Martyn Moxon and Ian Dews were officially announced as the new directors at the club. The players had been at Leeds Metropolitan University to have a look around and meet the ‘dream team’ that will lead them through the coming season.

 

I started by asking Adam how the first day of pre-season had gone and whether it the first time he'd met Darren Gough and Martyn Moxon?

 

Yeah, it’s been good thanks. It was a tough day yesterday, but it’s nice to be back. I met Darren and Martyn yesterday. I’ve met Martyn Moxon before, but it’s the first time I’ve met Darren. He’s a funny guy and it should be a good time for Yorkshire I think. The boys are really up for the season now. It should be a really good season if everyone does what they are supposed to do. If the bowlers take wickets and the batters score runs it should be a really good season for Yorkshire.

 

You name has been mentioned by a lot of people as a prospect for the future. For people that haven’t seen you play yet, who would you describe yourself as a batsman?

 

It’s quite hard to say. I’m a left handed batsman who bats in the top three. I’m fluent really I’d say. My favourite shot is the cover drive. I’m not so much an aggressive player. I’m not a big hitter. I’m not a nurdler, but I’d like to think that people would want to watch me play.

 

Is there anyone you’ve modelled yourself on as you’ve grown as a player?

 

Probably Graham Thorpe – he’s probably my hero. Then there’s obviously Craig White and Anthony McGrath at the club who are great players. Graham Thorpe’s a left hander though.

 

After the departure of Lumb and Lehmann and the possibility that McGrath might leave people were mentioning you for the step up into the 1^st Team. What do you think your chances of 1^st Team action are now the departures have been replaced?

 

We’ve obviously got Jacques Rudolph and Matt Elliott coming in and Mags has stayed. Realistically, I’m going to be starting in the 2^nd Team and hopefully have a better season than last year. I did really well last year, but hopefully if I can keep scoring runs and knocking on the door and hopefully I will get my chance.

 

You did score a lot of runs last year. What was your best innings?

 

It was probably against Durham where I scored 155no. I batted with Andrew Gale and we put on over 300 for the partnership.

 

Your 19-years-old now - at that age do you see chances in the 1^st Team as a bonus?

 

It’s hard to say as Adil did really well last year. He’s my age and he’s played a hatful of games last year. I’m capable of playing 1^st Team cricket so it’s just a case of scoring the runs that you have to score really. I would say I was ready for the 1^st Team, so we’ll see if I get the chance.

Someone has asked whether Adil coming into the side and doing so well has put pressure on other youngsters like you to come through and perform right from the word go?

 

No, not really, I’ll just concentrate on what I do and concentrate on getting runs. If I don’t I’ll try next time. I’ve got to focus on what I have to do. I’m not going to worry – if I don’t get a hundred or a fifty I’m not going to play – if I don’t get runs I don’t get runs. If you get some good innings it’s an added bonus in the 1^st Team if you are a young lad.

 

Has Darren Gough mentioned dancing yet?

 

(laughs) No he hasn’t no.

 

There’s a follow up question to that – looking around the squad of players at Yorkshire who do you think would do best on X-Factor and Dancing on Ice?

 

(Laughs) I would probably say Simon Guy for Dancing on Ice and for the singing one I’d go for Matthew Wood probably. He likes to think he can sing (laughs).

 

As a product of the Yorkshire Academy Ian Dews must have had a big influence on you as a player. How pleased are you for Ian on his recent promotion?

 

Greg Wood and I congratulated him yesterday on his new role at the club. Ian is a great bloke and we all obviously wish him all the best for the future in his new role.

 

I had a quick chat with Ian yesterday and he mentioned this interview with you. He told me to bring up the England Under-19 tour and why you didn’t originally get picked for the trip.

 

Yeah, they thought I was 20-years-old and therefore not eligible. It’s a bit of a downfall, but obviously I got on the tour and did well. Ian went down to Loughborough and he spoke to John Abrahams and said that he didn’t want to question any of his selections, but why aren’t you playing Adam. He was told that I was too old and told them I wasn’t and that I was still 19. At the beginning they said that I couldn’t go on the tour as they’d picked the team, but then Rory Hamilton-Brown got injured and I got a phone call asking if I wanted to go to Malaysia and I said yes.

 

So you went as a replacement?

 

Yeah I went as a replacement and the reason I wasn’t in the original squad was because they thought I was too old.

 

You took your chance well this winter didn’t you?

 

Yeah. I did really well in the summer against India and got a couple of good scores and took that into this winter. Greg (Wood) did really well out there too. He captained the side really well, kept well and batted really well too. He’s a good up and coming youngster at the club and there’s a few other youngsters at the club that are very good players.

 

How good could the Yorkshire side be, in say 5 years time, if all the current crop of young talent progress as they would like?

 

Oh, it would be a very, very good team.

When I ask about the youngsters you, Greg and Oliver Hannon-Dalby seem to crop a lot in peoples answers. Who else, perhaps underneath your age group, should we be looking out for?

 

Jonathan Bairstow for the batters – he improved last year and did really well and I think he played about two or three 2^nd Team matches and he got a hundred and Taunton and more runs elsewhere. For bowlers you’ve got Oliver Hannon-Dalby and James Lee. James played a first-class game last year in the Roses game. Those two have got a good future at the club.

 

Going back to when you were a kid was cricket something you always dreamed about playing for a living?

 

Yeah - cricket and football really, to be honest.

 

And at what age did you think that you had a real chance?

 

It’s hard to say that really, probably when Steve Oldham gave me the Academy contract. I thought then that I had a chance to play first-class cricket. It was probably last year or the year before when I though that if I could keep doing well that I had a chance. You see I haven’t made it yet – I’ve only played one game so there’s a long way to go yet.

 

When you get to the Academy you are surrounded by talent – there’s no bad players make it that far. What do you think gets you through to the next level?

 

It’s just how much you want it really. Personally I really, really want to play first class cricket and go to the highest level. If I don’t make it at the highest level then hopefully I can make it at county level. If you give it your best shot you can have no complaints and that’s what I’ve got to do and see how far that takes me.

 

Do you get many opportunities to face the likes of Dizzy, Hoggy and this year Gough in the nets?

 

We face them all the time, yeah. The pace isn’t that different, it’s the control of the ball that’s different to the Academy boys – not disrespecting the Academy boys.

 

As a batsman it must be a dream to have had players like Lehmann and Vaughan in the same squad as you. How much, and what have you learnt from guys like this?

 

Oh it’s been fantastic. You learn a huge amount of things. Last year with Darren Lehmann and Michael Vaughan, you just look at what they do on the pitch and off the field as well.

If you could go back in time - what advise would you give yourself at the age of 10?

 

Just concentration all round probably. To concentrate on my batting and not play rash shots, well not rash shots but silly shots when you shouldn’t really play them.

 

Do you play Twenty20 matches in the age groups as you come through?

 

I haven’t played Twenty20 before. I’ve played 20-over cricket when I was 11 or 12, but that wasn’t really the same.

Do you see yourself getting into the one-day side and playing a few Twenty20’s or something?

 

Well last year I played one Pro40 against Hampshire at Headingley towards the end of the season. I got 23 and batted okay. Hopefully this year I will get a chance. I’d love to play in the Twenty20’s. It’s a great game to watch and play.

 

The traditional route into the Championship side has been to play a few one-day games and if you perform you get a 4-day chance. As a batsman, do you think the Twenty20 or one-day game is the best place to start?

 

Well unfortunately it’s a bit of a lottery isn’t it really? Some days you can hit a load of boundaries and you get a fifty and then another day you could go in with the same attitude and same approach and get caught for none. Pro40 is probably better for me and the Championship, where you get more of a chance to bed in a bit.

 

What do the other players call you?

 

Lythee or Peanut, because I’ve got a small head (laughs) and not a big brain.

 

What would constitute a good season for you in 2007?

 

Hopefully a few more runs than last season and I want to play 1^st Team cricket, so hopefully a few games in the 1^st Team. If I don’t play Championship cricket then hopefully a few one-dayers, but we’ll just see how it goes. If I keep improving and scoring runs and knocking on the door I will hopefully get a chance. I’ve signed a 3-year junior pro staff contract so if it doesn’t happen this year then next year. My goal is to make my mark in those three years so that the club will want me around after that.

 

You made your debut in the final Pro 40 match against Hants, what was that like?

 

It was really good. To be honest I wasn’t even nervous, even when I went out to bat. We got off to a good start and then lost a few quick wickets. I was rushing and getting my pads on and stuff and not really thinking about it. You just do what you do and hopefully you get a few runs and a bit of luck and I did that. After a few balls I felt at home. There were quite a few people there and I’ve not really played in front of a big crowd before. Shane Warne was there and although he didn’t actually play he came on the field. That was a big thing to say that I’ve been on the pitch with one of the greatest ever bowlers.

As fans it’s a big thing to see the great names in action. As a young player you must be seeing people on the same pitch as you that you’ve seen on television, even Hoggy and Vaughny,?

 

It’s quite daunting really. Hoggy and Vaughny have played a lot of games and played in the Ashes and loads of times for England . It’s a good feeling and you think ‘yeah, I could do what they do’ and that’s my ambition. I want to play for England, but if that never comes, hopefully I can play for Yorkshire. One step at a time.

 

Ambition after ambition – just keep crossing them off when you’ve achieved them. What’s your favourite ground to play on?

 

Scarborough - that’s my home club and I’ve played there for a few years, and then obviously there’s Headingley. Scarborough’s my main club. When I was quite young I started at Whitby Juniors and then went to Scarborough. Phil Hart - I think Martyn Moxon is his brother-in-law - he was the main bloke at Scarborough. He got me in touch with Ian Dews, when Ian was at York . Ian put me forward for Yorkshire trials and I got in from there. If people have got talent and the coaches can see they’ve got good technique they will get recommended.

 

As a Whitby lad who does the best fish and chips in the town?

 

I’ve not visited the Magpie that much, but I like Trenchers as I think that’s the better one in Whitby . I’ve got to say Trenchers is the best fish and chip shop I’ve ever been in, plus my Mum, Christine, works there so there’s only one answer.

 

Next weeks interview will be with GREG NORTON. If you would like to suggest any questions for Greg please feel free to submit them HERE .

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