Giles Ready For War On A Trip Into The Unknown

Paul Edwards visits a determined Ashley Giles, looking to put pride back into Warwickshire

- Paul Edwards

In the 16 seasons from 2002 to 2017, Warwickshire won two County Championships and four limited-overs trophies. They spent just one of those seasons outside the First Division – a record no other county can match.

Then last year the Bears won one of their 14 Championship matches and finished bottom of the table, 60 points behind the other relegated side, Middlesex. It was a grisly way in which to end a rather glorious era.

To their credit, the Edgbaston coaches did not attempt to gloss over their county’s deficiencies. When he was appointed Director of Sport in the winter of 2016-17, Ashley Giles knew that he and first-team coach Jim Troughton had a major job on their hands. Winning the Royal London One- Day Cup the previous season had merely applied a large sticking plaster to a body needing major surgery.

“Without question relegation was disappointing but while it wasn’t inevitable, we did feel that we’d been on the slide for a couple of years,” said Giles. “We weren’t able to arrest that slide last season.”

Just so, and it was indicative of Warwickshire’s situation that recruitment began in mid-season. Adam Hose arrived from Somerset and Rikki Clarke was swapped with Surrey’s Dominic Sibley. One or two other experienced cricketers, including the former skipper, Ian Westwood, announced their retirements, although Westwood has recently returned to Edgbaston as a coach.

And while it was nothing like enough to prevent relegation, it was at least encouraging that a Bears side containing exciting young cricketers like Aaron Thomason reached the final of the T20 Blast.