Former Warwickshire bowler Richard Jones will take particular responsibility for the development of the club's young seam-bowlers and spinners.
Richard Jones is excited to have joined Warwickshire’s coaching staff – and eager to make the most of a “great opportunity” to launch his coaching career at Edgbaston.
Former Bears seamer Jones has joined the club’s Academy, Emerging Players Programme and County Age Group coaching team in the role of Pathway Performance Coach. He will take particular responsibility for the development of the club’s young seam-bowlers and spinners, working very closely with bowling coach Pop Welch.
It is really exciting and I just want to make the most of it, initially by learning as much as I can from the people around me.
Richard Jones
The 32-year-old has decided to move into coaching after calling time on an injury-affected playing career which brought 163 wickets from 59 first-class matches.
“The decision to retire from playing wasn’t forced on me but I decided this was the right time,” said Jones. “I have been increasingly aware in recent years that I need to think about what I was going to do after playing.
“It is not a nice thing to do to consign your playing career to history but I am very lucky to have this great opportunity at Warwickshire and am looking at this as very much the start of another career. I could have trialled round the counties to try to get another playing contract somewhere but felt this was the way to go.
“It is really exciting and I just want to make the most of it, initially by learning as much as I can from the people around me. It will be fantastic to work with Pop and to pick his brains, but there are also so many other people at Edgbaston to learn from, like Jim Troughton and Ian Westwood with all their knowledge and experience in cricket.
“In the last year I have become more involved in coaching and have really enjoyed it. I knew it was the direction I wanted to take, but didn’t expect to get a fantastic opportunity like this so soon.”
Warwickshire elite cricket development manager Paul Greetham is delighted to welcome Jones, who joined the staff this week.
“Richard ticked many boxes for us during the interview process for this role,” he said. “By distance-learning for a degree and gaining qualifications in both coaching and strength & conditioning he has proved himself to be a hugely conscientious guy who takes his future in the sport, and the futures of those around him, very seriously.
“Following his premature retirement from cricket at the end of the 2018 season, he has shown a real passion for remaining in the game and helping young players reach heights that perhaps he himself could not reach due to a career plagued by injury.
“Richard will coach across our entire pathway from Academy (boys and girls) down to some of our younger age-group squads, and will have particular responsibility for the development of bowlers, both seam and spin.
“As a local lad and former Bear, Richard is a superb addition to our coaching staff and excellent role model to our young players.”
