Fast bowler Craig Miles will leave Warwickshire this autumn and re-join Gloucestershire, the county where he first broke through as a 16-year-old. The 30-year-old has signed a three-year contract that begins at the close of the current season.
The Bristol-born seamer, developed through Gloucestershire’s academy, moved to Edgbaston in 2018. Since then he has collected 134 wickets for Warwickshire across formats, including a pivotal 37 in the club’s 2021 County Championship-winning campaign. His 5 for 28 in the Bob Willis Trophy Final later that summer all but settled the match against Lancashire and underlined his red-ball credentials.
At Gloucestershire he resumes with 313 career dismissals from 116 appearances for the county; a solid platform, even if an uneven run of injuries has held him back over the past two years. Fit this summer yet out of Warwickshire’s first-choice Championship XI, Miles has featured mainly in the Vitality Blast, picking up five wickets in six outings for Birmingham Bears.
“I’m absolutely buzzing to be coming back to Gloucestershire,” Miles said. “The chance to wear the shirt again and represent the Club that played such a massive part in my journey was something I simply couldn’t turn down.
“From making my debut as a 16-year-old, to unforgettable wins at the Cheltenham Festival, and that incredible day at Lord’s in 2015 – some of the fondest memories of my career happened whilst playing for Gloucestershire.
“Every time I’ve returned to Nevil Road, it’s felt like home, and I can’t wait to be back out there.
“I’m hugely excited to work with Mark Alleyne and the coaching team, link up with some familiar faces and old friends, and give everything I’ve got, on and off the field, for the Glorious once again.”
Head coach Mark Alleyne welcomed the move, noting the blend of past ties and present need. “I very much look forward to welcoming Craig back to Bristol,” Alleyne said. “He left as a precocious talent and returns with a strong body of work on the first-class stage. His experience will be invaluable as we rebuild a formidable attack to compete in Division One. If we’re unsuccessful this year, his presence for that push in 2026 will be savoured.
“As an all-format player, he will add great quality across the seasons to come.”
Gloucestershire, currently battling for promotion from Division Two, have made no secret of their desire for additional pace depth. Miles offers that, plus a local connection supporters tend to value. From a Warwickshire angle the decision appears rooted in squad balance: a fit bowler, but one edged out by newcomers and younger quicks vying for the same spots.
Numbers alone hint at why Gloucestershire acted. Miles’ first-class average for Warwickshire sits at 27.14, dropping to 21.81 in the title-winning year. Add his ability to swing the ball early and reverse it late, and the signing feels a calculated, rather than nostalgic, move.
Whether Miles helps propel Gloucestershire to Division One next summer or steadies them in Division Two, both parties see upside. For the player, it is a return to familiar ground and the prospect of regular four-day cricket. For the club, it is the arrival of a proven County Championship operator who still has miles left in those legs – pun only partly intended.
