YOUNG swing bowler and exciting prospect Ben Gibbon is hoping to break into the first team this year with Worcestershire as he looks forward to his first season with the club.

Gibbon was brought in from Cheshire for the 2022 LV= Insurance County Championship campaign and has his sights set on playing as much cricket as possible.

“The ambition is to be a professional,” he said recently in an interview with Paul Edwards.

“This year I’d like to break into the first team as far as I can. I want to bowl well in these pre-season games and then we’ll see where we are.”

“The first I knew of Worcestershire’s involvement was last summer, when I was playing for Cheshire and the umpire later messaged me and asked if I’d like him to get in touch with a couple of the Worcestershire coaches.

"I replied “Yes, please” and Kadeer Ali then messaged me, asking me to play in a game at Stourport. I signed a deal that day and it’s my first contract. I’m living in Worcester with Taylor Cornall and Mitch Stanley.”

At 21-years-old, Gibbon admits he has much to learn but is willing to put the hard work in and says his overall game has improved since moving to Worcestershire.

“I’ve loved the winter training at Malvern but it’s been pretty full on,” he said.

“It was mainly fitness training before Christmas but then the fitness and cricket came together in the New Year.

"I’ve done a lot of my bowling work with Richo but I think my batting’s also come on a lot since I’ve been at Worcestershire.

"I take my pride in my wicket and I don’t like to give it away. There’s still a lot of work to be done but I think it’s coming on and in this day and age you need to offer more than just one discipline.”

“The main threat I offer is the ability to swing the ball back in and I’ve been doing a lot of work on that and on my consistency:"