Maddy’s teaching Berkswell tricks of the trade

AVERAGING 247 with the bat and his team are top of the table – it’s fair to say it’s not been a bad season so far for former Warwickshire and Leicestershire man Darren Maddy.

After a 22-year long stint in professional cricket, even Maddy himself expected to hang up his spikes.

But a convincing word from fellow Bears stalwart Dominic Ostler convinced him otherwise, and a career with Berkswell in the Birmingham & District League was to follow.

It’s a switch the 42-year-old has taken to seamlessly since county retirement in 2013, boasting two 100s and the same number of half-centuries this season, while Saturday’s score of 49 was just his second score below 50 this campaign.

“Ironically I never envisaged myself going on to play club cricket,” said Maddy. “I thought the longevity of my career, the amount that I played would mean that I wouldn’t stick at it, but Dom encouraged me and I’m glad he did.

“Berkswell are an excellent bunch to play with, with plenty of quality there too and it’s a lot easier to fit in.We’re 59 points clear and we’ve let that lead slip before so it’s important to keep that up.

“I constantly find myself thinking about cricket, wondering what the lads are getting up to, missing the atmosphere of the dressing room, so to have this – and games with the PCA and Lashings – is quite beneficial.”

While Maddy admits his club experience was perhaps unexpected, the allure of coaching has come hand-in-hand for the 15-cap England international.

After leaving the game at the end of 2013, he switched his talents to Solihull School, teaching rugby and hockey as well as cricket before being promoted to head of games.

The experience is all part of the journey to an end-goal back in the county game, although the man himself confessed it’s not been as straightforward as he had initially perceived.

But it is not just cricket for which he has the coaching bug.

“Having the variation of other sports keeps me fresh,” he added.“I’ve come to realise how much I enjoy coaching and being part of the game, I always wanted to be in cricket in some way when my career ended, and having this opportunity within the school has been really refreshing.

“I’m learning skills as a rugby coach and hockey coach, and those skills are very much transferable to cricket too.The under 13s won the National Cup too, so the talent is really blossoming.

“But with Berkswell I take more of a mentoring role. I talk them through it with one-on-ones, and if there’s something I can do to realign the way they’re thinking, without changing anyone’s technique or anything like that, then I’ll give it a little bit of advice.

“It’s the role of a senior player, I don’t get involved with coaching, but I feel if there’s something to be said then I can offer that support.

“When I first announced my retirement I thought I’d instantly walk into a professional role but it’s not been as easy as that. Now I’m in a place where I’m waiting for the right competition to come along.

“But in the meantime I did the next best thing. Being a cricket coach in an independent school is rewarding, hugely pleasing to see the influence working there and I feed off their passion. It’s something that I’ve never relinquished in my career.”