Piolet ready to step up, says Giles

By Paul Bolton

Warwickshire’s director of cricket Ashley Giles wants all-rounder Steffan Piolet to make a niche for himself in County Championship cricket.

Piolet, a 24-year-old from Sussex, has impressed in Warwickshire’s limited-overs side this season and particularly in Twenty20 cricket where his economical bowling has helped to strangle the opposition in mid-innings.

Piolet has also contributed aggressive lower order runs and he is a reliable and athletic fielder but he has made only one Championship appearance in his career to date and that came against Yorkshire at Headingley almost two years ago.

Warwickshire are well stocked with all-rounders with Darren Maddy, Chris Woakes, Keith Barker and Rikki Clarke all key contributors to their County Championship success this season. But Maddy is nearing the end of his career which means that there could be future opportunities for Piolet to establish himself in four-day cricket.

“Steffan is a very useful cricketer all round. He’s blossomed a bit this year with the bat back end of an innings,” Giles said. “He did it twice in Barbados on pre-season tour and he did it well at Somerset so we have got another guy down the order who can smack it a bit. He’s also a decent bowler.

“I guess the challenge for Steffan is what his role is exactly in the longer form.  It’s likely to be a five, six, seven batsman who bowls as well rather than in this form where his bowling takes priority. But he’s a useful cricketer, a good lad, a good fielder. He’s good to have around and he works hard.
 
“In terms of character attributes he’s got everything going for him. I guess in terms of four-day cricket it just becomes opportunity and he’s got a lot of competition with Woakes, Clarke, Barker. He needs to make a niche for himself. I suppose the Darren Maddy role is a similar sort of role.”


Date: 23/06/2012 11:41:35 by Paul Bolton
In: Warwickshire | Today |