From winning all three domestic trophies with the Club to equalling the world record for a fielder with seven catches, Rikki Clarke had it all as a Bear.
Sandwiched between two stints with Surrey, and a spell at Derbyshire, Clarke made 131 First Class, 93 List A and 98 T20 appearances for the Bear and Ragged Staff, scoring 7,941 runs while taking 377 wickets across all formats.
Speaking last summer, Rikki says it’s always a pleasure to return to his ‘home’ to see his ‘cricket family’
“It’s lovely to drive through the gates and see familiar faces, such as the people who looked after me, it feels like home,” said the all-rounder. “I had nine very good years here and it feels like you pick up where you left off. These are people I haven’t seen for a long time and this is a place I fondly look back on, particularly my playing but also how they looked after me.”
Now 42 years old, the fan favourite runs his cricket academy alongside regular commentary stints with the BBC. And although his life is still heavily revolved around his career in the South, he still likes to remember his time with the Bears and look out for their results.
“I always look out for the results,” the former England international added. “Yes, I was born in the south and came through the Surrey system, but I owe so much to Warwickshire as a Club. I do still see them as my cricket family.
“When I joined I was at a stumbling block and Ashley Giles, Graeme Welch and Jim Troughton grabbed me back as a cricketer. I owe so much to them and the Club for helping me become the cricketer I become.”
He was some cricketer. Scooping the County Championship in 2012, Vitality Blast in 2014 and One Day Cup in 2016, Rikki’s trophy haul as a Bear stands up against the best.
“The Championship in 2012 stands out,” he concludes. “Solely because we went so close in 2011 and sat at the Ageas Bowl after Lancashire pipped us to the post. It was a case of going one better next year and all that hard work started from that point. The 2011 season wasn’t over and yet we were planning to win it next.
“Winning the Championship is so rewarding because you put so much hard work into those games, so when you get that trophy it’s fantastic.”
2024 Membership: Together, we are Bears
Make Edgbaston your home this summer. Membership is the best value way to access all home Warwickshire domestic cricket in 2024, plus exclusive benefits including free guest passes.
White-ball only and Junior Bears Memberships for under 16s are also available. Find out more and join the Club today.
