Miles: “I’m someone who always gives their all”

Craig Miles is "really happy" to have contributed so much to Warwickshire's successes this year - and is already looking forward to helping the Bears back up their great season with more strong cricket in 2022.

The Bears’ double triumph owed plenty to the input of former Gloucestershire seamer Miles who became a real leader of the attack to finish with 37 championship wickets at 21.81 apiece.

The 27-year-old also chipped in with useful runs at times and fielded consistently well, but it was with the ball that he really  shone. With Henry Brookes, Olly Stone, Ryan Sidebottom and, latterly, Olly Hannon-Dalby ruled out injured, the seam attack was missing some big players, but Miles rose to the challenge.

“It’s nice to have contributed heavily to winning the trophies and especially to that vital win in the last game against Somerset, he said. “I am really happy.

“I guess in the first year or two after I joined the Bears, people were maybe thinking, ‘what’s Craig Miles got to offer’? But I’m someone who always gives their all and have worked really hard to improve.

“Throughout my career I have always taken wickets regularly but sometimes been a little bit expensive and that’s something I’ve addressed at Warwickshire through working with Pop and then also Robbo, more recently. Those two have contributed massively to my successes this year.

“Now I can’t wait to help us try to build on what we have achieved. If you look at the mix of our group, it’s primarily a youngish side with a few experienced heads and that’s a great blend for us moving forward. It would be great to really back it up again next year and put in a great defence of our county championship title and also challenge hard in the other two competitions as well.”

Before those challenges comes some time to deservedly sit back and savour the successes of 2021…and the joy which the players have given, and shared with, so many Bears members and supporters both locally and far and wide.

Never has the bond between members of the great global Bears family been stronger or more evident…not least during the vital last championship game, and momentous final day, against Somerset.

“What a remarkable day that was,” Miles said. “That day showed the togetherness in the club and the team with everybody out there giving it their all. If you look back at the season, like the Nottinghamshire game at home, a lot of games have gone late into day four and that’s when the spirit really comes through.

“People looking from outside on that last day probably thought the game had gone, but we knew we had that momentum and the backing from a great crowd at Edgbaston that lifts you. The supporters were brilliant and it was just a brilliant day.”