Ian Ward interview

By Ben Horne
August 22 2002

I recently interviewed Surrey and England star Ian Ward for this Website. Here are the questions and answers. Mark Ramprakash will be the next player interviewd for this website.

I recently interviewed Surrey and England star Ian Ward for this Website. Here are the questions and answers.

Question 1. When you were released from Surrey did you feel your cricket career was over?

Not straight away because I was hoping to go elsewhere. But after a couple of years I thought it was time to move on and do something else. It is quite unique I suppose to come back to the same county. Naturally I was delighted to come back because this is the club I had played for since I was ten years old. This is where I feel home.

Question 2. How did you fell when you walked out to bat in your test debut at Lord’s.?

It was great, nerve-racking to start with waiting because normally I open the batting and I was batting at number eight because Ryan Sidebottom came in as night watchman. Like with anything with sport the build up is worse than the actual event. Once I had got down the long room steps and I hadn’t fallen over and embarrassed myself, it was great. It was also nice too see a friendly face in Alec Stewart because he was batting at the other end at the time. It was a very good point in my test career.

Question 3. How did you manage to cope when everyone was criticizing your technique?

Year that was quite tough at time because every time you switched on the television and Surrey were playing they were drawing lines all over the screen. Analyzing what foot went were the hands were coming. There was a lot written in the press and a lot spoken on the radio. Unfortunately a lot of it was garbage. The fact was I was not playing very well and when people do not play very well their technique lets them down. So it was difficult but at times like that you have to go into your own self and work it out that way. Which is what I did.

Question 4. Do you think you have answered those critics?

No, I think I would have to go back and play test cricket and have some element of success if I was going to answer those critics. It is something I would dearly love to do because it is unfinished business really. I was disappointed with the way it went but if I keep scoring runs then hopefully I might get another opportunity.

4b Your form seems to be good this season

Year, I have played well and scored heavily. There are a few more gams to go and hopefully I can put my name back in the frame.

Question 5. After being dropped from the England side has it made you more determined to get back in?

Year absolutely no question. It is an absolute joys to play for you country, and experience the whole package. It obviously has its down sides if you don’t do so well they get on your back. It is an absolute privilege and I enjoyed every second despite what you may have read at the time. It really is the place to play cricket. Once you have protested to first team cricket you realize that second team cricket is garbage and when you play test cricket you realize that first team cricket is garbage. So you want to move on.

Question 6. What do you do when you are not playing cricket?

Walk the dog, spend time with the wife. The usual things try and get some down time really. The sixth months we play cricket is very intense with very few days, certainly very few consecutive days off. So a lot of time is spent chilling trying to remember what the wife looks like.

Question 7. When you were playing golf in the Barbados open with Gordon
Grennige how did you do?

I didn’t actually play with Gordan Greenige I played with Gary Sobers. Gordon
Grennidge was there and we did a photo shoot. I actually played with Gary Sobers, which wasn’t so widely reported. I did ok. Shoot 82,84 and 86. So I got progressively worse. But the round I played with Gary Sobers was very special. It was a privilege to meet him and spend eighteen holes with him. He really strikes a golf ball 40 / 50
Yards further than I do and the bloke is about 70 years old. It was an honor and a bit humiliating to see him hit the ball so far. Good fun.

Question 8. Do you have any amusing dressing room stories?

None that I can tell you for the website (laughing).

Question 8. Who is the joker in the Surrey dressing room?

Nadeem Shahid without a doubt. I will go so far to say he is an idiot and you can print me on that!

Thank you very much for the interview Ian and good luck for the rest off the season and i also hope you will get the England recall you deserve.