December 13, 2023— Dubai, United Arab Emirates Adam Hose, who signed with the Desert Vipers, stated that he now possesses the skills necessary to excel in white-ball cricket, especially the forthcoming ILT20, thanks to a renewed emphasis on red-ball cricket.
Having not participated in long-form cricket for the previous three summers, the batter moved from the English county of Warwickshire to the nearby Worcestershire for the 2023 UK summer with the specific goal of returning to first-class cricket.
“I made the move with the sole focus of playing more red-ball cricket, which I think is fundamental for white-ball cricket as well,” Adam Hose said in an explanation of his reasoning for the change made to the Vipers Voices podcast.
Red-ball cricket will only assist me in this regard, according to most elite players you speak to, who believe that the foundation of batting is to spend as much time as possible in the middle of the field.
I always enjoyed and wanted to play Test cricket, even if white-ball cricket is my specialty. I wanted that time out in the middle. My initial goal was to return to red-ball cricket, so it was incredibly satisfying to see that goal progress into this year (2023).
Making the switch to playing all formats once more paid off handsomely. In the English county championship’s second division, the 31-year-old not only played for a Worcestershire team that won promotion, but he also had remarkable success in the shorter formats, setting him up for his Vipers debut in the next action in the United Arab Emirates.
Adam made 397 runs at a remarkable average of 39.70 and a strike rate of 145.95 in the T20 Blast, helping Worcestershire get to the quarterfinals. He also scored 566 first-class runs in 11 games. In addition, he struck out 147.25 times in 134 more runs for the Northern Superchargers during the Hundred.
It was truly wonderful for both the team and me to receive that promotion with Worcestershire after a demanding and exhausting seven months of cricket. I was overjoyed,” Adam Hose remarked.
I didn’t feel ready to transition to white-ball cricket just yet; I still felt a strong desire to make as big of an impact as possible in red-ball cricket. All of these elements should hopefully position me well for playing white-ball cricket.
Adam will have previously participated in three ILT20 games with the Sharjah Warriors during season one when he travels to the United Arab Emirates to join the Desert Vipers. That served as a stand-in for the Warriors’ English players, who were playing in South Africa throughout some of the inaugural competition. However, even in that opposition line-up, he claimed he was pulled to the Vipers even then.
“When I was at Sharjah last year, we were training at similar times, and I remember thinking there was a great atmosphere (among the Vipers squad),” he said.
One of the things I am most looking forward to this year is being a part of the franchise’s future, as I have worked with a few of the coaches, including James Foster and Neil McKenzie, and I know the strength and conditioning coach, Darren Veness, very well.
“I think the team we have put together is probably the best team I will be a part of, and as a sportsman, you want to win things, so taking a look at this team, we should believe that we are very, very capable of winning this competition, and that is a huge motivation for me,” he continued.
Adam, who is playing for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League for the second straight season in Australia, expressed great optimism that he would be able to immediately establish himself in the ILT20.
“I literally jumped right off the plane (from Australia) and into a game (for Sharjah Warriors) last season, which was definitely challenging,” he remarked. “This year, I believe there will be a significant gap between my final Big Bash match and my debut ILT20 match, which should allow me some time to adjust.”
“Hopefully, I’ll be in a good position for the ILT20. The pitches (in the UAE) are always pretty good, so it shouldn’t need too much adjusting. However, I am looking forward to playing in the Big Bash in a few months at the Adelaide Oval, one of my favorite cricket grounds worldwide and one of the best batting pitches.
Regarding his ideal batting position for the Desert Vipers, Adam stated that a spot in the top three was not at the top of his list.
“I feel most dangerous going into the back end of an innings, but I know a lot of players want to bat at the top of the order (in Twenty20 cricket),” he added. “I actually enjoy that middle order.”
“Over the past three or four years, I’ve discovered that I actually enjoy batting in the four or five position. I genuinely enjoy it.
About the strategy Adam would use with the Vipers, he claimed to be completely certain about it.
“As a child, I watched players like Kevin Pietersen, AB de Villiers, and Matthew Hayden play. They were all very positive, dominant players who always tried to get ahead, take the game on, and move it forward. I have always gravitated toward the game’s innovators,” the man stated.
In order to appear dominating against a bowler, I want to try to be upbeat in everything I do, including running between the wickets and body language.
Although I try not to brag too much, I think of myself as reasonably dynamic and always consider and prioritize what the team might need from me at that particular moment. I also keep in mind and don’t attempt to stray too far from my strengths and strong suits.
The Desert Vipers’ opening game of the second ILT20 tournament is scheduled for Sunday, January 21, at Dubai International Stadium, against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. The tournament begins on Friday, January 19.
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