Yorkshire's Gaywood & Watson at Over 60s World Cup

You might not know that as England battle against India in the Test series, the country is ready to host the Over 60s World Cup in Chennai.

Running from 18 February to 4 March, this is the second Over 60s World Cup and England go in with high hopes, having claimed the Caribbean Cup and Grey Ashes in 2023.

I caught up with Yorkshire & England duo, Nick Gaywood and Kevin Watson, to talk about their preparation, expectations and the 2024 club cricket season back home.

World Cup Prep

How can you possibly prep for playing cricket in Chennai if you’re from Yorkshire and over 60?

Well, it will likely get up to 31-33°C and Nick told me: “I’ve been swimming, playing squash, with gym and running regularly……also sitting in the sauna to replicate the humidity.”

Nick reckoned he’d had about 10 nets sessions by the time the England squad left but as he put it aptly: “The concern is always that our practice surfaces are nothing like a Chennai bunsen burner.”

For Kev Watson, it’s been a similar attempt to get as fit as possible ahead of those tough Indian conditions with a combination of nets, squash and getting miles in the legs.

England Over 60s cricket squad left on 12 February with two warm-up games against MCC Madras Cricket Club and then India scheduled.

Stepping into the unknown

Both Yorkshiremen are playing in India for the first time. Nick had played in Bangladesh in an MCC tour but as he acknowledged, “the wickets in Chennai will turn a lot more – probably slowly but without much bounce, according to our intelligence. It’s very humid, however, and that will sap our energy.”

Kevin’s observations echoed that need for fitness and the likelihood of spin dominating:

“Spin will play a massive part but I also see myself as a seamer having a big part to play and with my fielding ability, especially with hot humid days, fitness is going to be massive.”

Top teams?

Home advantage – or knowledge of conditions – is important in all forms of cricket (regardless of the age bracket) so understandably both Nick and Kevin identified India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as having an edge.

Being acclimatised with better knowledge of surfaces could play its part but England, Australia and New Zealand expect to provide upsets.

Nick reckoned: “Anything can happen….we have to keep 12 / 18 players fit and alive for 10 games in 21 days!“

History Lessons

It’s funny how things date quickly.

With England’s disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign in India at the back of my mind, I ask if there were any lessons to be learnt for England Over 60s?

Up to a point, England’s Test squad has exceeded expectations against the number one ranked side in the world in all three formats. (This optimism has subsequently been punctured after the huge defeat in the Third Test).

As for their World Cup adventures, Gaywood observed: “Keep smiling! Embrace India. Judging what is a good total quickly on the difficult decks we are expecting will be key.”

Watson was equally bullish: “Stick to our plans, work as a squad and we can go far.” Time will tell but gazing into the tea leaves to predict cricket’s semi-finalists of any competition is notoriously dangerous.

Plans for club cricket in Yorkshire?

After England duties overseas, both Nick and Kevin return and will play for club, county and country.

Nick said: “I’ll still be turning out for the Sheffield Collegiate lower teams trying to help our talented youngsters. I’ll also be playing for both Yorkshire 50s & 60s, if selected. I also love playing for the XL Club when I can.”

Kevin will also be racking up the games again in 2024: “I’m still playing at Fairburn in the Yorkshire Premier League North. I’m also skippering Yorkshire 60s again so loads of cricket, potentially 40+ games if I play most.”

How to follow the IMC Over 60 World Cup

Good luck to Nick, Kevin and the rest of the England squad as they aim to impress in the Over 60 World Cup in Chennai.

England’s first game is on Monday 19 February at Waheguru Ground A against New Zealand.

The website is: https://masterscricket.org/o60swc-2024/