Home is where the heart is for young Moores
WHEN Lancashire last won the County Championship, in September 2011, there was a 15year-old desperate to join in the celebrations down at Taunton but he couldn’t get the day off school.
Now, nearly five years on, the same teenager is on the park trying to help them win it again.
His name is Tom Moores and he is the wicketkeeping son of ex-Red Rose title-winning coach Peter and he is currently on loan at Lancashire from Nottinghamshire.
Moores, 19, is covering for the absence of the injured Alex Davies and Jos Buttler and he made his firstclass debut in their narrow defeat by Durham at Southport this week.
Born in Brighton and having come through the Nottinghamshire system, Moores Jnr isn’t a died in the wool Lancastrian. But, given the family link, there is a definite affinity.
“I will always have a bit of Red Rose in me with my dad being so closely linked to the club,” said the England U19s keeper, who impressed with gloves and bat against now second-placed Durham.
“As loan moves go, it is the best thing I have done, and I’m enjoying every minute. The loan was a shock to everyone. Of all the clubs, who would have thought it would have been Lancs.
“I came and watched a few Lancashire games when my dad was here. As a young player it can be quite difficult when you go to a club on loan. But knowing some of the lads made it easier for me.”
Tom has praised the influence of his father, the pair now being together at Notts, throughout his life and career.
Initially, he wanted to be a fast bowler and then, realising he wasn’t tall enough, opted for the gloves, with dad throwing ball after ball for him to catch while diving on their trampoline in the back garden.
“I’m lucky to have him as my dad. He has two hats – his coaching hat and his dad hat,” continued Tom, who was watched by Moores Snr and mum Karen on day one at Southport. “Basically, he coaches me when I ask him to coach me. He never steps in the way. Being the coach he is, people may think he is very intense, but he is just a normal dad.
“With my dad being in the game, you can get dragged behind him a bit, especially with everything he has done in the game. I don’t want to be in the shadow of him, and hopefully a few successful performances will help me do that.”
Moores, who will tonight play his fifth T20 Blast game against Durham at Emirates Riverside, scored 25 and 35 and took three catches in each innings, two off Jimmy Anderson.
“I was nervous, but you always are going to be,” he admitted.“But I enjoyed every minute of it, especially with there being some big names playing like Ben Stokes and Jimmy Anderson.
“The experience of keeping to Jimmy at the age of 19 was amazing. He beats the bat a lot so you are always in the game. Keeping to the best bowler in the world is great experience, and you would do it every day if you could.”
Most of Moores’s catches were eye-catching and a couple spectacular but it wasn’t enough as Durham chased 247 to win by two wickets.
Keaton Jennings and Jack Burnham had put on 123 after Durham slipped to 47-2 on the final morning but Lancashire fought back through Tom Smith (5-25) as the visitors slumped to 195-7.
Ben Stokes was then run out for 36 on the brink of victory but Adam Hickey and Chris Rushworth guided Durham home.