IT’S a pleasure to write a few words by way of introduction to Grizzly’s story – and what a tale it has been. I’ve been fortunate to share some wonderful times with him when we worked together at Sussex.
Before we linked up in 1997, I’d come across him a few times during his time at Derbyshire. I remember quite early in his career when they came down to Eastbourne in 1992 and Chris stationed himself at short extra cover during a one-day game, bravely diving around like a goalkeeper with those big hands and stopping everything. I thought then that he had something about him.
As a batsman I always felt he was at his best when he played aggressively. When he was in form he had a front-foot pull shot that he would play to respectable, good-length balls. And when bowlers were forced to adjust their length, he would drive them down the ground.
Chris is at his best when he is instinctive, allowing his intuition to guide his decision-making. We saw that during his time as captain of Sussex but also as a batsman. He always seemed to be able to spot the danger ball and when it was in his area he found a way of scoring runs. He had the ability to hit the ball hard, though more importantly a competitive instinct that more often than not found a way of winning the situation. It was a proud moment for everyone at Sussex when he got his opportunity with England in 1999. We were all willing him to do well and although it didn’t work out at Test level he perhaps deserved more opportunities in one-day international cricket.
That, of course, worked to our advantage as he grew into the captain’s role at Sussex. At Hove it was a classic combination of a new captain and a new coach finding things out together and, though occasionally we made mistakes, we saw the game from the same perspective and realised to be successful we needed to be a united front. We decided early on that we wanted to play aggressive cricket and create an environment where we enjoyed ourselves, while working hard to keep improving every day. Chris was fiercely ambitious right from the start and though he started as an inexperienced captain he always had presence as a player and led from the front. The goal to win trophies was always strong, though we both realised that to achieve this we needed a culture and an environment that would allow this to be sustainable. In many ways winning would be a by-product of how we went about our business.
We had some great times together at Sussex, most memorably of course the County Championship win in 2003. It was fitting that when Murray Goodwin hit the winning runs, Chris was at the other end. He led us magnificently that year, most notably for me after a tough loss at Old Trafford in the penultimate game. This was a time for certainty, to have no doubts and to believe in yourself and the team. These traits came naturally to Chris and he duly led from the front as good leaders do. It had actually been a tough summer for him with the bat and I remember countless hours in the nets as he searched for the form that was eluding him. In the end, like all good players, he worked out a way. In his case, he freed himself up, trusted his ability and allowed his talent to shine through. This sounds easy, though in the pressurised environment of a title challenge it is far from it. He wasn’t afraid to make tough decisions and often trusted his instinct which served him well in many pressure situations. This was a time when many players emerged together and we all felt excited about what was happening and what we might achieve. Chris finished on 11 seasons as captain which will be a tough record to match for anyone in the future. To lead for that length of time requires a strength of character and a resilience that is rare, along with a desire to build a legacy of sustainable success. Chris had these qualities and an ability to let the non-important stuff go and focus on the things that really mattered.
Coaching is no different though the challenge now is to create opportunities for others to lead and believe in their ability as a player. This brings its own challenges with coaches often watching for many hours waiting for the window to help a player clarify the way forward. My advice to young coaches is normally the same, ‘You watch a lot to say a little.’ He could not have had a much harder first challenge than at a big club like Surrey with its tradition and expectation. He will have learned a lot through the experience and, like playing, will be better for it.
It’s been a pleasure to play some part in Grizzly’s life in cricket and remember some wonderful days at Sussex. Anyone who loves the English game will surely enjoy this book and like you I’m looking forward to reading his story.
Peter Moores