Oliver bags pro deal with Pears
Shropshire captain Richard Oliver today fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional cricketer as he penned a contract with Worcestershire.
The 24-year-old batsman impressed on trial to convince the County Championship Division Two title-chasers to sign him up on a deal that runs until 2015.
He smashed 77 in their T20 Blast match win over holders Northants last week – and 22 off 13 balls in last night's five-wicket win over Leicestershire – and admitted it was a dream move.
Oliver said: "I used to come down to New Road as a kid and watch a few games. You go around and watch professional cricket and you just aspire to want to do that every day of the week.
"You never give up hope. You see a lot of the guys coming into the game peaking in their late 20s, early 30s these days.
"It might be a case of closing the door on yourself more than anything because I don't think any counties close the door on any players.
"As long as you've got the belief in yourself to keep going it doesn't matter if you are 22, 24, 30, whatever.
"At the end of the day if you've got the hunger to do it and work on your game hard enough, there is no reason why you won't be given a chance as long as you are bashing the door down in league cricket and Minor Counties."
The ex-Shifnal star had been with the county for a month and had also scored 43 against Durham and 34 against Lancashire in the T20, along with 148 for Shropshire versus Lincolnshire last month.
Oliver, who has been playing and coaching at Reigate in Surrey this summer, also plundered two centuries for the Pears' second XI during his trial period and Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes admitted he couldn't ignore him.
He said: "Richard has been making a convincing case to be given a contract and showing what a good player he is.
"He has made sizeable contributions in three of the four T20 games so far and I think he and Moeen Ali enjoy batting with each other and complement each other.
"What has impressed me is that he hasn't looked out of place and he has got a good cricketing brain. I've been really pleased with the way he has played. His scoring had been heavy and he deserved an opportunity.
"We had plenty of batsmen and bowlers and it enabled us to give him a go at the top of the order.
"He has seen this as a fantastic opportunity to impress and, what he wanted was a contract."
