Jack Home says he is determined to “savour the moment” after achieving his first five-for as a Worcestershire player during the eight wicket win over Derbyshire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Derby.
The pace bowler revealed a conversation with Assistant Coach Richard Jones after briefly leaving the action brought about a change in his fortunes after he was feeling “angry” with the way he bowled during his first spell.
Home came back and went onto finish with 6-51 – the best List A bowling figures by a Worcestershire bowler for 19 years – in only his third appearance for the first team.
Then Gareth Roderick, with his second century in three innings, and Jake Libby saw Worcestershire to a third successive win in the competition with an unbroken partnership of 161.
Home said: “You’ve just got to savour the moment and can’t take anything like this for granted because it may never happen again.
“I’m so happy, and so happy to contribute to the win.
“It’s been a perfect start, three wins from three, and the feeling around the group is we can go far in this competition, that we can have a crack at it.
“To start the way we have, the way we’ve gone about it, the way we’ve played our cricket, the lads couldn’t be anymore happier.
“The batting hasn’t changed too much although obviously we’ve haven’t got Hosey and Dolly.
“Obviously, the bowling is a bit younger but the feeling is fearless, and all the experienced people around the dressing room give us young lads confidence.
“We are all happy to be here and help compete for this club.”
Home admitted: “After my first spell I was a little bit down, a little bit angry and came off the pitch in between the 18th and 19th overs and just spoke to Richard Jones about my bowling.
“I just said to Richard ‘it’s not coming out right’ and spoke to him about things I could do to change it in my run-up and obviously it helped quite a lot.
“The first wicket I got was a bit of luck, and wasn’t probably my best ball, but after that I stuck to a plan.
“I try at the start of a spell to keep it calm, keep it within myself but if someone hits me, or I’m a bit angry with myself, then it does take over.
“But it’s never a bad thing to have a little bit extra anger if it’s channelled in the right way.”
Home’s five-for was in different circumstances to the previous two in his career and he admits the summer is developing in a different way to what he envisaged.
He said: “I had my first five-for when I was nine, against Yorkshire for Shropshire, and then I got one this year playing for Shrewsbury School against Manchester Grammar.
“This one tops those two, only just slightly!
“This summer I thought I was going to have was playing for the Under-18s and playing for Shropshire in the National Counties.
“But, now I’m here, not taking it for granted, just happy to be here every day, happy to be playing. It’s an honour, I’m pinching myself.”
After his exploits with the ball, Home was delighted to watch the performance of Roderick and Libby in closing out victory.
He said: “Watching Rodders and Libbs, they are different class. Both batted so well, especially Rodders.
“It was the best I’ve probably seen someone bat in a long time. It was an honour to watch them both bat.”
