Ethan Bamber, a 26 year-old cricketer regarded for his prowess as an opening bowler, was the surprise package recently at Chelmsford. Perhaps the biggest milestone was him scoring his first-class maiden century. Bamber, batting as a nightwatchman, delivered when it mattered. His innings of 67 was invaluable as he led Warwickshire to within three runs of avoiding the follow-on against Essex. He hit an incredible 107 runs in the first inning. This accomplishment was important personally for him and it really propelled his team to a higher level.
Bamber’s path to this remarkable score wasn’t free from tribulations. As it turned out, it was Clarke who was promoted up the batting order after Alex Davies’s late dismissal on the previous evening. This surprise opportunity allowed Bamber to go all-out and show off his batting talents for the first time. Back then, it was hard to better 46 not out representing Middlesex in the sunshine two summers ago. To almost four hours at the crease, patience and resilience were his watchwords, patience and resilience taking Bamber to 207 balls faced before he succumbed.
The day started with Bamber once again having to hold up the end after a disastrous start from the Warwickshire batting order. He soon picked up pace though, and hit two boundaries in Snater’s subsequent over. One was a lucky, streaky shot that fed through the slips and gully, the other a measured, emphatic cover drive. With every passing minute, as time went on, he settled into his groove at the crease, notching up his half-century with another two fours.
With the ball, as Bamber closed in on his century, the scene around the ground turned pretty special too. That game sharpened his confidence as he breezed through a gauntlet of bowling adversaries, mixing finesse and grit on his way to victory. His innings finished with a flourish as he drove across the line to a ball pitched well wide of off-stump. In doing so, he offered a comeback catch to Critchley after scoring 107 runs. Though this mis-stroke was his first true mistake of the day, Bamber’s hand has proven to be priceless.
Bamber called this accomplishment his “best day ever.” His pride and sense of accomplishment became contagious, resonating far and wide with his teammates, fans, and supporters. He narrowly missed out on a century but ensured that the team wasn’t forced to follow-on. It illustrated that he could be a difference-maker with the bat, providing even more value to his responsibilities.
Leave a Reply