Rob Yates on ‘special’ Bears v Pears derby

Rob Yates credits the ‘special’ Bears vs Pears derby for giving him the hunger to confirm his spot in Warwickshire’s white-ball teams.

Bears welcome Worcestershire Rapids to Edgbaston on Friday 12 July. The West Midlands derby is one of the biggest in the Vitality Blast and always draws a near sell-out crowd.

Early Bird tickets are still available for Derby Day, but these will end at midnight on Friday 19 April.

Yates, who has had an excellent start to the Vitality County Championship season, has solidified his place at the top of the order in the Bears white-ball side and has played in a handful of Bears vs Pears derbies.

Yates said: “Yeah, I love the Bears v Pears Derby.” 

“I think my first taste of one with crowds after Covid was maybe two years ago now. It was one of only a handful of games I played that year, and it really gave me the hunger to solidify my spot in that team. 

“You get a big crowd in and the atmosphere, I mean, when it’s going your way, which thankfully it has the last couple of years, it’s a special night to be involved in.”

Yates played an important hand as the Bears cruised to victory over the Rapids in last summer’s derbies.

The opener scored 27 off 19 in the first game as the Bears won by 21 runs, before striking a fierce 59 from 39 to help set the tone and complete a 53-run demolition of the Rapids.

Yates also spoke about the importance of dealing with the pressures of derby day, and how channelling the energy is essential to success.

He said: “You need to feed off it. And you also need to understand what is needed at the time. 

“So we do a lot of work as a team, and with Kate Green the psychologist, just essentially knowing how to channel that energy and use it in the right way.

“But the more the better. And once the momentum starts rolling it’s fantastic and just makes for such a fun night. You don’t get much sleep after those.”