Yorkshire’s TKC looking to make swift impression
YORKSHIRE batsman Tom Kohler-Cadmore believes that he is in a no-lose position as he prepares to link-up with England’s 55-man back-to-training group.
On the one hand, if he makes the final cut for the forthcoming internationals, Kohler-Cadmore could achieve his cherished ambition of representing his country.
On the other hand, if he misses out this time, he would at least have the advantage of being much further down the road in terms of practice and preparation for when county cricket starts, hopefully in August, with most county players – including Yorkshire’s – still on furlough.
Small wonder that the 25-yearold is brimming with enthusiasm as he prepares to start training on Monday week, with England’s bowlers and Test players having already returned to action ahead of the behind-closed-doors threematch Test series against the West Indies from July 8.
“I just see it as a great opportunity either way,” said Kohler-Cadmore, who is one of six Yorkshire players in the training group along with Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid, Dawid Malan and David Willey.
“Obviously I’d love to be in the final squad, and one of my massive ambitions is to be playing for England, so I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be disappointed if I wasn’t selected.
“But, at the same time, if county cricket is starting around then I’ll have a head-start on everyone else and can hopefully hit the ground running and push my way forward in that respect, put big scores on the board and hopefully get a call-up later down the line.”
One of 14 uncapped players in England’s training group, KohlerCadmore is fully deserving of this latest recognition. The tall righthander was Yorkshire’s leading run-scorer last season in all competitions with 1,553, including 1,004 at first-class level. He is also one of the best slip fielders in the business, snaffling 32 in last year’s Championship – only two catches fewer than wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall.
“It’s nice to be in any squad,” he added. “It’s a big squad, of course, but even to be considered out of the full crop of county cricketers is really nice.
“The main thing for me is just being allowed to play cricket again and train because I’ve missed it so much. Not being allowed to do anything has been hard and I just want to hit cricket balls.
“It’s just excitement, really; it feels like pre-season all over again. I’m one of the lucky ones who’s been selected which means I’m allowed to practice, because so many county cricketers at the moment are still on furlough.”
Kohler-Cadmore will work with Yorkshire first-team coach Andrew Gale at Emerald Headingley. The expectation is that England will whittle their large playing group down to two squads, red-ball and white, also covering the fixtures against Ireland, Pakistan and Australia scheduled to take place later in the summer.
Whatever happens, it represents an ideal chance for KohlerCadmore to impress the England management and to continue an upward curve in a career in which he has lately displayed increasing maturity on and off the field.
All the ingredients are in place for him to potentially shine in all forms of international cricket; having carved out a reputation initially as a destructive white-ball player, he is now a highly-accomplished performer in the firstclass arena too.
“In red-ball cricket you need to be more consistent, and I’d like to think that over the last three or four years I’ve become more consistent,” he added.
“I know myself a lot better and how to build an innings. Each year, I just want to keep improving, understanding, and putting big scores on and winning games for Yorkshire.
“I’ve had a lot of failures and learnt a lot from them, I think, so hopefully I’m not making the same mistakes but taking my game forward.”
Kohler-Cadmore last held a bat in India during the spring. Actually, that’s not quite true...
“I haven’t had a proper bat since then but I have had a bat in my hands most days at home,” he admitted. “I haven’t hit any cricket balls – I’ve just been shadow batting like a little child.
“I just love playing and I can’t wait to get out there.
“I’ve been doing as much running and physical work as I possibly can, so that when I do go back in I can just focus as much as possible on the cricket side of things.”
When he has not been shadow batting in front of the mirror, Kohler-Cadmore has been otherwise occupied during the lockdown.
Along with his brother, Ben, he has set up a property company with one eye on his post-cricketing career.
“We’re currently looking for houses and are going to renovate them and let them out,” he said.
“I’ve been viewing houses recently and stuff like that, and because I’ve been learning something new, it’s been really enjoyable.
“We were thinking about doing this anyway in the winter and were getting the ball rolling on it, but this has just meant that we’re a lot further down the line than where we would have been if I’d been playing cricket.
“Obviously you have a limited shelf-life as a cricketer, so it’s with one eye on when I finish playing and hopefully we can build up a portfolio of properties over a period of time.”
I just see it as a great opportunity either way.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Yorkshire star optimistic over summer plans.