Warwickshire County Cricket Club has announced the return of former player and coach, Graeme “Pop” Welch, who rejoins the Bears as bowling coach to support the development of both the First XI and the next generation of Warwickshire talent.
Welch, who previously enjoyed great success at Edgbaston as both a player and coach, brings a wealth of knowledge built across county and franchise cricket in recent years. His experience in red and white-ball cricket will be central to helping Warwickshire maintain high standards in the County Championship, while also pushing for success in limited-overs formats.
Welch joins WCCC following a successful 2025 campaign with Hampshire, in which the team reached blast Finals Day, and presided over a fourth-place finish for Southern Brave in the men’s Hundred competition.
Speaking on his return, Welch said:
“I’ve been fortunate to spend the last few years working across all formats of the game, learning from different environments, and adding new ideas to my coaching. Coming back to Warwickshire, my focus is on raising performance levels in the First XI while at the same time developing the young, talented bowlers we’ve got coming through. This club has always meant a lot to me, and I’m excited to contribute to building a bowling group that can succeed now and in the future.”
On Welch’s appointment, Ian Westwood, Warwickshire First Team Coach, said:
“We’re really excited that Pop is rejoining as the new bowling coach. As a former Bear, he knows the club inside out and is coming back with a wealth of experience that all the teams at Warwickshire can benefit from.
“The squad will benefit hugely from his skillset and experience, especially coming off a successful season Hampshire and his time with England. Our pace bowlers such as [Michael] Booth and Che [Simmons] will have a lot to learn from him.
“Pop has a great track record of improving individuals by bringing the bowling group together and challenging them to develop and perform at their best, whilst honing their individual talents.”