Giles praises input of bowling coach Welch

By Paul Bolton

Ashley Giles, Warwickshire’s director of cricket, has praised the contribution that bowling coach Graeme Welch has made to the county’s early season success.

Warwickshire have been without England one-day international Chris Woakes and Ireland paceman Boyd Rankin, who took 111 County Championship wickets between them last year, so far this season but Keith Barker and Chris Wright have proved an effective new ball combination.

The pair have taken 43 first-class wickets so far with Wright, who was signed by Warwickshire on Welch’s recommendation, flourishing since he arrived from Essex and Barker taking his maiden ten-wicket match haul in last week’s crushing win over Durham.

“Pop [Welch] has a really good relationship with the bowlers. They respect him and work well with him,” Giles said. “Chris Wright is a great example. He couldn’t get a game at Essex but he has come here and really flourished so there must be something in the relationship he has with Welchy.

“Barker, similarly, has done a great job. Pop is a hard worker but he keeps things simple. One of the things that is working is the time we put into analysing the opposition and the opposition batsmen. I’m sure that other counties do it but we are bowling really well to plans at the moment.”

Barker is out of contract at the end of the season having rejected the extension Warwickshire are offered him at the end of last season.

Warwickshire will offer him an improved offer which they hope will persuade Barker to stay at Edgbaston and head off interest from other counties, with Sussex believed to be keen on the former England youth international footballer.


Date: 07/05/2012 22:48:40 by Paul Bolton
In: Warwickshire | Today |