Two Overs At ... Ian Hayes

HayesyHe's our new chairman of cricket, and a bit of a local cricketing icon. In this exclusive chat with Hayesy we discover his plans for the club, what his greatest moments have been, and also learn a little more about his off-pitch persona, courtesy of a special guest contributor!!

How did you come to play at TSJ?
I was playing for Ramsbottom Traders and Mr Coe made a play for me, no money exchanged hands. In fact I’m still waiting for him to buy me a pint.

What does your new role as chairman of the cricket committee involve?
Initially it involved receiving a vast amount of grief from Woodbank (TSJ feeder club). My role from day one was to bring in one or two players who would strengthen our team. I also wanted the training to be more organised starting at the winter nets. We are already discussing the nets for next winter. Forming a cricket committee has been one of the things introduced and this has taken a great deal of pressure off the captains.

How has the club changed since you joined?
The club has always been warm, friendly and a relaxed place to play cricket (Tell my Yips that!!!). There is now an element of youth involved which is essential for the club going forward. Nets are well attended, the ladies team have integrated brilliantly with the senior teams. The club has obviously had the changing room extension which is a brilliant facility. There is definitely a buzz around the place and the ‘older’ players seem to be buying into what we are trying to achieve.

At this point it's worth bringing in our guest contributor, none other than Ian's son and fellow cricketing icon, Phill. Hayes Jr speaks a little about his dad's coaching credentials: "when I was about 5 he used to throw some balls down to me in our front garden. If I hit it remotely near him, he'd run round like he was at backward point and whip the ball towards the stumps. It would invariably hit me in the legs / chest / head. I'd go in in tears and he'd get shouted at."

Who are your cricketing heroes?
Without a doubt Ian Botham, and I loved watching Neil Fairbrother bat. Currently Josh Buttler is entertaining.

Pick your all-time cricket dream team?
I thought I would pick a team from the players who I have played against or with - Mohsin Khan, Bruce Edgar, Larry Gomes, Harry Pilling, Sherwin Campbell, Mohinder Amarnath, Andy Roberts, Franklyn Stephenson, Mike Whitney, Ezra Mosely, Travis Birt. Some pace in that team. Each of the fast bowlers got me out at least once and I bet they are still talking about it now!!!!

If you ran the league, what 1 rule change would you implement?
The thing that has always bugged me is having to turn up to grounds when it is obvious that it will be rained off. An umpire should be dragged in to inspect and call the game off to avoid the away team having to travel. I would also restrict to 10 overs per bowler.

What’s the biggest challenge in local cricket?
The biggest challenge is getting ‘kids’ to put their I Pads down and get out and play. The number of kids playing cricket is dwindling rapidly. The LCB/ECB need to be an ever present within schools throughout the summer to try and capture some enthusiasm for the game.

Phill: "He can't even use Teletext, let alone an iPad! I wouldn't be surprised if he wrote on it like an actual pad. "i" stands for Ian's. Ian's pad."

Who are your favourite teammates – at Totts and ever?
I love Ryan Marsh (man love that is). I miss Lee Kenyon but everybody is ace at our club. Kieran bought me a drink once.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen on the field?
In one game I played I was fielding close and unbeknown to me the opening bowler bowled a red apple. The first ball he bowled a beamer and the batter middle it ... the debris went everywhere including in my hair. Lee Kenyon walked out backwards to the crease playing for traders once. When he got to the crease he asked the keeper to tie his shoelace. As the keeper bent down in front of him he pushed his head down provocatively ... he proceeded to be bowled first ball and walked off backwards.

Speaking of fielding, back to Phill: "Loves his fielding! I guess people gravitate towards the only thing they're good at."

Tell us something we might not know about you?
I trialled for Bury twice. In the second game I scored at both ends, one being a 30 yard screamer on the volley. This resulted in me being an Insurance Broker.

Phill came up trumps on the little-known stories, this oen being our particular favourite: "When he first split up with my mother we took him on a night out into Manchester. We were in a bar and a glamorous looking young lady started giving him the eye (must've been a glass one). We egged him on to go and talk to her, which he subsequently did. Few flirtatious laughs exchanged and he looked to be going great guns. All of a sudden, her face changed to a frown and she walked off. He came wondering back like nothing had happened. 'What went on there? Why did she walk off?' 'I don't know, we were getting on great, she asked how old I was, I said 46, and she knobbed off!'"

Favourite book, film and TV show?
Robin Hood Prince of thieves/ Debbie Does Dallas (Think our Club Welfare Officer may need to hear about this - and where's the book? Ed)

What’s been your best cricketing achievement, and what would you like to achieve in the future?
I might go on a bit here. In the 1983 World cup final Mohinder Amarnath was man of the match for India. The following year he was pro at Crompton and he was one of my 5 wickets. I got a wicket with my first ball in Radcliffe, first team. Got a hat trick including the Pro against Norden that being my second hat trick (All pre YIPS time obviously). I was batting with my son when he scored a ton once and I captained a Radcliffe team when my daughter bowled a hat trick. My best achievement going forward will be when we get promotion this year. Sorry to go on!!!

Back to Phill to finish with an alternative look at his Dad's on-pitch exploits: "my old man, Kathryn and I ended up on the same 1st XI pitch. Both of them were watching and we had 2 injuries so both came on as sub fielders. Ian instantly played the role of sledger in chief to a guy who got 90 ish. After a few inane comments such as 'he doesn't know which end to hold' and 'put a bell in it' the batter turned around and said 'hang on, you're too sh*t to have even been selected, so pipe down!' Fair play! Incidentally, he later took a single to Kath who mowed the stumps down with a direct hit and ran him out."

If you'd like to take a turn in the hotseat, please drop Doc P a line via webmaster@tsjcc.co.uk and we'll whizz you over some questions. We'd be delighted to hear from players, supporters, partners, friends of the club or anyone who fancies taking part - all welcome!

I Will if You Will Biffaward

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Twitter: @TottyStJohnsCC