Bethell: “It’s a week I’ll treasure”

For the second time in 24 hours, Jacob Bethell was your Talbots Law Player of the Match.

The all-rounder struck an unbeaten 71* (five fours, four sixes), to see the Bears home with 2.1 overs to spare (chasing 156), just a day after bulldozing 56* off just 16 balls. Two different innings, but two match winning contributions

If Bethell was on the stock market there would be plenty of buyers. No wall of worry in Warwickshire.

“It’s definitely a week I’ll treasure,” said the 20-year-old. “Putting in two winning performances is unreal.

“I spoke of practicing hard this winter in the interview yesterday and that was part of it. It’s about adapting to different situations and I’m pleased I was able to do that to do.

“Cricket’s always got a habit of knocking you back a little bit. We knew it was a derby game and Worcestershire are going to come out guns blazing, so we were pegged back, but we’ve got so much batting and so much confidence in the group. We never doubted we wouldn’t do it.”

Bethell wasn’t alone however. Chris Benjamin played a support act on Thursday night, but in Sam Hain, the left-hander had an accomplice.

The duo joined forces with the Bears rocking at 7/3 in reply to Worcestershire’s 155/7. Hain was dismissed with one run needed for 76 to end a stand of 148 – a record-fourth wicket partnership against Worcestershire in the competition.

“It’s just nice batting with him as he’s so calm out there,” added Bethell. “Once we got in the rhythm it felt automatic which is lovely. You don’t get those days to often. It was a nice pitch, they were well under par, but the early wickets pegged it back. It was unreal to bat with Sam.”