Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2016

12 Sheffield Cricket Lovers’ Society twitter: @scloverssociety How long can you carry on playing at this level? “I want to do 20 seasons. My dad, Arnie, played 18 years with Yorkshire and next year will be my 19th season. If I could get to 20 years, I’d be proud of that. But we will have to see what happens. I have one year left on my contract and all I am focusing on is that. “All I want to do is contribute and do my bit for the team. The young lads keep me going, as I want to beat them, get more wickets than them. David Willey is coming in and I am looking forward to working with him. It is a kick up the backside for all the bowlers, as next year we have another in and we will all need to play better to stay in the team. That is a big advantage over other teams.” How does this side compare to the other Championship winning teams you have played in? “I’ve been lucky to play with some great cricketers down the years and some champion teams. This current Yorkshire side is probably the best. In particular, the way we have had to adapt and overcome the England call-ups this year has been remarkable. Twenty-one players have played their part in our success and that does not include Joe Root, the best batsman in the world, who did not play a single Championship match. “We have created history breaking a whole host of records. We were always confident at the start of the season of winning the title, but we never thought that we would go on to win it with a record points-haul and the most wins ever since two divisions were created. That is the manner of how strong we are and the depth we have across all departments. “After we won the title at Middlesex we sat in the dressing room before the celebrations began and talked about creating our own legacy. Look at what this club achieved in the Sixties – was it six titles? To win it three or four times in a row, that is when you can hold your hand up and say, ‘This group belongs up there’. That is what drives me on and the rest of the lads.” What will you be doing in the close season? “Resting and spending time with the family. The summer schedule is relentless and it is difficult to commit to quality family time. “We have a reasonable break before reporting back for our strength conditioning at the end of November under the guidance of Ian Fisher. We will concentrate on that until late January when cricket skills are introduced. “I will also spend quality time continuing to develop my Academy. With help from my team, I run professional weekly coaching sessions and school holiday camps across York and Leeds for children aged 8-15. I have handpicked some ECB qualified coaches, who implement a wide varied course that ultimately improves their cricket skills. It is going well and long-term I will be doing this, more or less, full-time. As part of the work we do, I offer coaching scholarships for aspiring cricketers from under-privileged backgrounds. Cricket needs to be more inclusive and find ways of making it attractive to all walks of life. The next stars of the game are out there and I feel I am duty bound to pass on my knowledge and expertise to the next generation of players.” Ryan Sidebottom Cricket Academy - ryansidebottomcricketacademy.co.uk