Two hundred not out: a chat with opening batsman Nick Vanner

Sportsman of the year Nick Vanner speaks exclusively to The Yorker about his first year, making double hundreds, and living in the large shadow of older brother Jamie.

As a fresher last year, how welcome did you feel in your first week?

"I was at a slight advantage, or disadvantage if you like, of having my brother [Exiting 1sts Captain Jamie Vanner] already in the team, but all the guys were really easy going and I've certainly made a lot of friends through the club."

Did you expect to have such a large role in the club in your first year?

"Although at the start I was unaware of what team I would be playing in, I certainly felt like my opinion was valued from the start, and in a way, despite Jamie being captain, responsibility came quickly."

What was your personal high point of last season?

"That’s a difficult one. Obviously scoring a double hundred was a real boost, and I was thrilled with the 140 in the first game against Huddersfield, but I'd have to say the 50 at Roses, just because everyone was so up for it and it was the game I really wanted to perform well in."

..and what about low points?

"The low point I suppose was pulling the muscle in my back, and so not being able to play for a couple of weeks."

How important do you think freshers are to your club?

"Freshers are massively important to the cricket club. We thrive on their sporting ability and the very active social side. Freshers, although they don't hold committee positions, are valued just as much as any other member, regardless of which team they play for. Even if they don't make the team, it is important that they feel like they are part of the club, so that they can show support and attend the socials."

What's your club doing to get freshers involved?

"We hold socials all through the year, the first one will be soon so keep your eyes open for that. We will have a stall at the AU mart, so you can sign up to the club - a must if you want to come to the net sessions we run all through the winter, which are open to anyone interested. UYMCC is an all year club so don't wait till summer to get involved!"

What are you hoping for from this year's freshers?

"We are looking for guys that are going to be active in the club early. Nets will start promptly and we are hoping to see a wide range of ability there. With the departure of some decent third years, there are certainly some places up for grabs in the 1st team. Also we are really hoping that everyone will take a really active role in the social side."

What would you say to any freshers hoping to make the team/squad?

"Come along and try your best: it’s a good setup and you won't go unnoticed. We've got some pretty experienced guys, and although we lost (previous President) Andy Exley as a coach, he will hopefully still be around sometimes, but I’ll always be around to coach if anyone wants. Lots of people made teams that they didn't think they would last year, and hopefully we will be able to get as many people in the squads as possible. York Cricket Club is definitely a well respected club at York and one that I’m certainly proud to be part of."

With the season starting in Term 3, what will the cricket club be doing before then?

"We will be running nets twice a week, and we will be putting out an indoor side for a couple of competitions. This year we made it to the finals at Lords, and we would really like to try and get there again. Socials will be frequent and we will publicize them as much as we can. The socials at the cricket club really are fantastic: I can certainly say that they are never disappointing, and we will certainly be looking to keep this tradition up!"

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