Interviews
Neil Pickup - Free State
Slats For this weeks interview we have the manager of one of South Africas
only 2 teams in WCC, the ever emerging Free State Eagles. Neil took over the
reins at the beginning of last season and since then has recorded some
impressive
results, perhaps the biggest beating brother club and arch rivals Western Province in the first local derby ever early this season. The side currently play in division 5 in the 4 day form, however in division 4 for the one dayers where most of their intentions lie!
Ladies and Gents I present to you..... Neil Pickup!
Thanks for making the trip across the country to the South african Cricket Association's special broadcasting Service.
Your side is one of the most impressive to come out of the new clubs added at the start of season three. Your emergence as a real competitive side in the one day form of the game has raised many eye brows. How far realistically can you see your side getting in the next 3 seasons?
Neil There is no reason why we can't continue to keep winning the one day games and progress up to the top flight of the one day game, hopefully with some cup triumphs along the way. First things first - and that's getting out of division four!
Slats On the reverse side of the coin however your 4 day performances see your dead last in division 5, is this a concern to you? and how are you looking to rectify the sinking ship?
Neil You have to make sacrifices to succeed - the squad I started with was little use in either format - so I concentrated upon one after I had seen the outcomes of my first draft picks. As things stand, there's no reason for it to concern me, and the 4D side of things will be worked on once we have
become a real 1D powerhouse.
Slats Also, is it to late to make a comeback and gain promotion for next seasons
division 4 competition?
Neil Yes. To be honest, one draw in four is one more than I thought we'd manage in ten.
Slats Obviously you have a lot of all round talent in your one day side, but often all round talent can lead to a side having so real strike players. Who do you see as being the 2 most crucial players with bat and ball in your one day side?
Neil Without doubt it's young batsman John Arlott and off spinner Lennox Cush. John has come through the academy and continued to impress with some crucial scores whilst Lennox is, as ever, economical and incisive as well as contributing some useful lower order runs.
Slats Out've all the sides in WCC who do you most enjoy playing and beating... obviously coming out've South Africa there are limited oppurtunities for local derbies.. but if you could beat one side who would u most enjoy beating?
Neil Surrey. Tough one to call here - I've thoroughly enjoyed my wins over ACT (after they won the D5 title on the last day of last year, consigning me to the playoffs), Western Province (local rivalry) and Auckland (always good to beat Liam), but nothing would be better than putting one over Surrey and
doing the duty of all cricket fans north of Watford.
Slats Who do you see as being the greatest player to ever waltz the stage of WCC... is it a seasoned performer like Darren Lehmann or Michael Bevan, or is it someone new like O Clarke or Darden? who would you most like to have in
your team?
Neil Not having followed the top flights too closely, I'll try and keep a straight face and say Lennox Cush. But keep an eye on young French Guianan Yannick Porter, who is on to take a shedload of 4D wickets this year as Free State don't have any other competent bowlers.
Slats You haven't been here as long as some of the others so a new, fresh approach could be interesting, if there was one thing you could change about WCC what would it be?
Neil Extra points for South African teams... nah, KEEP THE VB CUP!
Slats If you could manage one other WCC team who would it be? You've obviously had enough of a challenge with Free State... maybe it's time for a change and go to one of the high rollers?
Neil I had a shot with my side, Somerset, in Season 1 and it didn't work out, but I'd quite fancy another shot with them at some point. Failing that, my home county Lincolnshire (ACT aren't First Class either!) or Surrey - purely to send them down faster than the Zimbabwean top order.
Slats Now onto Neil as a person!!!
How often do you brush your teeth mate?
Neil Twice a day without fail. Honest. Well, I try to... never less than once a day.
Slats What's your favourite sporting moment of all time?
Neil Most involved I've ever got in a sporting match was when the U13 side at my club finally managed to tie a game last year. The looks I got in the clubhouse, standing in the drizzle shouting and cheering were something.
I really felt very little emotion in the RWC final, much as it's nice to put one over on you lot.. Damon Hill winning the 1996 F1 World Title was quite special.. and as for the things that hooked me on various sports? Gooch's 333 against India at Lord's in 1990 (I was 4) and the next year, Mansell and Senna's wheel-to-wheel duel on the back straight at Catalunya. Magic.
Slats Rugby League, Rugby union, Soccer or AFL (come on there has to be someone out there who agrees with me on AFL)?
Neil It's not soccer, it's football. And it's superior to everything except
cricket.
Slats This one's popular but who's your ideal woman?
Neil I managed to bring large scale mirth to a Shakespeare workshop when this was asked on stage and I yelled out "Carol Vorderman" from the back... but in reality? Hmm... any socialist cricket fan would do.
Slats I've just given you a 50,000 pound voucher to use in any car sales yard, what would you buy?
Neil A £299 Nova and the rest goes in a high interest savings account. Or a Lancer Evolution.
Slats Matthew Hayden or Michael Vaughan?
Neil I'm English! Vaughanie all the way!
results, perhaps the biggest beating brother club and arch rivals Western Province in the first local derby ever early this season. The side currently play in division 5 in the 4 day form, however in division 4 for the one dayers where most of their intentions lie!
Ladies and Gents I present to you..... Neil Pickup!
Thanks for making the trip across the country to the South african Cricket Association's special broadcasting Service.
Your side is one of the most impressive to come out of the new clubs added at the start of season three. Your emergence as a real competitive side in the one day form of the game has raised many eye brows. How far realistically can you see your side getting in the next 3 seasons?
Neil There is no reason why we can't continue to keep winning the one day games and progress up to the top flight of the one day game, hopefully with some cup triumphs along the way. First things first - and that's getting out of division four!
Slats On the reverse side of the coin however your 4 day performances see your dead last in division 5, is this a concern to you? and how are you looking to rectify the sinking ship?
Neil You have to make sacrifices to succeed - the squad I started with was little use in either format - so I concentrated upon one after I had seen the outcomes of my first draft picks. As things stand, there's no reason for it to concern me, and the 4D side of things will be worked on once we have
become a real 1D powerhouse.
Slats Also, is it to late to make a comeback and gain promotion for next seasons
division 4 competition?
Neil Yes. To be honest, one draw in four is one more than I thought we'd manage in ten.
Slats Obviously you have a lot of all round talent in your one day side, but often all round talent can lead to a side having so real strike players. Who do you see as being the 2 most crucial players with bat and ball in your one day side?
Neil Without doubt it's young batsman John Arlott and off spinner Lennox Cush. John has come through the academy and continued to impress with some crucial scores whilst Lennox is, as ever, economical and incisive as well as contributing some useful lower order runs.
Slats Out've all the sides in WCC who do you most enjoy playing and beating... obviously coming out've South Africa there are limited oppurtunities for local derbies.. but if you could beat one side who would u most enjoy beating?
Neil Surrey. Tough one to call here - I've thoroughly enjoyed my wins over ACT (after they won the D5 title on the last day of last year, consigning me to the playoffs), Western Province (local rivalry) and Auckland (always good to beat Liam), but nothing would be better than putting one over Surrey and
doing the duty of all cricket fans north of Watford.
Slats Who do you see as being the greatest player to ever waltz the stage of WCC... is it a seasoned performer like Darren Lehmann or Michael Bevan, or is it someone new like O Clarke or Darden? who would you most like to have in
your team?
Neil Not having followed the top flights too closely, I'll try and keep a straight face and say Lennox Cush. But keep an eye on young French Guianan Yannick Porter, who is on to take a shedload of 4D wickets this year as Free State don't have any other competent bowlers.
Slats You haven't been here as long as some of the others so a new, fresh approach could be interesting, if there was one thing you could change about WCC what would it be?
Neil Extra points for South African teams... nah, KEEP THE VB CUP!
Slats If you could manage one other WCC team who would it be? You've obviously had enough of a challenge with Free State... maybe it's time for a change and go to one of the high rollers?
Neil I had a shot with my side, Somerset, in Season 1 and it didn't work out, but I'd quite fancy another shot with them at some point. Failing that, my home county Lincolnshire (ACT aren't First Class either!) or Surrey - purely to send them down faster than the Zimbabwean top order.
Slats Now onto Neil as a person!!!
How often do you brush your teeth mate?
Neil Twice a day without fail. Honest. Well, I try to... never less than once a day.
Slats What's your favourite sporting moment of all time?
Neil Most involved I've ever got in a sporting match was when the U13 side at my club finally managed to tie a game last year. The looks I got in the clubhouse, standing in the drizzle shouting and cheering were something.
I really felt very little emotion in the RWC final, much as it's nice to put one over on you lot.. Damon Hill winning the 1996 F1 World Title was quite special.. and as for the things that hooked me on various sports? Gooch's 333 against India at Lord's in 1990 (I was 4) and the next year, Mansell and Senna's wheel-to-wheel duel on the back straight at Catalunya. Magic.
Slats Rugby League, Rugby union, Soccer or AFL (come on there has to be someone out there who agrees with me on AFL)?
Neil It's not soccer, it's football. And it's superior to everything except
cricket.
Slats This one's popular but who's your ideal woman?
Neil I managed to bring large scale mirth to a Shakespeare workshop when this was asked on stage and I yelled out "Carol Vorderman" from the back... but in reality? Hmm... any socialist cricket fan would do.
Slats I've just given you a 50,000 pound voucher to use in any car sales yard, what would you buy?
Neil A £299 Nova and the rest goes in a high interest savings account. Or a Lancer Evolution.
Slats Matthew Hayden or Michael Vaughan?
Neil I'm English! Vaughanie all the way!