Ben Cox

Ben Cox
Personal information
Full name Oliver Benjamin Cox
Born 2 February 1992 (1992-02-02) (age 20)
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England
Batting style Right-handed
Role Wicket-keeper
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20
Matches 14 11 8
Runs scored 365 17 13
Batting average 18.25 5.66 6.50
100s/50s 0/2 0/0 0/0
Top score 61 9* 6*
Catches/stumpings 37/2 8/2 2/2
Source: CricketArchive, 28 May 2011

Oliver Benjamin Cox (born 2 February 1992) is an English cricketer who plays county cricket for Worcestershire.

Cox has been associated with Worcestershire for some years, having played at Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 level, although not originally as a wicket-keeper.[1]

He captained the Under-17 side against Somerset U-17s in July 2009, scoring exactly 100.[2]

Cox was called up to make his first-class debut, aged 17, in Worcestershire's penultimate County Championship match of 2009, against Somerset at Taunton.[3] Withdrawn from his lessons at Bromsgrove School for the occasion,[4] he scored 61 in his only innings of a drawn match (an innings in which Daryl Mitchell scored 298), winnings compliments for an innings that after a slightly nervous start had become one of "great maturity and judgment".[5] Keeping wicket, his first first-class dismissal was that of Marcus Trescothick, stumped for 72.[6] He also took four catches, including a spectacular leg-side dive to dismiss Arul Suppiah.[7]

He was awarded a four-year contract by Worcestershire in October 2009, Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes paying tribute to his performance on debut, saying he showed 'real character'.[8]

Cox pressed his claims for a regular place in the side in his first game of the 2010 season. Batting at number eight in a non-first-class warm-up match against Bradford/Leeds UCCE, he came to the crease with his side struggling at 140 for six; his magnificent 110 was scored off only 138 balls. Worcestershire went on to win the game.[9]

“ We're so chuffed for him, and obviously for the school. Let's hope some other boys can follow in his footsteps and reach the high standard he has so far!
(Justin Abrahams, Head of Boys' PE at Bromsgrove Senior School)
 ”

Notes

  1. ^ "Other matches played by Ben Cox". CricketArchive. 21 September 2009. http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/370/370103/Other_matches.html. 
  2. ^ "Somerset Under-17s v Worcestershire Under-17s in 2009". CricketArchive. 21 September 2009. http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/214/214433.html. 
  3. ^ "Somerset v Worcestershire in 2009". CricketArchive. 21 September 2009. http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/204/204653.html. 
  4. ^ Tennant, Ivo (18 September 2009). "Worcestershire threaten a win at last". The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/counties/article6839080.ece. Retrieved 21 September 2009. 
  5. ^ Ward, John (17 September 2009). "Mitchell falls short of triple hundred". Cricinfo. http://www.cricinfo.com/countycricket2009/content/story/425444.html. Retrieved 21 September 2009. 
  6. ^ "Ben Cox". YouTube, extract from Midlands Today. 22 September 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQMlLbbzBT0. 
  7. ^ "Somerset v Worcestershire, day 3". YouTube. 18 September 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfWuPBZfd3E&feature=related. 
  8. ^ "Ben Cox Signs Four-Year Contract At New Road". Cricketworld.com. http://www.cricketworld.com/uk_county_cricket/worcestershire/article/?aid=22291. Retrieved 28 October 2009. 
  9. ^ "Worcestershire v Bradford/Leeds UCCE in 2010". CricketArchive. 15 April 2010. http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/262/262590.html. 

References

Worcestershire County Cricket Club – current squad