast was incredibly disappointing, the one positive was that it enabled us to put in some really hard yards with red-ball practice.
We had four good sessions last week, while some of the boys also had a run-out in a four-day second XI fixture and we felt very positive about our preparation going into Tuesday.
Talking of the T20 season, it was very much a case of what might have been.
There were some good performances where we won games comfortably but we were just too inconsistent to mount a sustained challenge for the top four.
We had to make a lot of changes to the team throughout the season with injuries, which didn’t help, and T20 is a huge game of confidence, which can be affected with a few results going against you.
I’ve no doubts we will be stronger for the experience but we have got to take the lessons and learn how we can improve for the same competition in 12 months’ time.
There are lots of areas we can learn
Iand it’s a case of everyone upskilling and getting to a level where we can consistently beat the very best. That’s where everyone associated with the club wants to be in all formats.
The destination of the Ashes has been decided and I don’t think anyone – if they are truly honest with themselves – can have too many complaints at Australia retaining the urn.
They have been the stronger team throughout the four Tests so far and have won the vast majority of the key moments, with the obvious exception of the third Test, which Ben Stokes virtually won on his own.
Australia’s bowling attack has been extremely impressive and, in Steve Smith, they have had a batsman who has been a class above throughout the whole series.
The great thing about cricket is that you always get a quick chance to put things right and England have that at The Oval this week. Although they can’t win the Ashes, still see it as a big game for both
teams and I’d like to see England go out and play sensibly, but positively, and try to end the series on level terms.
Selco Builders Warehouse is the proud main sponsor of Birmingham Bears in the 2019 Vitality Blast and a partner of Warwickshire County Cricket Club. Selco is the UK’s fastest-growing builders merchant with 66 branches across the UK, including Perry Barr, Stirchley, Tyburn, Tyseley, Solihull, Coventry, Dudley and Wolverhampton. With hundreds of trade brands always in stock and open for seven days and more than 80 hours a week, Selco’s branches are firmly focused on helping local tradespeople complete their jobs as quickly and effectively as possible. Selco also has a strong digital presence, including Click ‘N’ Deliver, a 30-minute Click & Collect service and a free Project List app, which allows tradespeople to plan, manage and quote for all jobs – as well as complete purchases - through their smartphone. For more details, please visit www.selcobw.com.
Tickets for all this season’s Blast games at Edgbaston – which will also host Finals Day once again – are available online at www. birmingham-bears.com