Ethan Bamber is gearing up for his first Bears v Pears derby – and he hopes the game at New Road will reach the highs of his last visit to Worcestershire.
Bamber – Warwickshire’s top wicket taker this season with 22 – was part of the Middlesex side that won promotion from Division Two at New Road on the last day of the 2022 season.
And it ended with players from both sides on the balcony watching the drama unfold 30 miles down the road at Edgbaston as Liam Norwell delivered his nine-fer heroics.
“It was a mad game, great memories,” said Bamber. “I ended up watching the Bears game alongside Ed Barnard. It was his last game for Worcestershire before his move to Edgbaston so he was very invested.
“That was my only First Class game to date there so I’m really looking forward to returning with the Bears. It’s my first derby game for the Club so there’s a bit extra on it. New Road is a tight ground, you’re close to the fans, so we might get some banter. I enjoy it; it’s good to play in front of passionate support.
“Traditionally it’s been a seamer friendly wicket some hopefully there will be something in it for me. But I think there have been some less predictable wickets this year, teams not knowing what to expect, so it could be interesting.
“We’ll have to adapt to what we find. We’ve played on a number of different wickets this year and I think we’ve got better at reacting quicker to what’s in front of us and what’s needed on what surface.
“We’re in a good spot. A positive result makes that first block of Championship games look very solid, three wins and three draws from seven. We all want to end this block of games on a positive note.”
Bamber had already snared 191 First Class wickets before arriving at Edgbaston so Warwickshire knew they were signing a bowler of proven red ball pedigree.
But the 26-year-old has also showed steely determination with the bat, contributed valuable runs, and swatted more sixes (five) than any other Bear so far this term!
“I’m pleased I’ve been able to contribute; I’m enjoying myself. I love playing, and hopefully that comes across to our fans. The lads have been supportive, Westy and Barnesy, giving me an opportunity to express myself on the field.
“There were a couple of innings (Surrey and Hampshire) when I felt I bowled well but didn’t get anything. That’s the nature of bowling but you have to trust what you’re doing and keep the process simple.
“One thing I’ve not been great at in the past is, if it’s not gone well in the wickets column, I’ve gone searching. That often ends with you going for more runs and making the task harder for yourself. But if you keep doing the right things with the ball, rewards will come and things can change quickly.
“I’ve always felt I’ve not done myself justice with the bat. But the coaches here have supported me and challenged me to take it on. To take my batting more seriously. knowing I can achieve something personally and for the team.
“It was different batting at eight this week. But the more time I spend out there, the better my decision making, not giving away weak dismissals, and throwing in some counter punches every so often…to the short side!”
Bamber has faced Worcestershire on three occasions in the County Championship, taking 12 wickets and with a best of 4/28 in September 2021 when took seven wickets in the game.
How to follow
Members and supporters can follow the match live in our Match Centre at edgbaston.com, which will include a free-to-watch stream and a live text commentary. You can also see a ball-by-ball feed and watch highlights of all the action. Supporters can get involved by sending their match-day comments and thoughts on X via @WarwickshireCCC and we’ll publish the best ones on our live text commentary in the Match Centre. Supporters can also watch the Live Stream and get instant push notifications of all wickets, innings and match results via the Edgbaston app, which is free to download on iOS and Android. Match updates will also be available across the Club’s social media accounts, simply search for @WarwickshireCCC.
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