Latest news with #IanWestwood
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Injured Rushworth aiming for September return
Warwickshire first-team coach Ian Westwood says veteran seamer Chris Rushworth is determined to get back fit in time for the run-in to the County Championship season in 38-year-old pulled his hamstring after bowling three overs on the first morning of the Bears' last red-ball match, against Sussex, which ended on Wednesday in a will miss Warwickshire's remaining Championship matches this month against Worcestershire at Edgbaston, starting on 22 July, and the trip to Essex which begins a week former Durham seamer, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, missed the start of the campaign with a calf injury and his latest setback came in just his second appearance of the summer."He's obviously down," Westwood told BBC Radio WM."He's gone in his hammy, which is always disappointing, but when you do it early in a game particularly right at the start in that first innings, it's a double whammy." Rushworth took 53 wickets in his first season with Warwickshire in 2023 after moving on from Durham following a wicket-record breaking 19 years., externalInjuries restricted him to only six matches last summer and his only completed appearance this season saw him take seven wickets in the rain-affected draw against the Pears at New Road in for Rushworth's chances of playing a part in the Bears final three red-ball games in September against Surrey at The Kia Oval, at home to Essex and the trip to Nottinghamshire, Westwood is staying optimistic."Rushy, to his credit, it still determined to try to get himself fit and put his name in the hat for those final three games, which might be really important," he said. Warwickshire are currently fifth in the Division One table, on 117 points, 23 points behind leaders - and defending champions - Surrey.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bears sign spinner Rocchiccioli on short-term deal
Warwickshire have signed Australian off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli to cover the next four County Championship 27-year-old has been brought in to use his experience of playing with the Kookaburra ball for the fixtures against Somerset and Sussex this month and Worcestershire and Essex in July. The Kookaburra ball is used in Australia and has a less prominent seam which usually offers less movement to the bowlers than the Dukes ball, which is normally used in switch in the ball type was introduced in the County Championship in 2023."We are very excited about welcoming Corey into our squad through June and July," Bears first-team coach Ian Westwood said., external"He is a proven performer in Sheffield Shield cricket, and with his experience of the Kookaburra ball, we know he will make an impact for us." Rocchiccioli has taken 114 wickets in 34 first-class games for his home state Western Australia, and finished the recent Sheffield Shield season as the third highest wicket-taker with 38, including a career-best 7-52 against Queensland in are the second county to bring in an overseas player on a short-term deal after Hampshire signed India white-ball batter Tilak Varma to cover the same block of four are currently fourth in Division One of the County Championship after the first seven matches, 22 points behind leaders Friday's T20 Blast derby against Worcestershire Rapids, they return to red-ball action against Somerset on Sunday, 22 June.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bears sign Yorkshire all-rounder Thompson for 2026
Warwickshire have signed Yorkshire all-rounder Jordan Thompson on a three-year contract to begin in the 2026 Leeds-born 28-year-old has played for the White Rose throughout his whole career to date and has taken 185 wickets in first-class cricket, at an average of 27, and 120 in 116 T20 who also has 10 first-class fifties, has agreed a multi-format deal with the Bears through to the end of the 2028 director James Thomas said Thompson was "a great fit" for the club's "ambition to build a modern, adaptable squad that's capable of challenging for success in all formats".Thompson will officially make the move to Edgbaston on 1 November. He said the decision to leave Headingley was "really tough" but Warwickshire's "clear vision" and "the opportunity to play alongside a number of familiar faces" made the move "truly exciting".Thompson has just returned from a side strain but took 15 wickets and scored 178 runs in five County Championship matches before getting injured. "Jordan is a three-dimensional, multi-format player who will be a great addition to our squad both on and off the field. He's a quality performer who I believe still has his best days in front of him," Bears first-team coach Ian Westwood said., external"He's known for his competitiveness and thrives on being involved in big moments on the field. We can't wait to welcome him to the Bears."Thompson's signing comes two days after Warwickshire announced spinner Danny Briggs would be re-joining Sussex from next season.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bears need experienced players back
Birmingham Bears first-team coach Ian Westwood has said having their more experienced players available in the coming days will help support some of the squad who are "learning on the job" in the early stages of the T20 Bears have lost both their opening group games in this year's competition - at Nottinghamshire by seven wickets, and at home to Durham by three all-rounder Beau Webster's involvement in the Blast ended by his call up by Australia and Pakistan seamer Hasan Ali's arrival delayed by his international commitments, the Bears opted not to bring in any short-term did sign trialist fast bowler Adam Sylvester until the end of the season, but he has struggled so far, returning figures of 0-50 from three overs against the Outlaws, with his only over against Durham going for 21."It's been a bit of a baptism for him, in terms of his figures," Westwood told BBC Radio WM."He hasn't had much luck and I think when you get someone who is inexperienced I think the opposition target that, which I think's happened."We've got a couple of guys trying to learn on the job which is never ideal in pressure games, which all these group games are." Sylvester, 25, earned his deal after several impressive T20 performances for the Bears' second XI and Westwood says the former Derbyshire quick has been a bit unlucky."It's fine margins - he's had a few nicked over slips and keeper and he's got a few wrong himself so it's fine lines," he said."He's learning on the job but he'll keep trying his heart out." Westwood also said they are yet to work out "the right role" for another of their fast bowlers, George former Sussex left-armer's two overs against Nottinghamshire cost 36 runs and he did not bowl against DurhamWestwood said that was down to the player carrying a slight hamstring issue."He was there if needed in the middle overs but we wanted him in there for his fielding - he's a good all-round package so we need to make sure we get him in the best place possible."We're going to try to see how best to use George. He's got so much quality with ball, bat and in the field, it's just finding the right role for him." The Bears are back in action on Friday against Yorkshire at Edgbaston (19:00 BST) and could have seamer Richard Gleeson available following his stint in the Indian Premier Ali arrives back in Birmingham on Friday, while Westwood is hoping all-rounder Dan Mousley might be made available by England Lions, having hit a century in their drawn first unofficial 'Test' against India A."We've got guys slowly coming back in over the next few games and are looking forward to getting some experience back," Westwood said."We've lost 12 banker overs there [with Gleeson, Ali and Mousley] but it's not an excuse, we've got a squad for a reason and we were confident of getting something from these two games."
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bears not looking to replace Webster & Ali for Blast
Warwickshire first-team coach Ian Westwood says the club do not intend to sign any short-term replacements for Beau Webster and Hasan Ali for the start of their T20 Blast Bears signed all-rounder Webster until the end of July but he will now miss the whole tournament after his call-up to the Australia squad for the World Test Championship and subsequent tour to the West bowler Ali will be unavailable for the first three Blast games after being given a central contract by the Pakistan Cricket leaves the Bears with New Zealand captain Tom Latham as their overseas player for the opening will take on Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in their first group game on Friday (18:30 BST). Westwood said being without Webster and Ali was not ideal but that he is happy with the squad he has."It's always a blow to lose skilful players, and big players, in your team. But we've got a squad for a reason and it gives others a chance to come in and show what they can do," he told BBC CWR."It's hard to bring someone in just for a couple of games. "My way is always to try to promote from within first, unless you're really in a hole, and we're happy with what we've got in the squad and think we can still compete really well."As the Bears begin preparing for another tilt at the Blast title they last won in 2014, their attempt to replicate their domination of the group stages in the knockout phase of the competition will come under the by eventual champions Gloucestershire in 2024 was the third quarter-final loss in as many seasons for the Bears, who have not reached Finals Day, held on their home ground, since said thinking about ending that recent last-eight hoodoo is not in their minds as they prepare for this year's tournament. "It's not. We've got a lot of work to just to get to that stage," he said."We can't take if for granted, the amount of effort needed to even qualify for the quarter-final."Our sole focus is to take it each game one by one and not look too far ahead."There's always expectation, we've got a good squad and we're excited about what we can do. So we'll be confident and ready to go."
