Matt Wareing awarded his county cap

August 26, 2021

SUFFOLK opening bowler Matt Wareng has been awarded his county cap.

The 27-year-old received his cap before the start of the final day’s play in the National Counties Cricket Association Championship Eastern Division One match against Staffordshire at Copdock.

The presentation was made to Wareing (above left) by Suffolk team-mate Tom Rash, who was making his 50th Championship appearance.

After making his Suffolk debut in 2015, Wareing’s career came to a shuddering halt when he suffered a lower back injury in May 2017.

Although he played in a couple of friendly fixtures during the 2020 Covid-hit season, the left-arm bowler did not represent the county in a competitive fixture again until the start of this season.

He said: “I genuinely thought that playing back at this level was going to be beyond me after all that time out. I thought I might be able to play again in the East Anglian Premier League, but not for Suffolk.

“So to come back and perform well has been really nice to show that I have still got the skill to play at this level.”

Wareing marked his return with two five-wicket hauls in the wins against Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire either side of the match versus Norfolk which was abandoned due to Covid concerns.

He was taken by surprise by the presentation ahead of the last day’s play which ended with Suffolk being crowned Eastern Division One champions following a one-wicket win.

He said: “I didn’t know I was going to be awarded my cap, so it was a complete surprise to receive it at the start of the day.

“To be awarded my county cap means an awful lot to me. Although I am from Essex, I feel that I am a proper Suffolk lad playing as I do for both Copdock and Suffolk.

“It was lovely to be presented with my cap by Tom Rash as I know how much playing for Suffolk means to him and I get along with him very well.”

Wareing, who has now made a total of 14 appearances in the Championship, claimed his 50th wicket when he bowled Tim Maxfield during Staffordshire’s first innings on the opening day.

“It’s nice to reach the milestone now, rather than sitting on 49 wickets until next season,” added Wareing, who will now have the chance to add to his tally in the play-off final.

Suffolk will face Western Division One winners Oxfordshire in next month’s four-day final at Tring Park in Hertfordshire, ironically the scene of Wareing’s first five-wicket haul for the county back in August 2016.

And after overcoming his injury concerns, Wareing is hoping to continue to lead the Suffolk attack for several more years.

“I have got a few years left in me yet – I would like to think I can play for another six or seven seasons until I am 33 or 34,” he said.

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