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In his own words

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‘Captaining the side to a Lord’s final victory has to be my career high’

I was born in Bolton. We moved down to Warwickshire in 1988. My coach from up there spoke to the club saying they should have a look at me. I was 13 at the time.

I was first around the dressing room when I was 16 – doing twelfth man for the first team. It really was a senior team then and I remember someone asked me if I had knocked when I entered the changing area. I duly went back and knocked before venturing back in.

Although I got taken on to the staff in 1994 I didn’t make my debut until 1996. There were 13 batsmen ahead of me and I wasn’t guaranteed even a second XI game. I scored five centuries and a double hundred in six consecutive games to finally break into the first team.

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Presenting
an award


My debut was against Durham. I clipped the first ball off my legs for two, left the next delivery and tucked the next ball into the legside for four. My opening partner, Andy Moles, wandered down and said, ‘Keep playing like that and you’ll be 600 not out at the close.’

Although I made my debut hundred in 1998, the innings when I proved to myself that I could cut it happened earlier in the same year against Nottinghamshire. It was a dodgy pitch at Edgbaston. The ball either rolled over your boots or bounced in front of your gloves. I managed to carry my bat for 73 not out – becoming the county’s first uncapped player to do so for 49 years.

The club had the ‘hiring and firing’ meeting at the end of 2000. I had a phone call from the chairman of cricket, Andy Lloyd. He told me to sit down – and I was convinced they we’re going to sack me – but he said I had been made captain.

I guess my most inspired moment on the field came in a NatWest semi-final versus Hampshire in 2000. They were chasing down our score and going really well when I managed to dive full length to catch Jason Laney off Allan Donald, before running out Will Kendall in the next over. AD charging to hug me as the crowd erupted was a special moment.

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Helping with
fundraising

Captaining the club to a Lord’s final victory in 2002 has to be my career high. Essex were hot favourites going into the game and Nasser Hussain was averaging over a hundred in the tournament. Shaun Pollock nicked him off early on and we became the last side to win the Benson & Hedges Cup.

I only played against Glenn McGrath once, but it was frightening how immaculate his line and length was. I managed to get 60 against him but remember walking off thinking if there were two bowlers in the same team like him I wouldn’t to get a run! Courtney Walsh falls into that same category.

When I started at the club, playing was all about the cricket, whether you were out on the field, in the nets or listening to the likes of Donald, Gladstone Small or Tim Munton over a beer at the end of the day. Now, with the improved fitness and nutrition culture, this has virtually disappeared.

Reprinted with the kind permission of All Out Cricket magazine - www.thepca.co.uk/all_out_cricket.html

Name - Michael Powell
Born - 05/04/75 in Bolton
Nickname - Powelly, Arthur
Career highlight to date - Benson and Hedges Trophy victory in 2002
Preferred room-mate on tour - Trotty
Best cricket ground you've played at and why - Lord’s because of its history
Cricketing hero - Ian Botham
Best player on the county circuit - Mark Ramprakash and Mustaq Ahmed
Favourite CD - Snow Patrol
Favourite website - www.edgbaston.com , www.mp2008.co.uk
Favourite film - Shawshank Redemption
Favourite TV programme - 24
Favourite tipple - Lime and Soda
Favourite meal and restaurant - Thai – Thai Edge
Three things you'd take to a desert island - A television, Sky HD box and the dish
What would you be if you weren't a cricketer? - A coach in a school

Reprinted with kind permission of Warwickshire CCC – www.edgbaston.com

14 February 2008
In an interview with Brian Halford of The Birmingham Evening Mail Michael talks about his hopes for the 2008 season.
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20 February 2008
In an interview which first appeared in the Coventry Telegraph on 20 February, Michael talks to Paul Bolton about the future – and the recent past.
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22 February 2008
Michael Powell, now into his 15th year with Warwickshire, launches his benefit season today. To mark the occasion he reflected on his career with George Dobell of the Birmingham Post.
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23 March 2008
Michael Powell talks to Paul Bolton.
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30 April 2008
Michael Powell addresses the Cricket Society.
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