COVERED WINTER 2019

25 JOIN OUR MAILING LIST FOR ALL THE LATEST: TRENTBRIDGE.CO.UK/MAILINGLIST LIAM PATTERSON-WHITE Everything happens for a reason. A common mantra which is often used in the face of a difficult decision, failure or setback. In Liam Patterson-White’s case, his bumps along the way have led him to a first prof- essional contract with Nottinghamshire. Not selected after his first trial for the U11s. A more than useful football player up until 13. A wicketkeeper-turned-seamer in his early days as a cricketer. Patterson-White’s early sporting days were anything but straightforward. “I think I was about six years old and I went to watch my dad play at his local club, Basford Mill,” he recounts. “I can remember afterwards that he came up to me and said he wanted me to join the youth set-up of the Club. “I already played football at the time but I’m fortunate because my parents both thought it’d be good for me to play as many sports as possible from a young age. “Both of them have been there when I’ve needed them, but my dad has been the biggest influence and he was a wicketkeeper so he taught me to put on the gloves straight away. “Then I took up bowling seam, which I was enjoying but I found I got tired too quickly. “So my mum said ‘why don’t you try and bowl spin instead?’ “I spent the time, whilst my dad was playing, in the nets bowling and trying it out, with my mum throwing the ball back. “After the match, they had a small net session for young kids and some of the first team where I bowled to everyone and got a couple of them out. “I left thinking ‘if I’m getting them out at my age and enjoying it, what’s to stop me continuing to bowl spin’. “I have my mum to thank for being a spinner because my dad really wanted me to be a ‘keeper.” A trial with Nottinghamshire quickly followed but, at the first time of asking, he was unsuccessful. A setback so early on could have demoralised the budding all-rounder, or sent him into the welcoming arms of football. Instead it had the opposite effect. “When I didn’t get picked for the under 11s The rise of LiamPatterson-White through the Nottinghamshire ranks hasn’t been achieved without the odd helping hand along the way. The all-rounder opens up on how a nudge from his parents here, some advice from his coaches there, and a tough decision in his early teens have all led to his current situation.