Safe hands

Chris Read, the England wicketkeeper, talks to Ed Poultney about his passion for the national summer game

Published: 01 October 2003

"Britain is special because we are a nation where sport commands mad support across the board, through all different events and competitions. We even have die-hard fans turning out at temperatures of minus three in April to come and cheer us on! Every club and team in every sport gets absolute loyalty from their home fans, which gives a great sense of the fellowship and the amount of passion that goes into it. Our general passion for sport as a country is second to none. Every time we go on tour we have the Barmy Army turning up and coming out to cheer us on - sometimes, even when you're in another country, it feels like a home game!

"I've been in Nottingham for the last five years. Although it's not one of the major cities, it's got an incredible atmosphere. You've got the two football clubs, the cricket club and the ice stadium all within a mile of each other. As well as that you've got two universities, which means students galore and all the commerce that that brings with it - pubs, bars, nightspots and a great, really open cosmopolitan atmosphere, making it a really fun place to be based.

"Cricket in this country is sometimes seen as quite traditional, compared to, say, Australia or South Africa, where it's one of their biggest sports. But over the last five years, cricket's been developing a much younger and funkier fan base, which is absolutely great. Things like the new Twenty20 competitions are helping youngsters find new interest, and changing people's perceptions - after all, cricket is our national summer sport!

"I realise how lucky I am to be doing something that I love so much for a living. The England Cricket team want to help develop younger talent, so we're all more than happy to help out - for example in after-school activities with inner-city kids who've won a competition to train with us. Also games such as Kwick Cricket and inter-cricket, which don't take up much room and where the coloured bats and pads mirror the international games, are great. New initiatives like these enlarge the young fan base and give the game a fresh boost.

"The atmosphere in the dressing room at the moment is electric! We've got the final of the Natwest Series coming up tomorrow. There will be 30,000 fans at Lord's, the Home of Cricket. It's a dream come true. Everyone's buzzing. It's an absolutely amazing experience and everyone's just raring to go."