As Worcestershire County Cricket Club begin the 2025 season, player Adam Finch has been sharing his reflections and his hopes for the current season, with students at the University of Worcester.
Adam, himself a graduate of the University, said studying had helped him to step away from his hectic life at the club.
“I was on staff at Worcestershire when I started my degree,” said Adam, who studied Physical Education at the University of Worcester.
“What my degree did for my cricket was really great. I think it gave me an outlet. Cricket days can be really long, and they can feel even longer if you’re not performing how you’d like to,” smiled Adam.
He continued: “My degree gave me an outlet, so instead of going home and mulling over something from the day that I couldn’t change, I could just dive into study.”
Adam said: “I was really, really well looked after by my tutors. They understood my situation and they understood that I really wanted to engage with my course, but that it might just look a bit different to other students because I was playing cricket professionally.”
An established player who has shown remarkable commitment to his training and performance, in the face of injury, Adam is a role model for the younger and newer players coming up in the club.
“Those three to four years at University were really beneficial to me,” he said. “Going to university is something I always encourage younger lads to think about because I know how much studying gave me.”
Adam regularly returns to the university to give his personal and professional advice and expertise to students.
Craig Williams, Course Leader for Cricket Coaching and Management, said: “Adam’s sessions are incredibly valuable. He offers students real insights into player preparation, coaching techniques, and the physical and mental demands of professional cricket.”
He added: “We’re proud of everything Adam has achieved in his career so far, and he’s a real role model for our students. We wish Adam and the team at Worcestershire CCC all the best for the upcoming season.”
Looking ahead to his personal goals for the current season, Adam said: “I really don’t put statistics on things. Obviously, in cricket, runs and wickets are your bread and butter but I try to really judge myself on the positive contributions I make to the team, and to the group, because I think you can have such an impact on a game of cricket in so many ways other than just runs and wickets.”
Adam is now fully recovered from knee surgery last season and has been participating in training.
“Of course, I have my own little ambitions and milestones, but I keep those personal to myself. At the end of the day my head can hit the pillow, and I know I’ve tried my best to positively contribute to the team that day.”
“That’s how I deem myself to be successful”.
Adam has signed a contract that sees him stay at Worcestershire until the end of the 2027 season, and as he thinks about his own contribution in the coming years, he has been taking stock of the challenges that are ahead of the team in the upcoming games.
He said: “There are always going to be challenges across the season. I think we’d love to try and outdo ourselves again from last year. That was a really positive year for us as a group and as a club, and I think the biggest challenge is going to be to repeat that again.”
He added: “We’ve got to keep putting in performances that are going to keep us in Division One, and hopefully challenge the top half of the division.”
For information on courses at the University of Worcester visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries, telephone 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk