Name: Jamie McAndrew
Nickname: Macca
Current or past player: Past
What sparked your interest in cricket: Mini cricket down at Prestwich when I was about 8 years old.
Do you prefer the T20, 50-over, county or Test format of the game: Test match personally, but all have their pros and cons
Cricketing hero: Graeme Hick
Favourite current (professional) player: Eoin Morgan
Most admired/best player you have played with:
Played with some great pros but it has to be Bradders. The guy has just passed all bowling records with two different bowling styles, he’s had some fantastic innings with the bat (Bradders retiring Pazza in the Hulme cup final at Denton West springs to mind) and is notorious across several leagues for his competitiveness. And all of this with the knees of a man twice his age.
Most formidable opponent:
Bevan Blackwood from Glossop, just a run machine against us for years.
Cameron Murray who was moved around BCL, but I’ve played him 3 times and each time he’s got a ton without trying.
Favourite away ground: Glossop and Bradshaw
Favourite/most memorable match you’ve played in:
A lot of cup finals over the years but the entire 2007 season was an iconic for cricket at Prestwich Cricket Club, especially as the majority of the players had come through Prestwich’s junior set-up.
Personal highlight/champagne moment:
Me and Luke O’Brien hit a league record 7th wicket partnership against Irlam in 2008, think we came together needing another 135 and knocked it off quite comfortably.
Saving Lydia and Charlotte’s lives at Old Trafford 2010. Steven Croft, Caught McAndrew bowled Adil Rashid. Unfortunately for Rashid I was in row J and it was a mammoth 6. He’s done alright for himself though hasn’t he?
Funniest moment/s in cricket:
Tom Barling’s jumper at Glossop
Pete Lorenzini trying to take guard without a bat
A changing room game at Denton which involved throwing a tennis ball at each other with only a helmet and a pad attached to an arm for cover.
Pete being chased by Budgie around Denton
Any of AJ Taylor’s stories.
Best way to relax after the game: Beers in the winners lounge and a barbecue
Do/did you have any cricketing superstitions: Left pad on first and last onto the pitch when fielding. Also if I’m getting runs, never waste them in the nets.
What will you miss most in cricket during this enforced break: Just the time to relax away from family and work. Laps where I get to moan the entire time (and Westhoughton is a big lap)
Is there anything you’d change about the game: I wish clubs invested into coaching and facilities rather than shamateurs. The North West is rich in clubs who spent big on players decades ago, sure they got the trophies, but are struggling with poor grounds, falling apart facilities and low playing numbers.
If you could invite 3 cricketing celebrities (players, presenters, commentators) round for dinner, who would they be and why: Richard Isaacs, Ronnie Irani and Andrew Flintoff would be interesting.
