CRICKET: NEW Birmingham Bears signing Adam Hose admitted he’s delighted to be part of a ‘very exciting future’ with the Edgbaston outfit.
Hose, who scored a match-winning 76 from just 43 balls on debut last Sunday against Lancashire, will play in his first big West Midlands derby tomorrow as the Bears tackle Worcestershire Rapids in their final home Natwest T20 Blast group stage game.
A bumper crowd is expected, and the 24-year-old former Somerset player said the ambition and vision of the set-up at Edgbaston drew him to move to the midlands.
He said: “When I spoke to Ashley Giles and Jim Troughton I was really impressed by the ambition of the club for the next few years.
“Not to mention the amount of high-class experience in the dressing-room from players that young guys like myself can learn from day in and day out. That’s what really drew me in.
“I am very grateful for the opportunities I was given at Somerset and thought long and hard about the decision. But I was very impressed with the set-up at Edgbaston.”
Hose joined the Bears following a three-year stint at Somerset whom he joined after spending three years with the MCC Young Cricketers at Lord’s.
“I grew up on the Isle of Wight playing for my home club Ventnor, from as early as I can remember right through to when I was 18,” he said.
“There have been some fantastic coaches there and it was a great place to grow up and develop my skills.
“This season I managed to break into Somerset’s team in all formats and hopefully now that will continue and I can make an easy transition over to the Bears.”
Last week Bears director of cricket Ashley Giles highlighted Rose’s ability to benefit his team’s game in all formats.
And Hose – who fails to ‘pigeon-hole’ himself as a specific one-day player – said he wants to cement himself as an all-format player with the Bears.
He added: “I’m pleased to have made the move straight away rather than at the end of the season.
“It gives me a good chance to get settled in with the guys and get a good understanding of the club and the area and meet everyone involved.
“I’m really looking forward to helping the Bears build something and achieve success.”
Picture: Manjit Narotra.
