Warwickshire County Cricket Club has bolstered its men’s team coaching staff with the appointment of Matt Mason as its new Bowling Coach and former Bear Mohamed Sheikh as Second XI Bowling Coach and Assistant Coach.

Mason will arrive at Edgbaston in the coming weeks having been part of the Perth Scorchers coaching team that claimed a fourth Big Bash League title last month. He also helped Western Australian claim the One-Day Cup in 2020 as Bowling Coach.

“We spoke to several very strong candidates from around the world in this recruitment process, which highlights how highly regarded Warwickshire is,” said Director of Cricket Paul Farbrace.

“Matt has become an excellent bowling coach and we are delighted to bring him to Warwickshire. Whilst he has coached trophy winning teams and is vastly experienced of English bowling conditions, he has also played a big part in developing several Australia bowlers, including Cameron Green and Jhye Richardson. We look forward to him joining up with the squad in April following his relocation from Australia.

Paul Farbrace

Mason returned to Perth in 2019 following similar roles with Leicestershire and Worcestershire, with the latter county being where he enjoyed a ten-year playing career.

Mason said: “The opportunity to return to the UK with my family after three seasons in Western Australia and become a part of Warwickshire is such an exciting one. I am so passionate about county and English cricket after being part of it for 17 seasons as a player and coach.

“The squad has a great blend of youth and experience and despite the Championship success of last year, I sense the ambition to be a dominant Club across all formats is strong. 

“Coaching is about more than winning trophies. It is also about developing people, helping them achieve their goals, realise their dreams and have some fun along the way. I can’t wait to get started with Warwickshire this season.”

Sheikh has been working with the Warwickshire bowlers as a consultant since the start of this year and was part of the Performance Pathway coaching team from 2015 to 2018. During his time with the pathway, he supported the development of several academy graduates including Henry and Ethan Brookes, George Garrett and Dan Mousley. He returns to his home county, initially for the 2022 season.

Farbrace added: “Having watched Mo working closely with our bowlers and fellow coaches, we wanted to bring him into our coaching team on a more permanent basis by creating this new role. It gives our bowlers greater support than ever, but we also want to support his development as an elite level coach.”

Sheikh said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the players over the last few weeks and I’m looking forward to working alongside a great coaching team at Edgbaston.”