Interview with Sussex cricketer Chris Nash

Chris Nash

As a big Sussex fan, I was extremely lucky to get the chance to speak with Chris Nash and ask him some questions. For any of you who don’t know, Chris Nash is a professional cricketer who has been playing for Sussex for many years now. He made his First Class debut for Sussex back in 2002 and since then he’s helped Sussex win several titles and scored over 10,000 runs. So without further ado, here’s Chris on playing for Sussex.

First of all, may I ask how you first got into cricket? Where did the passion come from

I started when my brother started playing and I was hitting a ball against a wall. A man called Dr John Dew who was responsible for thousands of kids playing cricket came over and got me to play with my brother’s team. That got me going and meant I was always playing 2 years above my age group. John dew was a great man who taught us all how to play the game and that it was a game to enjoy and to make friends, as well as playing tough.

You’ve been playing for Sussex for quite a while now, what’s the best thing about playing for them?

I first came to hove as an 8 year old and feel at home here. It starts at the gate with the parking guys who make everyone feel welcome and that continues. The facilities are brilliant and the whole club aims for the same thing, a successful Sussex team and a family environment.

It’s winter at the moment, what do you do to keep yourself busy during the winter?

I spent a month in Bangladesh playing in the Dhaka Premier League and recently returned from playing in the HRV Cup in New Zealand for the Auckland Aces. I like to get away and play over the winter, as well as getting some sunshine! It is nice to come back fresh and ready to go for pre- season.

Before we know it, it’ll be the cricket season again, what are you looking forward to most about the new season?

Every season has hopes and expectations and every year the same stuff is said about how we have trained well and want to do this and that. Personally each season excites me as you never know where you and your team mates will be in 6 months, playing for England, winning a final at lords or battling to win the championship. Anything can happen and that is so exciting and it never loses that sense of excitement. Personally it is the fact that in 4 months time I could be averaging 100 and having the season of my life which is why we play the game.

Last year wasn’t exactly the best year of T20 cricket for Sussex, how are you guys planning to make that different this year?

Our T20 campaign was a funny one, after 5 games we could have won 5 from 5, we lost 4 in the last over so we weren’t far off. We didn’t deal with the closing overs with bat or ball very well which is something we are focusing on. We have a very strong side on paper, it is just a case of nailing specific skills to win games.

As a supposedly witty person myself, it would be interesting to know who the funniest person in the Sussex squad is?

It will come as no surprise that all dressing room humour comes through me, I generally create all of the banter and the likes of Wrighty, Browny and Hb just side in my slipstream. The mantle was passed on to me by Robin Martin-Jenkins and I feel it was a natural progression for someone such as myself.

With Valentines day coming up, who is the ladies’ man within the squad?

We have a very mature and civilised squad with the majority having better halves. CJ is extremely charming and went to school with Rihanna, that’s all I’ve got.

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you weren’t a professional cricketer?I would most probably write witty blogs about county cricket and have a witty twitter account.

Lastly, what one piece of advice would you give to anyone reading this who aspires to become a professional cricketer one day?

Do it, you get to have all the bats you want, you basically get to muck about with your mates on a cricket pitch, although we do take it very seriously! And finally I got to have throw downs from Alec Stewart, which was a lovely power trip over one of my heroes!

Chris Nash is a very talented cricketer and by the sounds of it also a very funny guy! You can follow him on Twitter @chrisnash23, read more about his career on the ESPN cricinfo website or even better get down to Hove in the summer and watch him play!