Boycott puts Jarvis on right cricketing road

Press, 18 March 1988, Page 26

Boycott puts Jarvis on right cricketing road

By

BRYAN PARKER

They breed them pretty tough 'in ‘ Yorkshire |and none comes tougher than Paul Jarvis, fast-medium bowler at long last underway on what could well prove to be a glittering test career. i 1

The gritty young Yorkshireman has triumphed; over a multitude of injuries in his battle for !a. place in the England side — set-backs that might well have caused anyone less dedicated to call it a day and go home, !

Paul William Jarvis, now rising 23, made his debut for Yorkshire in 1981 after a spell as a trainee groundsman at Marske Cricket Club. He was the youngest player ever to turn out for Yorks First XI: in the ‘ John Player League — 16 years, two months and one day — and the County Championship — 16 years, two months and 13 days. • He showed early promise of becoming Yorkshire’s greatest fast bowler since the days of Fred Trueman, but after some initial success the great hopes', faded away and Jarvis opted for life in the fast lane.

But help was at hand in the unlikely figure of Geoffrey Boycott, a Yorkshire team-mate. Boycott has been accused of not caring about up and

coming young cricketers — one of the main factors in a civil war that eventually led to his dismissal. Where Jarvis was| concerned, however. Boycott made it his business to bring him back tc the serious business of cricket. . ■ i “He talked to me ike a Dutch uncle.” (recalls Jarvis. “How I should take ,care of myself with proper rest and diet. He also talked about my attitude to women. Hri said he spoke to young players only if he felt they were worth talking to. That meant a lot to me. ' The upshot of it all was that his'career took a turn for the better ard his' steady progress was beings carefully noted by the! authorities. In 1982 he played for Young England against: the West Indies and the following year saw him in Australia, again with the Young England side. ! The first of a series of injuries struck in 1986 when he was plagued by back trouble. Believing the chances of getting fit . were higher in a warmer climate, he borrowed £l5OO from the bank and bought a ticket to Australia where he got a job as a messenger arid played for Manly a Sydney club. The trip paid off in terms of health and Jarvis

off in id Jarvis

returned * fully, fit to enjoy a good season's tour of the West Indies with Yorkshire and then made the M.CC team for the opening match against the county j champions, Middlesex. His best performance came in T 984 — six wickets for 61 against the old enemy, Lancashire, at Old Trafford. His 81 wickets in 644 overs ini 1987. — including 11 for 92 which enabled Yorkshire to win against Middlesex at Lords and four for 15 in the Benson and Hedges Final also at Lords — made a deep impression on the selectors. Their reaction was to call him up for the three

legs of tours to the World Cup. Pakistan and New Zealand. Alas, on the threshold of his Test debut; shoulder trouble prevented him from claiming a place in the World Cup side and that hardly responded .'to treatment before his right index finger became infected, making it impossible for him to bowl. It w r as decided he should return to England where he spent 10 days over Christmas on la"! drip feed to rectify (Circulation problems in I his hand. It was heart-break for Jarvis to be sent home to recover before the start of the Pakistan tests, ' but I considering the trauma ati tendant on that disastrous

series he probably thanked his lucky stars not to have been there. Back in England, Jarvis recovered, came back to total fitness and returned to the England squad ready for the New Zealand tour. Then, at [the very first net practice, he strained his back muscles. Fortunately, the injury was not serious and responded to treatment by England's physiotherapist, Laurie Brown. His success in the match against a Shell XI when he took four wickets ensured him a place in the first test. And in New Zealand’s first innings at Lancaster Park he 1 fulfilled a dream by taking two wickets. He was unfortunate not to have taken a wicket with his very first ball when his appeal for lbw against Jeff Crowe was turned down. It is the fervent hope of Jarvis and no less that of the England tour manager, Mickey Stewart,! that all his fitness problems are behind him for good. As far as eating is concerned, Jarvis adds one very special item to his diet — liquorice allsorts. Known as “Gnasher,” lie is never without a steady supply and if, on foreign trips he ever gets stung for excess baggage it will be because among the bats, pads and gloves will be a copious supply of his favourite sweet. DUO COPYRIGHT