COVERED SPRING 2021

COVERED 8 TRENTBRIDGE.CO.UK “I’d watched plenty of T20 at Trent Bridge from the sidelines, but I’d never had the privilege of playing in front of crowds like that before.When I got the chance, I loved every minute of it. “But at the same time, now that I’ve got more experience, I feel like I can impact the game in different ways, rather than just riding the crest of a wave. “I feel like I can offer more advice and take on more responsibility. I’ve learned a lot from DC (Dan Christian) in that way, in terms of how he changes games and finishes off chases. “Along with the likes of Clarkey (Joe Clarke) and Ducky (Ben Duckett), I feel like I’m ready to step up and be a senior player. “We’ve always spoken at the club about how it’s not about how old you are, it’s about how you carry yourself, how you play the game and how you impact games of cricket.You can be an experienced player at a young age. “I feel like we’ve got a lot of lads in that position now, where we’ve learned what works for us, bettered ourselves and succeeded against the top guys, so we can bridge the gap between the young guys and the more senior players. “It’s a really exciting place to be in as a team.” Moores’ place in that team is a privileged, but pressurised one. Crouched behind the stumps, the keeper is never out of the action, and enjoys an unrivalled view of the accuracy of Fletcher, the guile ofWasim, the street- smarts of Christian. But there is no time to look on in awe. In many ways, the wicketkeeper is as crucial to the success of an over as the bowler himself. “You want it to all become second nature, so that you know what the bowler is going to bowl before he’s even bowled it,” explains Moores. “That’s the kind of thing that you can’t shortcut – it comes with time, experience, and with getting to know how each player reacts to different situations. “One of the challenges you face as a young keeper is not just watching on “NOW THAT I’VE GOT MORE EXPERIENCE, I FEEL LIKE I CAN IMPACT THE GAME IN DIFFERENT WAYS, RATHER THAN JUST RIDING THE CREST OF A WAVE.” Tom Moores