Wednesday, March 26th, 2014

Kohler-Cadmore Hoping To Challenge For First Team Spot At New Road

Kohler-Cadmore Hoping To Challenge For First Team Spot At New Road

Tom Kohler-Cadmore has set his sights on challenging for a first team spot with Worcestershire this season but knows he faces strong competition for places.

Opening batsman Kohler-Cadmore impressed when making 47 on his first team debut against Bangladesh A at New Road last summer.

That followed on from a record-breaking final season at MalvernCollege, where he enjoyed a successful four-year scholarship, in scoring 1409 runs including three scores over 150.

Kohler-Cadmore also showed his potential during the county's pre-season tour of Abu Dhabi earlier this month and scored 61 during the two day game with Derbyshire.

The 19-year-old has his feet firmly on the ground but is determined to push as hard as possible to be involved at senior level.

Kohler-Cadmore said: "Luckily for me, Moeen Ali got called up into the Engand side because that gave me a bit of an extra opportunity, one more batting space, which was really nice for me.

"Luckily I did quite well in Abu Dhabi so hopefully I can push on and see where that goes from there.

"The pitches out there were really flat so you could hit through the line of the ball.

"I was nervous going about to bat but everyone is real supportive and I don't feel and pressure of anyone looking down on me saying 'he is young.'

"I think everyone here wants to see everyone else succeed and everyone is really supportive no matter what you are doing, as long as you are doing the right things anyway.

"Opening up with Daryl Mitchell has been really helpful and if things are a bit tense he will come down the pitch and give me words of experience and is a good help for me."

Kohler-Cadmore, who was part of the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide during the winter, believes the competition to be part of the side can only be beneficial.

He said: "If you are in a side and people are pushing you, then that makes it really good for the squad, the fact you know you've got to be scoring runs as a batsman or taking wickets as a bowler.

"I'd like to play all formats by the end of the year and just push on and hopefully cement a place.

"But if I'm not in the first team, it's about doing as well as I can in the second team and then I'm pushing for the first team and, if I get my go, take the opportunity."