Jake Libby has scored more runs than any other batter in English first class cricket during the current decade and Worcestershire Assistant Head Coach, Kadeer Ali, believes he is “one of the best openers in the country.”
Libby moved to New Road from Nottinghamshire for the pandemic shortened 2020 season and since then four prolific years have produced 3414 runs.
His consistency is highlighted by the fact he was the second highest run-scorer in the country in both 2020 and 2021 and the third best for 2023.
Libby has hit 11 hundreds and 13 fifties and has a superb average of 50.64 from 2020 to 2023.
He is ahead of Alex Lees (3336), Josh Bohannon (3197) and Tom Haines (3028) as the highest run-getter during the past four years.
Kadeer, himself a former opener for Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, said: “Jake is an outstanding player. There is no doubt he is one of the best opening batters in the country.
“He is definitely in the top echelons. His ability to score in most conditions, on most pitches, has been brilliant and his temperament is great.
“I think the last couple of years he has scored a little bit quicker than he has done in the past. He is a massive, massive part of our four day team.
“He gives us that experience and he has been leading the batting unit from the front for the last few years now.
“Jake loves batting time. He loves the challenge. With the wickets at New Road, there has been a little bit more in it for the bowlers this year, and he still finds a way to score and rotate strike really well.
“A big thing for me is he is not shy of putting the bad ball away. Jake is constantly looking to get better, constantly looking to find ways to score and that’s what makes him the player he is.”
Kadeer says Libby is always looking to make positive adjustments to his game.
He said: “In the winter, he just wants to keep improving. When he comes in, he has a clear plan of what he wants to work on.
“There were a couple of areas he wanted to improve upon last winter and he spent some quality time on those, and the transition he made into game mode was brilliant. It was really noticeable.
“With Jake, one of his biggest strengths is his mindset. His mindset is always to score. He looks like a traditional, old school batter but with the modern way of trying to score quickly.
“His technique is pretty sound but the biggest improvement over the past couple of years has been his mindset to score which gets him in good positions.”
