Up now is one of the young guns at the club, Chris Cash.

 

 

 

“I was born in February 1995 in Edinburgh. My dad had always been a keen cricketer and was playing for the first XI at Watsonians when I was born. When I was very young I used to watch my dad play on a Saturday afternoon and just observe what was going on.

 

“My dad brought me along to Watsonians youth practices aged five or six and I would go every Sunday thereafter. I was playing a lot of football, rugby and tennis at the same time so I was finding it tough making it to practice every Sunday. The turning point in my cricketing career was when my family decided to go to New Zealand for nine months. I was 11 at the time and I went to New Zealand when it was their summer period. I was playing cricket very regularly over there and that was when I also took up spin bowling. I came back to Scotland a much better all round player and with a better attitude towards cricket. Last season I represented Scotland under-15s and 17s and hope to do the same this year.”

 

GH – What is your first cricketing memory?

 

CC – My first cricketing memory would be from when I was about eight or nine. I remember playing in a kwik cricket tournament at Livingston. In one of the matches, against West Lothian from memory, I took a hat-trick bowling my left-arm seam. I remember bowling my third victim round his legs! Tim Bunker was coaching us at the time and I think he gave me a special man of the match award. We ended up winning that tournament and the one at Arbroath the following week.

 

GH – What has been your personal cricketing highlight?

 

CC – My personal career would have to be having figures of 2-35 on my Scotland under-15 debut. I was relatively unknown at this point as I had not played much representative unlike the other lads in the squad so it was nice to show what I was about.

 

The game was against Shropshire and although we were beaten comfortably I still had a feeling of satisfaction when we got back to the hotel later that night. Other highlights include getting selected to play for Scotland under-17s a few weeks later, and getting my first wicket for the club first XI in a friendly T20 match at Penicuik.

 

GH – Who have been the biggest influences on your cricketing career?

 

CC – Recently I have been very fortunate to have been coached by guys such as Craig Wright, Andy Tennant, Steve Paige and Mike Powell and when I was young guys like Tim Bunker and Steve Lockhart. Tim in particular has had a major influence on my career as he was always very positive and has a clear passion for the game of cricket.

 

I would have to say though that the two guys who have had the biggest impact on my cricketing career so far are my dad and Alan Patterson. My dad has always encouraged me to improve my game and makes sure that I ‘keep my head down’ at all times and don’t get too carried away. I am very lucky to have Alan Patterson, AP as he likes to be called, as an English teacher at GWC. When I was about 12 he spotted me playing at school and asked me to come along to an East of Scotland session. Since then, he has contributed to getting me selected for national age group sides and is always looking to make me a better player.

 

GH – What are your favourite opposition grounds in Scotland?

 

CC – I have two favourite opposition grounds in Scotland. Firstly, from a personal point of view, I love playing at Penicuik. The ball turns a mile which probably has something to do with it being Willie Morton’s home ground. I am also a big fan of the new ground at Stirling. The facilities there are top quality and the backdrop of the hills and the monument are unique. The ground holds a lot of memories for me- some good and some not so good.

 

GH – Who has been the best player you have played alongside at Watsonians? And the best player you have bowled against?

 

CC – Andy Delmont is the best player I’ve played with. His ability to hit boundaries almost at will was incredible. Bowling against Craig Wright last year was a pretty nervous yet useful experience. I was playing for the school and Wrighty was playing for the MCC. I actually bowled quite well to him but I always felt that he could just pop me over mid-wicket at any point.

 

GH – How are you looking forward to the coming season?

 

CC – This season is set to be very interesting for the club as well as on a personal note. It will be interesting to see how the club progresses with its new signings. There may even be the possibility of silverware coming to Myreside this year. Personally, I have very little idea of what this season has in store for me. I am hoping to help the National under-15s to their third successive European title. Aside from that I am just going to take things one step at a time and look to learn things in every game I play in.

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