Will Rhodes final interview as a Bear

Former Warwickshire Captain Will Rhodes has reflected on seven “unbelievable” years as a Bear in his final interview before leaving Edgbaston.

Rhodes – one of just seven Warwickshire skippers to lift the County Championship – spoke to fellow Yorkshireman and teammate Olly Hannon-Dalby on his time at the Club.

The 29-year-old said he was sad to leave but felt the time was right – both on and off the field – to head back north. He’s signed a three-year deal with Division One rivals Durham.

He spoke of his honour at captaining Warwickshire, the bond he’s formed with Members, and how he hopes a serving of his favourite Edgbaston fish pie will be on its way up the M1 to his new county home!

Rhodes has scored a total of 7,311 runs and taken 119 wickets for Warwickshire across all formats.

Everyone at Warwickshire wishes him the very best on the latest chapter of his career.

Olly: Was it always going to be Edgbaston when you left Yorkshire?

Will: I think they were the only ones interested to be honest! Ashley Giles rang Yorkshire and said ‘we’re quite interested in Will’. The naive kid that I was, I thought I was going to play for Yorkshire for the rest of my time. Then I came down here and was shown around the ground by Ash and Jim, who was Head Coach at the time, then go for food and Belly who’s captain and all of a sudden you’re wowed by what’s happening. By the ground and the people here. From there I knew I had to leave to progress my career. And Warwickshire was the only venue for me from then on.

Olly: Seven years, is that right?

Will: Seven years. Feels like it’s been a lot longer but then another in other ways it feels like it’s gone so quick. I can remember the first time I came in and saw yourself, Jeets, Amby, Belly, Barks, Wrighty. Unbelievable to walk into a dressing room where it’s full of internationals. To see those guys and how they go about their business was unbelievable.

Olly: Will you miss it (Edgbaston)?

Will: I think you would. You look around, it’s an amazing place. When you work at a place like this you can take it a little bit for granted. But then you look around the place. The facilities, the changing rooms, the Colts is probably one of the best training areas in the country.

So yes it’s sad to leave. I can’t wait to come back. I’ll be looking for those fixtures in November and an opportunity to play back at Edgbaston.

Olly: The guys at home probably won’t know, but it’s probably worth mentioning the fish pie. Do you want me to explain that?!

Will: We’re very blessed with the food here. Paul the chef and Kaz who serves us are two of the great people at Edgbaston. I love my food, being from Hull I love my seafood, and the fish pie here is something else. Paul said he’d ferry me some up to Durham, first class delivery. 

Olly: So next year when we play you I have to make sure there’s no fish pie on the menu, that’ll get into your head, and you’ll nick off early?

Will: You look around the grounds in the food stakes, everyone will say Lord’s lunches, but for me it’s Edgbaston.

Olly: You made the move down here as an opening bat, but pretty soon you were made captain. How did you find it?

Will: I had two really good years and formed of partnership with Sibs (Dom Sibley). We kept ourselves to ourselves, the contrast in styles helped us. He had aspirations to play for England. Playing every game made me into a senior player quite quickly.

Then Farby (Paul Farbrace) called me and said do you want to go for some food. I thought it was a bit weird, wondered if we were talking contracts, but he asked me to be captain. I had to think about it. I was only 24. But thought if I don’t do it then I might never get the opportunity again. I jumped into it quite blind. It was a strange start with Covid. You do all your plans, who’s in the team and then all of a sudden Covid hits and you’re pushed back a few months.

Captaincy was an offer I couldn’t refuse. This place is unbelievable. My name was on the Captains’ board, you see the names before you. It was almost quite embarrassing to be in that company. Bell, Trott, Knight…all people who’d played for England and I’m a 24-year-old kid. It’s four years I’ll never forget.

Olly: We had great success under you. Some obvious highlights, but what sticks out for you?

Will: I always think of the Championship. From the start of the Headingley game to the end of the Bob Willis final, they were my favourite three weeks at the club. Very special on and off the field. We played some unbelievable cricket.

As Captain that’s the one thing you want to do, win a Championship, and to do it in my first full season I didn’t really know where to go from there! It was a tremendous feeling. You’ll know as you played eight or nine games that year, the feel around the place. We went into games feeling we were going to win. So going into those last three weeks I was confident we could produce three more results to win the Championship.

Norwell’s nine-fer as well – I’ll always criticise you for taking that first wicket – that was the highs and lows of cricket all in one.

Plus also seeing some of the young lads coming through as well. Warwickshire has a rich history of bringing through youngsters, people like Yatesy I was there for his debut as a kid and now he’s played more than 100 first team games. Bethell and Mousley, Kai Smith, and I wish them all well…but not too well against Durham in the future!

Olly: You’ve not missed a Championship game for seven years at this Club. How’ve you managed it?

Will: I’m proud of that. I think it’s just over 90 First Class games for Warwickshire. Testament to the Strength & Conditioning and medical teams here as well, they’ve given me a few MOTs, lots of rubs and stretching. But I probably hid a few things as well when I was Captain because I wanted to play and make myself available for selection in every game.

Olly: You’ve got a lovely relationship with the members and fans here, anything you’d like to say to them?

Will: I’d have liked to have got at least one run on my last innings here at Edgbaston! But to have that reception from members walking on and off the field was lovely. And over the winter that’s something I’ll look back on and think, yes, that’s very special.

The Members do care, they care about your performances, they want you to do well first and foremost. At times they’ll let you know if you’re not pulling your weight, but you need that as a professional cricketer.

So yes a lovely reception and a massive thank you to everyone. Members, fans, players, back office staff for getting me through…it’s seven years I’ll look back on very fondly.

My career was almost going nowhere at Yorkshire, this was a big move for me, but something I needed to do. Hopefully I’ll get some nice applause when I come back here as an opposition player.

Olly: What are the reasons for leaving?

Will: A few different reasons on and off the field. I still have that urge for T20 cricket. Those Friday nights here against Worcester in the Blast, big games, you want to be part of them. So to be left out is disappointing but the guys have been doing well, topping the group in both the last two years, so there’s nothing wrong with leaving me out. I’ve been in a few squads in recent years but not played. It’s an itch I sill want to scratch. I feel I’ve got a bit to give in white ball cricket. Even if I don’t play (Blast) at Durham I’ve got to go and try to play rather than let my white ball game run out.

My partner is also from Northumberland. She’s been down here for five years and we’ve both loved it. But it’s time to go back nearer home, be close to family, and it’s a new challenge for me as well. There’s no bad blood or animosity between myself and the club at all, the relationship has been left really well.