Danny Briggs - the pride of the Isle of Wight (From This is Hampshire)

Danny Briggs - the pride of the Isle of Wight

11:30pm Sunday 12th February 2012 in Hampshire Sport By Simon Walter, Senior Sports Reporter

HE is likely to make his England debut this month, but Danny Briggs has long been the pride of Ventnor Cricket Club.

Briggs is on the cusp of becoming the Isle of Wight’s first England international after being named in the one-day and Twenty20 squads for this month’s series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Should he play in one of the four ODIs or three Twenty20 internationals before the end of the month, 20-year-old Briggs would also become Hampshire’s youngest England cricketer.

It has been a meteoric rise.

Less than a decade ago, Briggs was making his first strides in men’s cricket with Ventnor 3rds.

The coach who oversaw Briggs’ progress at Ventnor CC was Sam Garaway, whose son Mark is the former Hampshire wicketkeeper, England analyst and Ireland director of cricket.

Sam was captain of Ventnor 3rds when Briggs made his memorable debut in men’s cricket.

“Nowadays you have to be 13 to play adult cricket but when Danny was 11 he played his first game for me in the Island League against GKN 2nds over in Cowes,” Sam recalls.

“Danny would have taken a wicket with his first ball had the fielder I posted on the boundary not come in too far. “It went for four but Danny got him out with his third ball and finished with five for six from his six overs!”

Sam was preparing for another season as captain of Ventnor 1sts when Danny was born on April 30, 1991.

“Danny’s mum Jackie brought him into the pavilion when he was three days old and I held him in my arms and said he was going to be a proper player!” smiles Sam.

“He used to play cricket with the other boys from the age of four or five and it was obvious very early on that he had a bit of talent. He wanted to bowl quick in those days.

“When he was about ten he bowled too quick for the other youngsters so I suggested that he bowled slowly to give them a bit of a chance!

“His action has always been there but what also stood out early on was his ability never to look ruffled.

“I used to tell him that as a spinner there were times when he would get whacked but that he had to believe his next ball would be a wicket-taking ball.

“But more than anything that calmness is down to his natural temperament and his own make up.”

Although Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes have played for England at a younger age than Briggs in recent years, it is rare to see a spinner elevated to the international stage so early in their career.

Briggs’ role model, New Zealand slow left-armer Daniel Vettori, was the exception when he made his Test debut a week after his 18th birthday.

But Briggs is slightly younger than Graeme Swann was on England’s 2000 tour of South Africa.

And Derek Underwood, the only English spinner to take 100 first-class wickets at a younger age than Briggs, had turned 21 by the time he made his debut.

“It’s extraordinary, I always think of (Jim) Laker and (Tony) Lock as being England’s youngest but they were well into their twenties before their debuts,” added Garaway.

Another mentor during Briggs’ early development was Orazio Santalucia. He used to run the Isle of Wight Cricket Academy at Ventnor’s Steephill base near the small village of Wroxall where Briggs grew up.

There Briggs spent his formative years playing with Worcestershire batsman Chris Russell. Hampshire academy graduate Ian Hilsum, the current Ventnor captain, also comes from the village.

John Hilsum, Ian’s dad, is Ventnor CC’s chairman. “We’re delighted and excited by Danny’s progress,” said Hilsum. “I remember when he was in a pram before progressing through the colts very quickly.

“He is fantastic for the club and for the Island. He still comes back to help when he can, like at awards nights.

“If he could I’m sure he would play for us as well as Hampshire! He can bat as well - he took Tino Best and Nantie Hayward apart when we played the Lashings a few years ago.

“He’s a wonderful lad. Some youngsters get a bit full of themselves but there’s none of that with Danny.”

Briggs was schooled at St Wilfrid’s Primary in Ventnor and then Carisbrooke High when his mum moved to Freshwater.

The mum-of-four is prouder than anyone of her son’s rise to the fringes of the full England team.

A regular at the Rose Bowl when Hampshire are in t20 action, she said: “This was already going to be a special year as Danny’s getting married to Linsey in September!

“We’re really proud of him, he’s done so well for the Lions and deserves it.

“He’s always been one for training. As a kid he spent hours hitting a ball against a piece of wood and the noise would drive me mad!

“I haven’t spoken to him since the call-up but he’s probably taking it all in his stride.

“He’s very laid back and I’m sure he’ll be fine – I just worry when he bats against the fast bowlers!”

Jackie cites legendary Hampshire youth coach, the late Terry Trodd, and his widow Jan as other major influences on Danny, as well as the county’s coaching staff.

“Terry and Jan put Danny up when he first started playing regularly for Hampshire,” she continued. “Terry was like a second dad to him, but Danny’s moving back to the Island and commuting across this summer.”

Jackie ferried Briggs all over the country during his school days but will not be heading to the UAE.

“We watched both games at the Oval when he was included in England’s Twenty20 squad against the West Indies in September,” she said. “I just hope he plays this time!"