'I want to be one of the bowlers the skipper can turn to for wickets'

Interview with Hampshire bowler, Chris Wood

Hampshire’s Chris Wood spoke to Chris Airey* about his amazing start to his professional career, and how the 21-year-old hopes to emulate team-mate and close friend James Vince by breaking into the England set-up.

You ended last year’s CB40 campaign as the leading wicket-taker – how was 2011 for you?

“It was a nice achievement, especially as it was the second year in a row that I done that. It was a nice opportunity to play in all one-day competitions and I was lucky enough to get the wickets and do well.

“It was quite hard to get into the Championship side. We had such a big squad with a lot of competition and big names including Simon Jones and Dominic Cork, so for a young lad like me it was always going to be a difficult season for me to break into it. So, in the end, I was just happy to get as many games as I did. I think in the end I played the last nine, so that was almost more than I expected really.”

Obviously last year was a difficult season after relegation in the County Championship...

“Yeah it was very hard because we are such a big club here with a such a big ground. But, at the end of the day, we have to put that behind us and now; it’s a new beginning. We have a much smaller squad this year with a new captain in Jimmy Adams. We have a lot of young players and some experience heads and, as I said, it is a new era here now. We hope to get back into the first division - if not next season then the season after.

“Why did we get relegated? I don’t think there is anything in particular from last year. We found it hard to win our games at home and if you are going to do well and stay up, you have to win your home games really.”

What do you think will change in 2012?

“We want to get back into division one and we want to get back as quick as we can. But we have also been a strong one-day side for many years now, so if we can just keep that going and compete well in those competitions then we would have done well.

You worked very closely with Dominic Cork, how do you think his retirement will affect you personally and the rest of the team?

“Personally, he was a great inspiration. He was a bowler who’s been around, he’s played Test cricket and he’s guy that you could go to to ask for advice and you knew what he would help you. He was on the pitch for the majority of games I played so if I was ever struggling, he would be the first person I would go to.

“But it is a new era now. We have a young side which gives people more of an opportunity to play and get into the side. I don’t think it will be a massive issue because we have players who can come in and do as good a job as he would have.”

What was it like winning the 2010 T20 with him as skipper?

“Best moment of my life by far. It was mind blowing; almost now it still hasn’t sunk in. It was incredible. It was very hard to take in, 25,000 people here; you almost forget that that many people are there. You just get into the game and try and do as well as you can. It is without a doubt my greatest moment in cricket so far.” [Wood is pictured, left, with team-mates, (l-r) James Vince, Michael Bates, Danny Briggs and Liam Dawson minutes after lifting the trophy.]

What are your aims for next season? Do you see yourself opening the bowling?

“That will be my main aim; to become a leader with the ball. Hopefully, I will be in contention in all forms of the game. I would like to continue to be a leader in the one day competitions and it would be nice to be the leading wicket taker in the CB40 again. I want to be one of the main bowlers that the skipper can turn to for wickets.

Do you see yourself as more of an all-rounder or as a strike bowler?

“I would like to think that I am more of an all-rounder but most of my team-mates would say that I was a bowler who can bat! Hopefully this season I can change their opinions! I think if my batting performances do improve it will give me a better opportunity to break into the Championship side, I think if you can do well in all criteria, bat, bowl and field well then you will get into the side in front of people and hopefully I can do that.”

How are the winter preparations going?

“I had a slight set-back as I had a bad back at the end of last season. I have been in rehab the last three months trying to get back healthy and have only just got back into training now; basically just starting to bat in the nets. I had planned to go away to Adelaide, but those plans got changed because of my back. I also had the chance to go over after Christmas, but I decided to stay here because we have The Rose Bowl which has great facilities - the indoor school, the gym etc - so it just makes sense really. I can just come in everyday and do what I want and get back fit again.”

What are your future hopes, do you have your eye on a possible England call-up one day?

“First and foremost, it’s to have another good year with Hampshire! Eventually I would to think that I could do what any young lad playing County Cricket wants to do and that is to play for England in one of the forms; either in one-day competitions or Test cricket. The Test squad looks pretty settled for what could be for five years and the only way you can push yourself and get into that team is if you go away and do well, putting in the performances and get noticed. I would like to get a chance with the England Lions and hopefully prove myself at that standard.

“James Vince [who is out with the England Lions in Bangladesh at the moment] isn’t only one of my close friends but he is also a quality player. He has been out with the Lions and, from what I have heard from him, they are very happy with his progress so far. So the aim for him now is to just keep on working hard. There are a lot of young players in that squad and I would say he was behind a few at the minute but if he scores a few more runs then he has a shout at being one of the stand out players. I think it is just a waiting game at the moment for him - wait for his opportunity and hopefully he will take it.”

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Words: Chris Airey
Images: LMI Photography /
NJM Photography

*Chris Airey writes for Boundary Magazine blog. To read more of Chris' articles click on his credit above.

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