- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,479
In an interview with Saj for Isport, Haseeb Hameed speaks about his move from Lancashire to Nottinghamshire and how Peter Moores influenced that decision, how his introduction to Test cricket at a young age has shaped his career and his aspirations to represent England once again.
Haseeb Hameed has been enjoying a productive start to the season, averaging 56.25 and leading the Nottinghamshire batting averages with two fifties and two centuries already under his belt in the County Championship.
Following his much-publicised departure from Lancashire, it would appear that the move to Trent Bridge could finally be paying off for the 24-year-old opener.
“Looking back now, having to move away from Lancashire, with it being my home county and playing there from the age of nine, was difficult,” he tells i. “But on the whole, a fresh start at Nottinghamshire has been good for me. I was happy to start a new chapter of my career and to join a county like Nottinghamshire, which has a brilliant coaching set-up and is a club with a great history.”
A slump in form and a spate of injuries led Lancashire to announce that Bolton-born Hameed was to be released at the end of the 2019 season. But, three months after his departure, he was reunited with a familiar face; somebody he feels has always had great faith in him and his abilities.
“Peter Moores was a big reason why I joined Nottinghamshire. Having been at Lancashire when he was head coach, he got me involved in some first-team sessions when I was just 16 years old and not even a part of the professional staff.
“I’d known at Lancashire what a great coach he was, and I’ve been able to experience that once again. I’ve once again been able to thrive from his experience, his leadership qualities and I feel that every time you speak with him it’s an opportunity to gain wisdom about the game. He’s right up there as a coach and he’s had a massive influence on my career.”
Moving away from the familiar surroundings of Old Trafford to a new environment could have been daunting for a young man who had played all of his cricket at one county. However, Haseeb is convinced that in the long run the move away from Lancashire will turn out to be the right one.
“I’m back to enjoying my cricket and the environment here at Nottinghamshire makes it very easy to fall in love with cricket again. Right from the first day I stepped through the doors at Trent Bridge I was welcomed with open arms and I felt comfortable straight away within the group dimension. I’m happy to be a part of the club and long may that continue.”
Haseeb made his international debut in India in 2016 at the age of 19, scoring two fifties in trying conditions. It was an effort that impressed team-mates and opponents alike, including Virat Kohli. But despite not playing for England since, he feels that the lessons learnt from his international debut series will serve him well. Indeed, he feels that his best days are yet to come.
“I don’t believe that being picked for England so early in my career created additional pressure. I am my own biggest critic and the expectations I have on myself are always very high.
“There was a lot of chat about me when I started to play for England but in my own head it was just about me trying to do the best I could.
“Having done well at a young age and in India, I knew that I could push myself further. Looking back, it was all a part of the learning experience and I’m still young and hopefully I have my best years ahead of me. I feel that the earlier experiences of my career, both good and bad, will help me in the future.”
With the county season in full swing, Haseeb is hoping that Nottinghamshire’s recent victory over Derbyshire by 310 runs – their first win in the County Championship since June 2018 – and the subsequent win over Essex by an innings and 30 runs will be the start of more success this summer.
“The wait to win a County Championship match wasn’t as long for me as it was for some of my team-mates, but it was nice to get that win in the bag. To follow it up with the win over Essex was just what we needed and we can now build on it and hopefully gain some momentum. We’ve got some amazing players, with a nice mix of youth and experience, so hopefully we can continue to gel together and do something special at the club.”
A fluctuating career trajectory has taught Haseeb not to take anything for granted, or to imagine that the future is foretold. Instead he has embraced the now well-known philosophy of the top-level sportsman: visualising the next game, focusing on his form.
“I just want to stay in the moment, not look too far into the future and I’m just enjoying being able to contribute for Nottinghamshire right now. We are looking to build something here and I just want to be a big part of that and contribute in any way I can whenever I go out to bat or in the field. If I can do that on a consistent basis and enjoy my cricket, the rest will look after itself.”
And what about his aspirations to play for England again? He may be keeping his eyes on the domestic road but a desire to add to his tally of three international Test matches is clearly driving him.
“I’ve never hidden away from my England ambitions as a cricketer and that still remains the case,” he says. “But as cliched as it may sound, the only way that can happen is if I keep focused on the present. What I have learnt is that the past and the future are two things that you cannot control, but it’s only what you do right now that can help your future. I’m taking things day by day and hopefully the rest will fall into place.”
https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/h...amshire-cricketer-interview-lancashire-995178
Haseeb Hameed has been enjoying a productive start to the season, averaging 56.25 and leading the Nottinghamshire batting averages with two fifties and two centuries already under his belt in the County Championship.
Following his much-publicised departure from Lancashire, it would appear that the move to Trent Bridge could finally be paying off for the 24-year-old opener.
“Looking back now, having to move away from Lancashire, with it being my home county and playing there from the age of nine, was difficult,” he tells i. “But on the whole, a fresh start at Nottinghamshire has been good for me. I was happy to start a new chapter of my career and to join a county like Nottinghamshire, which has a brilliant coaching set-up and is a club with a great history.”
A slump in form and a spate of injuries led Lancashire to announce that Bolton-born Hameed was to be released at the end of the 2019 season. But, three months after his departure, he was reunited with a familiar face; somebody he feels has always had great faith in him and his abilities.
“Peter Moores was a big reason why I joined Nottinghamshire. Having been at Lancashire when he was head coach, he got me involved in some first-team sessions when I was just 16 years old and not even a part of the professional staff.
“I’d known at Lancashire what a great coach he was, and I’ve been able to experience that once again. I’ve once again been able to thrive from his experience, his leadership qualities and I feel that every time you speak with him it’s an opportunity to gain wisdom about the game. He’s right up there as a coach and he’s had a massive influence on my career.”
Moving away from the familiar surroundings of Old Trafford to a new environment could have been daunting for a young man who had played all of his cricket at one county. However, Haseeb is convinced that in the long run the move away from Lancashire will turn out to be the right one.
“I’m back to enjoying my cricket and the environment here at Nottinghamshire makes it very easy to fall in love with cricket again. Right from the first day I stepped through the doors at Trent Bridge I was welcomed with open arms and I felt comfortable straight away within the group dimension. I’m happy to be a part of the club and long may that continue.”
Haseeb made his international debut in India in 2016 at the age of 19, scoring two fifties in trying conditions. It was an effort that impressed team-mates and opponents alike, including Virat Kohli. But despite not playing for England since, he feels that the lessons learnt from his international debut series will serve him well. Indeed, he feels that his best days are yet to come.
“I don’t believe that being picked for England so early in my career created additional pressure. I am my own biggest critic and the expectations I have on myself are always very high.
“There was a lot of chat about me when I started to play for England but in my own head it was just about me trying to do the best I could.
“Having done well at a young age and in India, I knew that I could push myself further. Looking back, it was all a part of the learning experience and I’m still young and hopefully I have my best years ahead of me. I feel that the earlier experiences of my career, both good and bad, will help me in the future.”
With the county season in full swing, Haseeb is hoping that Nottinghamshire’s recent victory over Derbyshire by 310 runs – their first win in the County Championship since June 2018 – and the subsequent win over Essex by an innings and 30 runs will be the start of more success this summer.
“The wait to win a County Championship match wasn’t as long for me as it was for some of my team-mates, but it was nice to get that win in the bag. To follow it up with the win over Essex was just what we needed and we can now build on it and hopefully gain some momentum. We’ve got some amazing players, with a nice mix of youth and experience, so hopefully we can continue to gel together and do something special at the club.”
A fluctuating career trajectory has taught Haseeb not to take anything for granted, or to imagine that the future is foretold. Instead he has embraced the now well-known philosophy of the top-level sportsman: visualising the next game, focusing on his form.
“I just want to stay in the moment, not look too far into the future and I’m just enjoying being able to contribute for Nottinghamshire right now. We are looking to build something here and I just want to be a big part of that and contribute in any way I can whenever I go out to bat or in the field. If I can do that on a consistent basis and enjoy my cricket, the rest will look after itself.”
And what about his aspirations to play for England again? He may be keeping his eyes on the domestic road but a desire to add to his tally of three international Test matches is clearly driving him.
“I’ve never hidden away from my England ambitions as a cricketer and that still remains the case,” he says. “But as cliched as it may sound, the only way that can happen is if I keep focused on the present. What I have learnt is that the past and the future are two things that you cannot control, but it’s only what you do right now that can help your future. I’m taking things day by day and hopefully the rest will fall into place.”
https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/h...amshire-cricketer-interview-lancashire-995178
Last edited:
