BIG-HITTING Pears opener Ed Pollock has become the third star to sign a new three-year contract and wants to build on the promise shown in red-ball cricket in his debut season.
The former Warwickshire batter has followed spinner Josh Bake, and pace bowler Ben Gibbon in signing contracts until the end of the 2025 campaign after having one year left of his previous deal.
Pollock scored two centuries in his debut season in the LV County Championship for the Pears including a memorable match-winning knock to defeat Middlesex at Merchant Taylor’s School.
A 98 and two other half-centuries helped his first season of Championship cricket yield a respectable 645 runs at an average of 32.25.
Pollock said: “Everyone in cricket comes to accept you don’t very often have long-term security, so to have this backing from Paul [Pridgeon, Cricket Steering Group chair] Alan [Richardson, head coach] means, if you have those dips in form or performances, you can keep a lot more level-headed and keep cracking on and doing what works.
“It was mixed emotions with regards to last year. Very happy with how I started Championship cricket, and there were lots of promising signs from that.
“Disappointing in the white ball campaign but from chats with Alan and Paul, all parties think there is a lot of promise there to hopefully this season to go and win many more games for Worcestershire.
“Before I’ve known what I can do in white ball cricket and I’m just starting to show what I can do in red ball cricket, so it does very much feel like I’m still just getting started.”
Pollock is hoping to develop even further his opening partnership with red-ball vice-captain Jake Libby.
“I know when he is batting well, and suddenly that big partnership at Sussex in September (195 for the first wicket) was the fruit of the season,” he added.
Pridgeon, said: “Polly has worked very hard, he has fitted into the side well, he has fitted into the dressing room well. There is a bit of humour about him which the lads really enjoy.
“It’s all very well saying, ‘I want to play Championship cricket, I think I can do it’, but you have to go and prove it, and he has done that.
“What you see is what you get a little bit. He’s had his ups and downs, but he is a dangerous cricketer.
“I certainly think there is better to come from him white-ball wise where we haven’t seen the best of him yet. If it is his night, he can be so destructive.”