Craig Miles can't wait to get stuck into a "massive month" for Warwickshire, starting with the Vitality Blast quarter final away to Kent next Friday.
Miles is over a bout of tendonitis which ruled him out of much of the Royal London Cup campaign. He returned for the last two games and is ready to fully resume his role at the heart of the Bears’ bowling plans as they hunt glory on two fronts.
After the quarter-final at Canterbury, they will resume their red-ball campaign, away to Lancashire next Monday, strongly placed at the top of the LV= Insurance County Championship.
It could be a momentous few weeks for the Bears in Mark Robinson’s first season as first team coach. Seamer Miles says the anticipation is already high in the camp with a week in which to hone their skills ahead of the visit to Kent.
“It’s going to be a massive month or so with the quarter final and then the last four championship games,” he said. “It’s great for the Bears to be still in contention for T20 Finals Day and with a real chance of winning the championship and getting to the Lord’s final which would be amazing. We have a huge month ahead.
“We all just can’t wait for the Kent game. The Bears haven’t played Kent very often in T20 so we will make sure we do all our analysis so that we are as well-prepared as can be. They will be at home so that is a slight advantage but it’s knockout cricket so anything happen – in T20 two guys having a good day can swing it.
“We will go down there confident after finishing the group strongly. We started the group well, then had a blip but then won the last two games under pressure which shows the character in the squad.
“I have loved it. Before this summer my last T20 game for Gloucestershire was in 2017 and I think this year I’ve played more T20s than in I had before in my whole career. I enjoy bowling in T20 because while of course you focus on line and length, you can also free up a bit. I’ve bowled mainly after the powerplays and it has worked well.
“The incentive for us next Friday is massive. Playing at Edgbaston on Finals Day with the Bears fans in full voice behind us would be awesome. Quite a few of us weren’t in the squad when the Bears won it in 2014 but we have heard all about what an amazing day that was and we’d love to be part of another one.”
Miles will have a key role to play, having been an effective bowler in all formats this season. The free week leading up to next Friday’s game will allow him time to work on getting fully back up to speed following his injury.
“I had a bit of tendonitis in my knee which was a little bit worrying because I’d never had it before,” he said. “But it settled down enough for me to play in the last two 50-over games and I came through them fine so hopefully that’s me sorted for the rest of the season.
“I spoke to Woakesy about it because he has been troubled by it off and on and he says you just have to manage it, so that’s what we’ll do.”
