Latest news with #EthanBrookes
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Khurram's 6-42 puts Pears in charge against Bears
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Edgbaston (day two)Worcestershire 333: Brookes 140; Barnard 2-47 & 31-0Warwickshire 184: Smith 68; Khurram 6-42Worcestershire (5 pts) lead Warwickshire (3 pts) by 180 runsMatch scorecard Ethan Brookes' dazzling century and Khurram Shahzad's dynamic six-for left Worcestershire pressing for a much-needed County Championship win over Warwickshire at career-best 140 against the club that released him lifted Worcestershire's first innings to 333 before Shahzad took 6-42 to send the home side all out for 184. Kai Smith struck 68 and Beau Webster 57 to narrowly avert the follow on but Worcestershire closed the second day on 31 without loss, 180 of Division One, Brett D'Oliveira's side is strongly-placed to complete a victory that would open the survival race right up – and have nerves jangling at a few clubs above resumed on the second morning on 262-8 with Brookes on 80 and the 24-year-old showed no nerves en-route to a poignant century at his former home ground. His century, warmly applauded by supporters of both teams, was reached with a six and he went on to strike eight sixes – the second most in an innings by a Worcestershire batter, behind only Graeme Hick's 11 against Somerset at Taunton in and Adam Finch added 88 before the former fell at the end of a strange Dan Mousley over which included four off-side wides, two leg-side sixes, a dot ball and a wicket. Brookes eventually skied the spinner and, two balls later, Finch fell lbw to Tazeem top order was then blown away by Shahzad's opening burst of 6-2-7-3. Rob Yates left one that knocked out off-stump, Mousley edged behind and Alex Davies dragged on a pull to bag a 25-ball had Zen Malik caught at first slip and when Ed Barnard offered Finch the simplest return catch in this fixture since John Cuffe dismissed Billy Quaife at Dudley in 1912, it was and Smith added 49 but the former's attempt to bully debutant spinner Bertie Foreman backfired when he chipped to mid off. After Corey Rocchiccioli pulled Shahzad to deep square and Bamber was lbw, Warwickshire's last two wickets needed to find 31 to avoid the follow calmly and capably ensured they did. He reached an 88-ball half-century with a six pulled off Ben Allison and showed a selectivity of stroke which some of his more experienced team-mates might seek to emulate in the second follow on avoided by one run, Smith nicked a waft at Finch and Olly Hannon-Dalby drove a full toss to extra cover four balls later. That left Worcestershire 17 overs batting and they quietly increased their advantage - and their chances of recording a first championship win over Warwickshire in 22 attempts since 2000 and their first at Edgbaston since 1993. Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Warwicks on top against Worcs despite Brookes knock
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Edgbaston (day one)Worcestershire 262-8: Brookes 80*, D'Oliveira 57; Bamber 2-47, Barnard 2-47Warwickshire: Yet to batWorcs (1 pt), Warks (2 pts)Match scorecard Ethan Brookes led the resistance against his old club as Worcestershire toiled after choosing to bat against Warwickshire in the County Championship derby at closed the first day on 262-8 with Brookes unbeaten on 80 having taken responsibility after the fall of captain Brett D'Oliveira (57) left his side on an unconvincing 175-5.D'Oliveira had won the toss and chosen to bat on a good pitch but in perfect seam-bowling conditions with moisture in the air, grey cloud overhead and moderate light. Run-scoring was never easy against an attack led by former Worcestershire all-rounder Ed Barnard and Ethan Bamber who both ended the day with with the Kookaburra ball, the conditions were testing for batters and openers Gareth Roderick and Jake Libby added an uneasy 32 but then fell in successive overs. Both nicked nicely shaped outswingers to wicketkeeper Kai Smith; Roderick off Barnard and Libby off Ali struck his first two balls to the off-side boundary but added just three more runs from the next 29 balls before going back to Barnard and falling lbw to one that kept a little Hose (40) and D'Oliveira dug in to steady the innings, at one stage two runs coming from six overs before Hose pulled a rare loose ball from Bamber into the Hollies Stand. Three weeks ago, Hose smashed a dazzling, stroke-strewn 266 from 253 balls against Hampshire in Southampton. Care and caution were key this time in a partnership of 59 from 23 overs which ended when Hose hesitated when called for a single by D'Oliveira and was beaten by Barnard's throw.D'Oliveira, on the ground where he made his first-class debut 13 years earlier, batted with good judgment and determination to try to vindicate his toss decision. He reached his 24th first-class half-century (from 137 balls) but then edged Beau Webster, back with the Bears after Australia duty, to Taylor played across a straight one from Taz Ali and was lbw. Brookes and Ben Allison added 46 but were parted by the new ball when the latter edged Bamber to slip. That brought in debutant Bertie Foreman, signed on a two-week loan deal from Sussex, but he made little headway with the bat before edging Olly Hannon-Dalby to second saw the day through before the light - never good - closed in. The all-rounder will have his sights set on his second first-class century tomorrow if the tail can stick in there with supplied by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
BBC News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Shame Rapids form did not come sooner
Worcestershire Rapids all-rounder Ethan Brookes says it is a shame the side's current good form in the T20 Blast did not come earlier in the race to qualify for the six-wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes at New Road was the Rapids' third win in their past four games but still sees them needing to win their last match in the North Group to stand any chance of making the knock-out who struck an unbeaten 56 off just 28 balls to steer Worcestershire home, said there was a tinge of frustration about the past few results."On the one side the lads are going to take a lot of pleasure and pride from it but if we'd have done that a lot earlier in the tournament it would've been a lot nicer," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester."We can still qualify if we can put in a good performance in on Thursday so we'll see where we're at." Brookes' match-winning half-century on Sunday was supported by a career-best unbeaten 18 off 12 balls from Henry 22-year-old was playing only his fourth T20 game, 48 hours after signing a new two-year contract with the club."I'm really pleased he's staying," Brookes, who last month also penned a new deal, said."I think he'll be a great talent. It's still early in his T20 career but he's got all the shots, he's a real talent."I just think he needs the confidence in himself that he's good enough to play and this standard because he is." 'We want to put ourselves in the hat' That final fixture takes place at New Road on Thursday against Nottinghamshire Outlaws [17:30 BST] with the Rapids, four points points off the top four, needing to win and hope results involving the Bears and Durham - who have two games remaining - go their losing to Worcestershire, Leicestershire are still a threat as they are level on points with the Rapids but have two games to play. The Foxes take on Durham at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday [18:30 BST].Although the 2018 Blast champions' chances of a seventh quarter-final appearances are slim, Brookes says the way they've played in seeing off Northants, Derbyshire and the Foxes - with a 23-run defeat by the Bears the only loss in the four games - gives them hope."It can go your way one day and not go your way the other, so that's T20 cricket," Brookes said."But if we can string performances together like we have in the last games - I know we lost the other night [to the Bears] but we were pretty close - you know, the confidence is high."We want to put ourselves in the hat for the top four. "A win might get us there along with other results and if we can win it will help us take confidence into the next block of games."
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Paceman Gibbon signs new Worcestershire contract
Left-arm fast bowler Ben Gibbon has signed a new two-year contract with 25-year-old former National Counties seamer has been at New Road since the start of the 2022 agreed a three-year deal in March 2023 but will now stay with the Pears until at least the end of the 2027 has taken 49 wickets in 20 first-class matches for Worcestershire, and 13 in nine List A games, but has yet to feature in the first team this season. "I am absolutely delighted to be staying on at Worcestershire, this club has become home for me over the last couple of years," Gibbon said."I am really keen to develop my skillset, and ultimately, get into a position to challenge for trophies with this team."Despite Gibbons' limited first-team chances, head coach Alan Richardson said he had "shown his potential every time he has been called upon"."He possesses some great qualities which provide our bowling attack with something slightly different," he added."His height and his left-arm nature make him a real threat to batters at the crease."Gibbon is the second Worcestershire player to sign a new deal recently after all-rounder Ethan Brookes agreed a three-year contract on 11 seamer Khurram Shahzad, meanwhile, will join the club early next month for the rest of the season.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pears all-rounder Brookes signs new three-year deal
All-rounder Ethan Brookes has signed a new three-year contract with 24-year-old joined the Pears from neighbours Warwickshire on a two-year deal ahead of the 2024 was due to expire at the end of this summer but Brookes will now stay at New Road until at least 2028."I am so happy to be staying put at Worcestershire," he said., external"I have made so many memories with the lads already, but I am so excited at the thought of challenging for some silverware with this group - I just want to keep developing." Brookes is approaching 1,000 first-class runs for the Pears, striking his maiden century against Hampshire last season as the club preserved their first division summer he has scored 365 runs, at an average of 28, with a top score of 88 against Essex. He has also picked up eight Brookes has also been a key member of the Pears' white-ball sides, averaging just under 25 with the bat with an economy rate of 8.5 runs per over in 18 T20 coach Alan Richardson said Brookes had been "central to the success" of the side since he joined and keeping him was "an important step" in the club moving forward.
