First up ‘In the Spotlight’ is our very own First Team Captain, Sam Heeley. Great with both bat and ball, Sam is confident his side will do well this year! Let’s see what he has to say.
Do you have a nickname and if so, can you explain its significance?
KDB (Kevin De Bruyne). Apparently, I am a look alike!
What sparked your interest in cricket?
My dad played cricket which started my interest, but it was mainly that I had some friends who played at Standish. I actually found it boring and was close to quitting when younger!
Do you have a cricketing superstition, if so, what is it?
I have a particular ritual I follow when going out to the crease (batting). It includes a skip over the boundary a few heel flicks, straight drives and a hamstring stretch. No Idea why!
Who is your club cricketing hero?
Smudge (Richard Smith) – brilliant bloke and player at both Standish and Orrell.
Who is your favourite professional player?
Ben Stokes.
Who is the funniest at the club?
Tough one…a combination of Baybutt and Andy Mottram can be funny, when they’re not targeting you. Milky can also come out with some amusing stuff…especially when having a rant. Chris Riley when he stays out for more than one beer can also be funny.
Which team-mate is the tidiest in the changing room?
Tough one…probably Dave Naylor as he has that much kit and clothing, he needs to be organised.
Who is the most humble player you’ve played with?
Probably Dave Naylor….but he is too humble, we need nastier Nayls sometimes!
Who has been the biggest influence on you?
From a cricket point of view there’s been a few. Learnt a lot from Tony Kelly from his captaining at Standish as well as Richard Smith who helped me in my first few years as captain of Standish. Both very knowledgeable cricketers.
What one tip or piece of advice would you pass on to our juniors?
Take something from every session you do.
You will learn more from your mistakes than you will from your achievements.
What is your favourite post-match drink?
Moretti!
What is your favourite food?
Mum’s homemade scouse or roast chicken dinner.
What is your favourite football team?
Liverpool.
What is your favourite away ground?
Newton Le Willows or Ormskirk – nice ground and track.
What is your favourite band/singer?
Anything Motown.
What would be your T20 theme tune song and why?
It was “You’re so Vain” – Carly Simon, but I have no idea why!
What is your funniest or most memorable moment at ORTCC?
There’s a funny changing room incident at New Brighton from a couple of years ago I probably can’t speak about in much detail.
A disagreement between Tom Jones vs Karl Brown last year at home was also amusing to watch from the middle.
Or Chris Riley panicking when he called out to the car park after a disagreement with a spectator…”Don’t be silly, I’m a level 2 coach!”
Most memorable moment was the first premier league game win against Ormskirk at home. Incredible atmosphere at the club that day.
What is your proudest cricketing achievement?
10 wicket haul playing for Standish vs Flixton in 2010.