COVERED SPRING 2020

27 @TRENTBRIDGE JOEY EVISON the centre of his early years. Rugby and hockey had a tough task if they were to steal Evison’s heart away from England’s quintessential summer- time sport. And it’s clear that his father has had a big impact on his sporting career. “Signing my first professional deal was a proud moment for me and my family,” says Evison. “Huge credit has to go to my parents, who have driven me up and down the country since an early age, when I was playing for Lincolnshire. “Some of my earliest memories are of my dad throwing balls at me in the garden. “He’s been a massive influence on my career; I’ve looked up to him all my life and he introduced me to the game.” Fast-forward to September 2019 and Evison is debuting for the Nottinghamshire first XI at the age of just 17. After years of work in his own back garden, and only a couple of summers after choosing to pursue cricket as his first-choice sport, the stars were aligning for a First-Class debut for the teenager. Earlier than expected, at least in his own mind, Evison was parachuted into a team that was struggling in the County Championship. But that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm. “It was absolutely amazing to be picked for theWarwickshire match,” says Evison. “To play my first game at Trent Bridge, with all the history that is there, is exactly what I wanted to do. “It wasn’t something I was expecting. “When Mooresy (Peter Moores, Nottinghamshire Head Coach) told me I was playing I couldn’t wait to get going. “I couldn’t get my head around it at first, but I was determined to soak up the atmosphere and show what I could do. “Playing in front of a home crowd in the County Championship was an unbelievable experience.” After the euphoria of his Green and Gold debut, Evison was back in school the following week, heading into an all- important final year of sixth form. However, it wasn’t long before his next cricketing assignment came calling. After a successful introduction to life with the England U19s across the summer, Evison, now 18, joined up with his Three Lions colleagues in the month leading up to Christmas. This time, it was for a tri-series that would ultimately decide who went to the U19World Cup in South Africa in early 2020. Evison would secure his place in the squad, thanks in part to a record-equalling 18-ball half-century against Sri Lanka. As we sit down upon his return from South Africa, Evison hasn’t seen the inside of a classroom since November when he left for the initial tri-series. However, he is full of praise for how his school have made it easier to focus on his cricket across a crucial winter. “It’s been quite tough (juggling school and cricket),” admits Evison. “But my school have been really supportive and have helped me on my journey. “They’ve helped me balance everything really well, especially since I left back in November, and they’ve stuck by me all the way.” His teachers, and fellow pupils, may have been hoping Evison would have been returning from the Rainbow Nation with a trophy in tow. “PLAYING IN WARM, TRICKY CONDITIONS AND WORKING ON MY GAME MANAGEMENT AND AWARENESS HAVE BEEN HUGE TAKEAWAYS FOR ME.” Joey Evison