Chris Rushworth says heโ€™s still โ€œas hungry as ever to take wicketsโ€ as he looks to put an injury-hit 2024 behind him and bounce back to his best this season.

The Sunderland-born seamer โ€“ whoโ€™s taken 669 career First Class wickets โ€“ made the perfect start to life as a Bear in 2023 as 53 scalps put him among the deadliest marksmen in Division One.

But the 38-year-old suffered a back injury in the second game of the campaign last April against Durham.

โ€˜Rushyโ€™ returned in late August for the red ball run-in but the injury restricted him to just six games and 13 wickets.

It was a hugely frustrating summer for Rushworth โ€“ but heโ€™s hit the gym hard this winter and aims to be in the best possible condition ahead of the season opener against Sussex on April 4. ๐Ÿ’ช

We caught up with Chris and pal Andy Harland, Bears Women lead Strength & Conditioning Coach, who also hails from the North East.

A Sunderland vs Middlesborough derby on a pool table in Birmingham! ๐Ÿ˜‚

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