PITCH IT UP, SWING IT A LITTLE, AND BOWL WITH CONSISTENCY!

Interviewer: Ian Hodgson

Interviewee: Julian Vickerman

Batsman/Bowler: Left-arm medium pace bowler/lower-order batsmen

Level you played for at Broad Oak: I started at junior level then I worked my way through over the years to the second team, then the first team, and then I just alternated between them both. The team I played for depended on how strong the first team was.

Age when you first played: When I was nine years old, when I played for the under-13s and then worked my way up to senior level.

Strengths as a bowler: Pitching the ball up on a consistent length, swinging the ball and perhaps getting a bit of seam movement.

Best bowling figures: Off the top of my head: 8-24. Had a few seven-fors and a couple of eight-fors.

Strengths as a lower-order batsmen: Being able to hold an end up while runs are scored at the other end.

Best team performance: Beating Hall Bower in the Paddock Shield second round. I ended up hitting the winning runs with Tom McCreadie. The game swung both ways but we ended up upsetting the party as the underdogs.

Most memorable match: Playing for the first team against Hall Bower again, which was a great moment.

Best batting performance: Would have to be the first game of last season against Holmfirth. We were batting second, and I came in seven wickets down needing 42 runs to win. I batted through, scoring 28 not out and managed to hit a six to win the match.

Funniest moment: The Paddock Shield semi-final. I had bowled 17 overs for 24 runs with four wickets. The guy came in to bat and he kept hitting me over my head for six with Scholes' ground (where we were playing) having such a small outfield! So I said: “Could you bring third man round a little bit, it might make a difference!” And everyone just turned round and laughed

Injuries: I've retired now as I had two cartilage operations last year and I haven't fully recovered from them. They asked me to play this year but I'm captain at Crosland Heath Golf Club - which is a big responsibility, so I don't want to ruin my golf.

Future with the club: I still do my duties with the committee and obviously I want the club to do well. I’ve taken over a bar role after we introduced certain tasks for all committee members to fulfill - taking responsibility for trying to get the club going again.

Low points: Would have to be getting dropped from the final of the Paddock Shield in 1993. I had played the previous three rounds but was dropped for someone who hadn’t played in any of them by captain John Forest. I then fell out with the club and went to play for Armitage Bridge where I played in the first team for eight or nine games. Then I went in the second team but that didn't really work out. I didn’t do anything wrong to get dropped - the first team had just got stronger. So the following year I came back to Broad Oak.

Best captain I played under: Was Martin Field. I always enjoyed playing under him until he shattered his knee in a cup match, which ruined his career.

Best catch: Was against Golcar where I took it on the floor on the boundary and got a ‘champagne moment’ for that at the club.

Off-field activities with Broad Oak: I'm a good club man through and through - I like to do my bit at functions.

Future for the club: Very good because the juniors are coming through along with Graeme Hurlbatt who’s going to captain us and a new Australian who we’ve signed. We missed out last year going up against Clayton West and we've missed out for the last few years, so hopefully this year we can go one better and be in the Premiership.