New England star to replace lan Botham

Press, 24 February 1988, Page 32

New England star to replace lan Botham

By

BRYAN PARKER

It was a good day for England when postman Martin DeFreitas decided to leave his native Dominica and come to England to better himself and his family — but it augured a bleak outlook for the West Indies. For his fifth son, then aged 9, is Phillip Anthony Jason DeFreitas, the fastbowling 22-year-old scourge of many an international batsman. He is the man who has been hailed as the cricketer to take over from lan Botham as the world’s No. 1 all-rounder.

For “Daffy,” as he is known, is no slouch with the bat either. In addition to his five-wicket haul in his Test debut against Australia at Brisbane, he scored 40 runs — and this after only one full season in county cricket.

It was a meteoric rise to Test stardom. Only a couple of years previously DeFreitas was serving on the ground staff at Lords, sweeping up, keeping seniors’ kit in order and bowling to MCC members in the nets. Within a year both Middlesex and Leicestershire offered him contracts. He chose Leicester because he thought the opportunities there would be greater. They were. He had a brilliant first season in 1985 and although he was thought of primarily as a bowler he capped several fine innings with a maiden century against Kent.

There were immediate calls for him to be selected for England and in September 1986 he was picked for the forthcoming Australian tour. Leicester’s Peter Willey

greeted the news with relief. "His selection is the best news I’ve heard for a long time,” he said. “How could we keep sending the same old faces? Phil is

dedicated, has great talent and is ready. He’d score more runs if he wasn’t so impetuous. He wants to hit the first ball for six. He’ll settle down, though — he’s sensible and this won’t go to his head.” These last words were to be remembered by many. Within months of returning in triumph from Australia DeFreitas lost his form and was dropped for the Headingley Test against Pakistan. His return to county cricket hadn’t been too successful and rumours of unrest at Grace. Road came to a head when

Daffy poured salt over a choice lemon sole that had been specially prepared for Jonathan Agnew who wasn’t feeling too well.

Agnew retaliated by hurling his kit out of the dressing-room window. Tempers rose, DeFreitas threatened to do the same with Agnew’s kit and an ugly scene was averted only when captain Peter Willey stepped in and ordered DeFreitas in no uncertain terms to cut it out.

An onlooker said that at one time the argument looked likely to end in blows, then DeFreitas left, declaring that he had had enough of playing for Willey. He was persuaded to

return and ordered to complete his contract, which expires next year. Old hands nodded sagely and some gave it as their opinion that stardom had come too quickly for such a youngster. One respected commentator observed: ‘DeFreitas is a victim of too much recognition too soon. His best course is to forget Test cricket, go away and grow up.” Harsh criticism indeed. Did early success really go to DeFreitas head? “All of a sudden I’m supposed to be bigheaded, temperamental and even a troublemaker,” he says. “It’s a load of rubbish. You hear these rumours but try to find any evidence and the whole thing vanishes into thin air. “It seems that some people can’t wait to put the boot in when a young player like me makes an early break-through. I may have made mistakes, but if so, none of them were deliberate.” He admits that he went through a whole season being upset by childish little things and that he was “very disappointed and annoyed by what was happening.” As for wanting to leave Leicester, he denied that strongly. “I’m very happy here and I’ve got another year of my contract to run. We’ll see what happens after that,” he says.

Talks between DeFreitas, Peter Willey and the Leicester manager, Mike Turner, eased the situation and De Freitas insists there is nothing between him and his captain. “He’s a hard man and I respect him,” he says. “He wants the same thing as I do — for me to do well with the team.” The episode of the salt had a happy ending,

thanks to David Gower. At a benefit dinner attended by the whole team, Gower emptied all the salt cellars into a big bag before the dinner and during the evening presented it to De Freitas who then proceeded to offer some to Agnew to a storm of cheers and laughter. And as a postscript to a happy ending DeFreitas is now back with the England team, in New Zealand. It is when England meet the West Indies that Viv Richards may find that his battery of pacemen will more than meet their match. This is what he had to say about De Frietas: — “For a lad who is not yet 22 he bowls with remarkable discipline. That is the factor we are always trying to give our young bowlers. “Our loss is certainly England’s gain and I am sure he is going to have a great international career.” He added a note of advice to England’s selectors: "Treat that boy properly. He has a rare talent and should be treated with respect. I hope they have the sense to see what this young cricketer has to offer and give him every chance to blossom.” Apart from cricket De Freitas has only one other interest in life — his girl friend, Pearl. They have been inseparable for the past three years and when it was reported that he had no steady girl friend but “a stable of several round and about,” Pearl reacted swiftly. She rang DeFreitas in Australia for reassurance. “I’ve told her she’s the only girl for me,” he announced, “and I hope that puts the record straight.” DUO COPYRIGHT