Powell is aiming to win regular first-team place
Feb 20 2008 By Paul Bolton
Warwickshire batsman Michael Powell insists that the county’s decision to award him a benefit this year does not mean that he is contemplating retirement.
The 32-year-old Rugby-raised former county captain will officially launch a busy programme of benefit year functions with lunch in the banking hall of Birmingham solicitors Wragge&Co on Friday (Feb 22).
Powell believes that a successful season on the pitch will contribute to a successful benefit and he believes that the appointment of a new coaching team of Ashley Giles and Allan Donald might give him the chance to resurrect his county career. Powell dropped down the pecking order during Mark Greatbatch’s miserable two-year reign as Warwickshire’s director of coaching and spent much of his time languishing in the Second XI. But Giles has indicated that Powell still forms part of his first team plans and that Warwickshire’s decision to give him a one year contract on reduced terms does not necessarily mean this will be his last season at Edgbaston.
“I’ve taken the view that if I can play 30 games of first team cricket it will help give the benefit a higher profile than it would if I was to play 30 games in the seconds,” Powell said. “If I have to play in the second team I will and I will do my very best to make sure that I score as many runs as I can to get back into the first team.
But I have not signed a new contract with the aim of playing second team cricket. I want to play in the first team and I’m very excited about this season.
I want to play for another three years and I would like those three years
to be with Warwickshire.
For the past two years I haven’t really felt part of the staff and I’ve
probably let myself down a little bit with my fitness levels.
But I’ve spent the last two months working very hard on my fitness and I’m beginning to feel the benefits.
I also feel that I have got a genuine opportunity to play first team cricket
on a regular basis.
It is demotivating when you are not in the side. But if you look around
our staff at the moment then you can see opportunities.
I feel that a door has been opened and it’s up to me to make sure that I do the right things to walk through that door.”
Powell, a former England A international and ex-Coventry & NW player, has continued the recent trend of Warwickshire beneficiaries by supporting the Birmingham-based Cure Leukaemia charity. He will donate a proportion of his benefit fund to Cure Leukaemia.
Benefit events in the area include a glittering Opening Ball at Chesford Grange near Kenilworth on April 12 which will feature 1970's chart-toppers Showaddywaddy.
Powell’s benefit committee are also organising a curry night in Rugby on May 19 as well as a celebrity wine tasting evening at Edgbaston, golf days, cricket matches and an end-of-year pantomime which is likely to feature Warwickshire players.
“I have a very good chairman in Simon Millington, an excellent secretary in Alison Prosser and a fantastic committee,” Powell said.
”They take care of all the organisation which means that I can concentrate purely on playing cricket for Warwickshire.”
Further information about Michael Powell’s Benefit Year can be obtained
from Alison Prosser on 07769 880888.
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