Bears to line up against league’s best
THE best players in the Birmingham & District Premier League will get the chance to pit their skills against the stars of Birmingham Bears next week.
A Birmingham & District Premier League Select XI will take on the county players at Kenilworth Wardens on Monday, June 5 (5.30pm start).
As their Blast campaign gathers momentum the annual meeting between the Bears and the very best of Midlands’ cricket’s leading league promises to be a mouthwatering occasion.
Last year’s meeting went the way of the professionals by a 54-run margin thanks to a fine batting display in which Rob Yates stood out with a blistering 45-ball 86 including seven fours and six sixes.
The League side retains only four of last year’s squad with the home club’s Jamie Harrison – who in 2022 became the first batter to top 1,000 league runs in a season for many years – given an opportunity to impress Bears’ head coach Mark Robinson.
Sub-continental talent is also on display in the shape of Indian pro Swapnil Gugale and Pakistani ace Ali Zaryab while veteran seamer Andy Sutton is rewarded for a prolific 2022 campaign.
The Bears’ squad will be finalised following the T20 Blast games this weekend.
According to Robinson, the match plus the youth coaching, autograph and photo sessions which take place before it from 4pm are highly significant to Warwickshire.
“Warwickshire is a community club at heart, we never forget our roots, which is why events like this are so important,” he said.
Entry to this cashless venue is £5 by card and children under 16 are free.
Car parking is free while catering and bar options are available.
BIRMINGHAM & DISTRICT PREMIER LEAGUE:
Neil Pinner (Kidderminster, captain), James Middleton (Knowle & Dorridge, wk), Jamie Harrison (Kenilworth Wardens), Swapnil Gugale (Harborne), Ali Zaryab (Kenilworth Wardens), Basit Zaman (Worfield), Ollie Currill (Knowle & Dorridge), Ed Bragg (Halesowen), Jack Grundy (Knowle & Dorridge), Tommy Rex (Kenilworth Wardens), Andy Sutton (Barnt Green), Adam Hines (Barnt Green).