With the 2021 cricket season just weeks away, Warwickshire batsman Rob Yates looks back on his career so far.
After enjoying an impressive debut season, Yates made a similarly impressive start to the 2020 season, scoring 88 in the first game of the inaugural Bob Willis Trophy against Northants, but struggled to make another notable score.
Yates explains: “I started off okay, but struggled a bit during the first-class matches,” but put the lack of form down to “that classic second season syndrome, where the bowlers work you out.”
However, even with the opener struggling for form in the four-day format, he still earned himself a call up to the Birmingham Bears T20 side for the first time.
Looking on the bright side of a chaotic and unusual season Yates explains: “I was pretty pleased to get going with the T20, something I’ve strived to do, play all 3 formats.”
“Traditionally I’ve been seen as a red ball player, but I don’t like being called that because it’s just pigeonholing and limiting your chances elsewhere, which I feel like I’ve done quite well to escape that.”
It was in the T20 Blast where Yates impressed, cementing his position opening the batting, alongside Adam Hose.
Yates says: “white ball [crickets] quite fun, that’s the whole point of it really. I mean I think its massively important to try and play all 3, each game can help each other, T20 can help loosen your red ball game.”
Yates recognises the importance for playing for his local club, Moseley Cricket Club, in aiding his progression into county cricket.
“I started going down to Moseley since I was eight. A lot of people assume I got into the county system through school cricket, where actually it was Moseley. Moseley was huge in getting me recognised, nominating me for trials, playing matches as much as possible, starting off in the men’s fourth team when I was 13, and working you way up through the teams all the way through to the first team,” he adds.
Yates, who still plays for Moseley when his schedule allows, has played alongside some big names at the club including Warwickshire teammate Adam Hose, as well as former England bowler Boyd Rankin, as well as Ireland bowler Mark Adair, who notably took both wickets of England captain Joe Root in Ireland’s first test match at Lords.
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Looking forward, Yates will want to build on his successes, especially those seen during his debut season, when he scored an impressive 91 away at Hampshire as well as his maiden century, scoring 141 aged 19 against Somerset.
Benefiting from a mindset of a more experienced batsman, Yates explains that getting out for 91 “actually gave me the believe that I could do it and reach triple digits.”
“I mean I was obviously gutted; I was cursing to myself walking off, thinking what an idiot. I could have just milked him instead of trying to hoard him for 12.”
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Yates will be looking build on his successes when the County Championships kick off on April 8th, when Warwickshire welcome Derbyshire to Edgbaston.
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