All-rounder Aaron Thomason and wicket-keeper Alex Mellor have signed new contracts with the Bears.
Twenty-one-year-old Thomason, who progressed to the senior ranks through the Academy and county age-group sides, has signed a two-year contract to remain at Edgbaston until at least the end of the 2020 season.
Aaron has been a consistent performer in white ball cricket for the last two years.
Ashley Giles
He has played 28 T20 games for Birmingham Bears, since he signed his first professional contract in late-2015, and was part of the team that finished runner-up on Blast Finals Day in 2017.
Mellor (27) also joined the Bears at the end of the 2015 season through the club’s close working programme with Staffordshire Cricket and, alongside Liam Banks and Alex Thomson, is one of three Bears to have come through the minor county’s development programme.
His contract has been extended for the 2019 season, when he will be looking to push for further first team opportunities after an impressive season with the second team, scoring 883 runs and taking 29 catches and nine stumpings across all three formats.
“Agreeing new contracts with Aaron and Alex is a welcome boost for the club after an excellent final week of the 2018 season,” said Bears’ Sport Director Ashley Giles.
“Aaron has been a consistent performer in white ball cricket for the last two years but we want to see him put in more match-winning contributions and, having enjoyed three seasons on the senior ranks, he can make a serious push to play in the Championship side.
“Alex is an excellent professional and has enjoyed a good season with the bat and gloves in the second team. Whilst it’s difficult to displace someone like Tim Ambrose, particularly in the red ball game, he is showing that he’s ready to step in and he has an excellent opportunity to push for a place in our white ball teams.”
