Bamber wants to become all-format option for Bears

Warwickshire seamer Ethan Bamber says last season was one of growth and that he wants to become an all-format option for the Bears.

The 27-year-old had a highly encouraging first season at Edgbaston following his move from Sussex, taking 43 wickets in the County Championship as Warwickshire finished fifth, nine points behind Somerset in third.

Bamber was an ever-present in the Bears' four-day side and led the attack, bowling more than 150 overs more than anyone else in the squad.

"Through the season, I felt that I grew as a bowler and it was my first opportunity, probably, to be ever-present in a Division One attack, certainly with the new ball," Bamber told BBC Radio WM.

"And that's something I really enjoyed."

Bamber, whose wickets came at an average of 33, also returned a respectable economy rate of just over three runs per over over the course of the red-ball summer.

Nevertheless, he said he looks back on 2025 knowing where he would like to improve.

"I think something I didn't always do as I'd have liked was there were too many spells where I thought 'I let him off the hook there'. I bowled too many bad balls," Bamber said.

"I hope that I've added some craft and some skill to my game over the winter and I hope I'm able to display that."

Bamber has spent some of the winter playing Australian grade cricket in Adelaide and said that experience has helped his game.

"It's always challenging, grade cricket, whatever the level is, and I was fortunate the standard was really good.

"The competitiveness and everything that goes around it definitely lifts the level, and there is a sense that you are on the outside and you have to earn your place there. I find that really enjoyable, I was at a great club, but still you feel like you want to make an impact.

"I think that's a really good skill always to have, is how can you grow that competitive side, that leader, as you're expected to do well - that's a really good pressure to learn to deal with."

Having settled into the Championship side well in his maiden campaign, Bamber is keen to develop his white-ball skills and force his way into the limited-overs set-up more regularly.

"I think one always wants to play in all formats and obviously I'm not near the T20 side of the moment so that's an area I'd love to address," he said.

"The one-day stuff is similar, you want to be someone who the captain can look at and be like 'I want them in my team every game' so I think you're always looking at areas where you can grow."

Working with bowling coach Graeme Welch, Bamber said he had been trying to "add a different string to my bow" when bowling on flatter wickets.

"I'm hoping now I understand that better and just within those parameters, I'm just trying to grow and evolve and upskill," he said.

Although Chris Rushworth has retired, and Olly Hannon-Dalby will start the season on loan with neighbours Worcestershire, Michael Booth, Chris Woakes and returning Keith Barker will be competing with Bamber for a place in the side.

Bamber described that opportunity as a "incredibly exciting" and said he hopes it will inspire him to keep developing.

"It's such a privilege to be able to train with people with such high skill and it's definitely no secret it's going to be very, very competitive," Bamber said.

"I think there's two ways to look at that - one is as a threat and one as an opportunity.

"If you're in that side, you must be bowling well and Pop [Welch] speaks a lot about the group as a unit and wanting eight of us to contribute to a Championship-winning side and not having to rely on two or three bowlers.

"Every training session is competitive and having to be at that level for everything is something I've really enjoyed."

Warwickshire start the new season at home to Surrey on Friday [11:00 BST].