Against Whalers at Chiswick on Sunday 6th July Andrew Wingfield became the 7th Exiles to pass the 2,000 run landmark, the Exiles website caught up with Andy to mark the occasion in usual style with an interview.
Being heavily involved with the Exiles website you must have been aware the 2,000 run landmark was near – were you in the nervous nineteen hundreds at any point?
Nope, I knew the stat was close, but it wasn’t something I was worried about.
Did you know the shot that brought up the 2,000 or did you backtrack after the game, was there a mini celebration under your breath?
No, to be honest I completely forgot about it during my innings and was only concentrating on trying to win the game. It was only in the pub afterwards that I remembered it.
You have now joined an elite Exile group with 2,000 runs but some of the guys above you have been pretty static in recent years. On your current run scoring trajectory over the last few season 3,000 runs should be possible in the next few season and you could easily move into 3rd or 4th spot overall but the 2 guys out in front with 5,000 still seem a long way off. Have you any run targets over the next few years or say by your 40th Birthday (you are still south of 40 aren’t you)?
Thank you John, I’m still a few years off turning 40. No real targets other than continuing to try to score more and more runs. 3,000 is definitely a target I hope to achieve and let’s see where that takes me.
At least my batting seems to have taken a step in the right direction in recent years – it took me 135 innings to get my first 1,000 Exiles runs and 67 to get the next 1,000 – so hopefully I can keep that rate going!
In London bus style you waited a while for a 50 then 2 came along at once. One a quick style blast and the other a more calculated and measured innings which did you prefer?
The quick blast because it was my first and a lot easier! Being a bit more serious I’d probably actually say the second one as I had to reign in my attacking instincts. And I also took satisfaction in following up my first one with my second one so quickly afterwards.
You have also been the go to man to get Exiles out of a hole, need 40 off 2 overs Andy is your man! You have blasted 20 or more in an over many times, Strollers, Agricola and putting the OMT pace bowler to the sword for 25+ off an over, aside from the 50s noted above any favorite innings or shots you would like to mention?
I’ve certainly enjoyed those mentioned above. It was actually an innings of 35 off 11 balls against WICC about 10 years ago (when I was extremely hungover!) that showed me what I can do. Since then, it’s just been a case of trying to be productive to the Exiles batting total as frequently and significantly as possible.
The 3 examples you mention are all well up there in my memories of quick-scoring – probably because they were all against good bowlers – hitting Krunic of Strollers back over his head for six, 4 boundaries off 4 from Dan Gauntlett of Agricola and 4 off 4 from Sohan Modi from OMT – with the latter my favourite because all 4 shots came off the middle of the bat and also because it was against OMT!
Any ambition to go up the order or is the 15 to 20 overs left in the innings the sweet spot and license you need to play your natural game?
I wouldn’t mind a go up the top of the order at some point – just to see what I could achieve over a season if I batted early in every game. But I’m realistic in Exiles cricket that if I bowl a lot, my batting chances will be limited – and I certainly intend to continue bowling – so it also depends a lot on my continuing fitness to bowl – and also the captain asking me to!
You have genuine all-rounder status and the only Exile to achieve 200 wickets and 2,000 runs, is 400 (or 500) and 4,000 (or 5,000) possible?
Why not – though again depends on fitness and continuing availability. I still enjoy my cricket as much as ever, so hopefully I can knock-off a few more milestones along the way. I’ve always thought in sport – and in cricket particularly – that I like to aim for the stars – aim for something that’s particularly unrealistic – and even if you just fail and you’ve given that impossible target a pretty good go, you’ve probably still done pretty well.
You use the same bat as fellow Exiles Phil Ling and Simon Gundry. Simon has proved his all round capabilities so is there hope for Phil?
Nope. Of course not.
What do you love more, talking about batting or talking about stats?
Its no secret that stats are close to my heart and I genuinely believe keeping records of my cricketing achievements has helped me become a better player – observing how I get out when batting etc. So I think – perhaps shamefully – I probably prefer talking about stats (or even batting stats!?)
There’s been a noticeable increase in the noise of your grunting as you bowl – is this a deliberate attempt to intimidate the opposition or have you been watching too much women’s tennis?
Neither – grunting is something that just happens when I bowl these days. To be honest I’d prefer it if I could try to use it as a weapon!
You are a keen observer on some of the madness characteristics shown by Exiles players over the years – who has been the maddest?
There are plenty of Exiles legends in this category and I’d hate to pick out just one!
Andy, thanks for your time and here’s to the next 1,000 Exiles runs!