Off-spinner Jack Shutt is opening up about being released by Yorkshire County Cricket Club last November and what comes next.
Over five years, Jack played in 32 matches across the formats for the White Rose that yielded 36 wickets; certain potential if not spectacular returns. There were standout performances that ended up bookending his county career to date.
A five-wicket haul (5-11) in the T20 Blast represents his best return for his home county back in 2019 against Durham while last August, there was 4-49 at Radlett in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
“It wasn’t a big surprise to me. I did pretty well when I did get the chance but unfortunately I didn’t get too many chances.”
Stats never tell the full picture though. Conditions, when you’re tossed the ball during a match, length of spells and selection consistency are all factors.
Not that you hear any excuses from Shutt, mind.
Spinner’s wheel
We discuss that the tranche of County Championship games in April and May are unlikely to be conducive to selecting young spinners in England and the preference for batting depth; something Shutt acknowledges isn’t in his armoury.
England spinners getting enough overs in for their counties is a trending topic but the same goes for those not thinking about international recognition.
It is an occupational hazard as a finger twirler at Yorkshire in that opportunities can be limited, with the usual reliance on seam. Others like Karl Carver and Sam Wisniewski were cricketers I thought would have had longer Yorkshire careers.
In Dom Bess, Yorkshire have a former Test cricketer who has himself gone out on loan twice during his time at Headingley, as well as being curiously jettisoned by England while still taking wickets.
Daniel Moriarty’s three-year deal from Surrey last August coincided with Jack Shutt’s time at Yorkshire ending and so the merry-go-round continues, (he says a little cynically).
For Jack, the chance to play grade cricket in Australia over Winter was the ideal change of scene. A message to Matt Revis, who had a stint for the Gold Coast Dolphins in the Queensland Premier League, led to an opportunity at Palm Beach Currumbin Cricket Club.
“It was brilliant. I decided I wanted a proper pre-season… I bowled a heap of overs…instead of an indoor school, I got to do it outside on grass in two-day, red-ball cricket.”
Harrogate come calling…
Jack Shutt has primarily been a club cricketer in South Yorkshire, for Elsecar and Doncaster Town. I didn’t know he’d had two years with Castleford (2014 & 2015) with 83 wickets at an average of 20, back when it was the Solly Sports ECB County Premier League.
Not everyone on Yorkshire’s roster appears much on Play-Cricket, the ECB’s statistical record of scorecards and performances in the recreational game.
The usual route is Yorkshire age-groups, perhaps Yorkshire Academy and then Yorkshire 2nd XI.
Shutt’s 500+ wickets and nearly 5,000 runs began in the cut and thrust of Barnsley & District Junior cricket U11s (0-1 off 2 overs and 11 retired out).
Fast forward to 2023 and Shutt bagged 4-41 and 4-21 against Sheffield Collegiate and Tickhill respectively in the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League in a hybrid season of club and county cricket.
Harrogate Cricket Club, of the Yorkshire Premier League North, got in touch for a conversation, once his Yorkshire contract wasn’t renewed.
“It sounded like an exciting place to be. I’ve played a lot of Yorkshire second-team cricket at Harrogate and it’s a very good facility. They’ve got a thriving junior section with a lot of junior teams.”
An added attraction was playing alongside three lads from Yorkshire second-team cricket in Issac Light, Harry Allinson and Arjun Ramkumar.
Shutt was transparent in wanting to use his Harrogate move to aid a potential county comeback and that’s one of the appeals of bowling at St. George’s Road: “I know it’s a good, true, cricket wicket and a reasonably sized ground that I feel it’ll be closer to professional cricket than other clubs.”
Though Jack is excited about coaching young cricketers and sharing his knowledge at Harrogate, I was curious to know how his new club felt about being a stepping stone?
“They’ve been brilliant. That was one of the main things for any club I signed for this year. I said my main ambition is to get back into professional cricket and they said fantastic, that’s good for us if you’re driving your standards.”
Presumably, the aim is lots of wickets in Yorkshire Premier League North while he’s also put feelers out to cricket contacts – but is mindful that counties want to give their own players chances first.
“I’m going to be patient and make sure my game’s in the best place possible.”
In the meantime, Shutt forms a potent spin partnership with Ishan Abeysekara (above), who returns to Harrogate for his fifth season after ending last year as the top wicket-taker in the ECB Premier Division.
Harrogate Cricket Club will have their new four-lane outdoor nets facility, built by our website partner Total Play, ready for use later in the year.
Joint Chairman George Owram updated me on other developments including the refurbishment of the groundsman’s bungalow last year which was a project completed thanks to many volunteers helping.
“On the playing field, the other winter signings are Hector Hamill, Peter Greenfield and Sam Ambler. Hector and Peter are both within the county system at Yorkshire. Sam joins us after being one of the top batters in the Nidderdale League.”
With a club the size of Harrogate’s, there’s also the chance for cricketers to play elsewhere too: “We are continuing our policy of loaning players to other local clubs rather than expanding and having our own fifth and sixth teams.”
“This year, we are loaning players to Goldsborough, Pateley Bridge and Bishop Monkton. Bishop Monkton were at risk of folding and we are planning on loaning them six or seven players each week whilst they get back on track.”
Meanwhile, Harrogate’s women and girls section is on the rise with girls teams at under 9s, 11s, 13s and 15s for the first time. Their Women’s 1st XI will play in Division 1 of the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League in 2024.
As for Shutt, Harrogate is a new chapter in a different Premier League; a chance to coach, enjoy his cricket and explore a way back into the professional game.
- The CricketYorkies: Celebrating 2024 - December 20, 2024
- Refurbish your outdoor cricket facilities with total-play Ltd - December 18, 2024
- Harry Brook: From Burley to number one in the world - December 11, 2024
Leave a Reply