My School Sport: Peter Such (2 Sep 1998)

2 September 1998

My School Sport: Peter Such

Interview by Gareth A Davies

Peter Such, the Essex off-spinner who has played in eight Test matches for England, was named yesterday in the Ashes party for the forthcoming winter tour.

Where did you go to school? Lantern Lane Primary School and Harry Carlton Comprehensive School, both in East Leake, south Nottingham.

Did other famous people attend your schools? The footballer Phillip Starbuck emerged from Harry Carlton to play for Nottingham Forest, but he was five or six years younger than me.

Did you enjoy your schooldays? I did. I go along with the saying that 'Your schooldays are probably the best years of your life'. That was certainly the case for me. I was always interested in sport at school.

Did you excel at other sports apart from cricket? I played a lot of hockey, normally between October to January, and even when I moved to Essex in 1990, I played for Colchester 3rd and 4th XIs in the winter months. Hockey never helped my batting, but it marginally improved my golf swing.

How did your sporting career progress? I was recommended for trials for Notts Under-15s, got through, and the following summer played for the county under-16 and under-17 sides. For the next three years I played for the Notts Colts side, and the following year became a regular in the county second team. I made my county debut just after finishing my A- levels. The following year, 1983, I played for Young England against Young Australia, but I was a contracted professional by then.

Can you remember your county debut? It was back in 1982. Notts had an injury crisis, Eddie Hemmings was playing for England and I was drafted in to play against Middlesex at Lord's. It was a fantastic experience, and one I shall never forget. My figures were 23-0-70-0, I bagged a pair, and we lost by an innings to Middlesex who went on to become county champions.

Did sport interfere with your schoolwork? Not really. I always made sure that time was put aside to complete my studies.

Who were your childhood sporting heroes? I first started getting into cricket in 1974-75, in the days when Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee and the Chappell brothers were in their pomp for Australia. They were the immediate idols. At the same time my brother and I became junior members at Notts, where Derek Randall was something of a local hero.

What advice would you give to schoolchildren wishing to pursue a career in sport? Give it your best shot, enjoy it, but don't sacrifice your studies. Find time to complete your education. I made sure I finished my A-levels and could have gone on to polytechnic or university if a career in cricket had not worked out.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)