MCCL feature – 10 Questions with Alex Brennan

In August, the Middlesex County Cricket League’s 10 Questions feature was with 1st XI captain Alex Brennan. See the feature below:

Alex Brennan, is a player who has commanded huge respect over the years in his time at Acton as a player and captain. Not only is he a very good cricketer, but also an individual who thinks a lot about the game and has built up a good knowledge of teams and players. At the moment, he is trying to take his side back into Division Two, but whilst trying to mastermind that took some time out to take part in the ’10 questions’ feature.

1. What differences did you find between Division Two and Three?

The standard of cricket in division two has really improved in the last couple of seasons from what it was five or so years back. I think gone are the days when there are eight established Premier League clubs in Middlesex and a couple that shuffle up and down. The quality seems much more spread out: last year I looked at the Enfield and Hornsey sides that finished half way in division two. On paper they had quality throughout and could have competed with any club in or around Middlesex on their day. Five years ago those sides would have walked that division but now there are 10 very competitive clubs in it each year.

Division 3 always seems like it breaks into a mini league at the top, with two, three or four sides breaking away. The quality is much more inconsistent but it is an incredibly tough league to get out of. You have to try and win that mini league and generally the sides that break away are pretty strong, and some of the individuals are outstanding. In particular, I think Division 3 has four or five of the best spin bowlers in the whole county in it this year. The pitches also make for some unpredictable games and so you cannot take anyone lightly.

What made you take up captaincy?

I’ve always captained sides from school, juniors and at University and when John Reeve stood down in 2013 it was the natural choice for me to take over having been vice captain a few years prior to that. We have a long record of our 1st XI captains being former colts and I think this helps reinforce the special culture that Acton has and maintains our identity and values.

I had an easy job when I took over in many ways – JR did an amazing job in steadying the club after a couple of tough seasons. He is also an outstanding captain from whom I learned a lot – probably the best I’ve played with or against. James Hunt before him was also a brilliant captain and leader. They each had very different approaches but what I learned from them is that there are lots of different ways to try and win games of cricket.

An umpire said to me the other week that I must be one of a handful of the longest standing captains around now after four seasons. I don’t know if that’s true or not but I wouldn’t be surprised – it’s not an easy job.

What’s been your favourite cricketing moment?

I think the three promotions in the MCCL with Acton that I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved in are all major highlights. The promotion to the Premier League in 2010 was pretty special, although I didn’t contribute much that season it was a great feeling for our 1st XI to reach the top division; something that would have been unimaginable just a few years earlier.

I think the best feeling from a personal perspective was our promotion back to division two in 2014. It was extra special as it was my first season as captain and I was able to enjoy a successful year personally, with a couple of 7-fers in the final four important games helping to take us over the line. That was a really good side to be a part of, featuring seven former Acton colts and I will always look back at that season with immense pride.

Who is the toughest opponent you have played against?

In terms of individuals, at a junior level in some of the representative and school stuff Joe Denly and Mark Footitt were the best I’ve ever come across.

In Middlesex, Dave Walker of Harrow was a real tough competitor and a fantastic batsman but if I had to single out one it would be Carlos Nunes at Twickenham. Carlos is a fantastic player and he leads his team from the front. My early years of 1stXI cricket as a younger player are filled with memories of often heated encounters with Twickenham as we moved up the Middlesex leagues together and Carlos was – and still is – the talisman of that talented and tough as old boots Twickenham side.

5. Which ground is your favourite?

I used to love playing at Ealing as a colt. My Acton age group was a bit of a freak year and we would regularly make the short trip across to Ealing and win in spectacular style, which meant that from an early age I had great memories of that ground and it has a special atmosphere to it. However, when we were bowled out for 40 at Ealing and lost a league game before lunch in 2011 I did lose a lot of love for Corfton Road!

I always love playing at Shepherds Bush – as well as being a fantastic set up there’s a friendly local rivalry and they’re a great bunch to have a beer with after the game. I also like all the Crouch End hub of grounds with a particular soft spot for North London.

If you could pick a preferred format would it be limited overs or all day?

Limited overs suits my attempts at bowling left arm spin pretty well and was always the format I played the best standards at in University and representative cricket. I try to take pride in bowling through powerplays and trying not to go for runs. That said, I think cricket isn’t just about who can score most and quickest, so I love the timed games where you often have to take 10 wickets to get the win. As a captain and/or a bowler you have to think more, set plans and find ways to get people out. Chasing totals is very satisfying but I don’t think you can beat the feeling of winning a game by taking all 10 wickets. So, I guess I think we have the formula right at the moment with the split and both formats present their own quirks and challenges.

Are there any changes you would make in the MCCL?

I think we play in a great league with some fantastic clubs and personalities. I think the shift to the split format was a brilliant one. I guess I would consider finishing the season later but adding a “rest” week into the season, allowing people to go away, get married etc. without interrupting the season. I find it very frustrating when we finish in the first week of September and almost always seem to then enjoy three Saturdays of blazing sunshine!

What would your all time MCCL eleven be, you can only pick one overseas!

This is tough, partly because I’m terrible at remembering players but I think this would be a fantastic team. I’ve tried to pick people who have performed on multiple occasions, rather than just players we came across once or twice…

Steve Selwood (Finchley) – always scored runs against us and when ‘set’ he was impossible to bowl at.
Jack Plumb (Enfield) – very consistent and tough to bowl at on their excellent deck.
Carlos Nunes (Twickenham) (wk) – an unbelievable all-round cricketer and competitor. Wins games on his own.
Dave Walker (Harrow) – talent and aggression.
Yasir Mehmood (Acton) – a genius of a batsman who could still play for any side.
Paul Weekes (Hornsey) – gritty, competitive and class.
Keith Dutch (Brentham) – pure quality and an all-round cricketer.
Adam Wilson (Brondesbury) – I love cricketers who give everything and lead their teams from the front. Skiddy pace bowler who is always at you.
Theodore Modeste (Harrow, Overseas) – the quickest bowler I’ve seen in club cricket. Gets the overseas nod over two batsmen in Glenn Philips at Brondesbury and Chris Gane of North London.
Nathan Cameron (Harrow) – started as an O/S but then qualified as resident. Bowled some unplayable spells against us over two or three seasons – always hit the seam and rarely bowled a bad ball.
Matthew Turnell (Acton) – the best cricketer Acton has ever had. Could have played first class cricket without a doubt and I don’t think I’ve ever come across a better spinner in any club cricket. As a 50-ish year old Matty now turns out for the 2nd XI five or six times a year and dominates batting line ups in that Premier Division. Matty’s only downfall has been his unwavering loyalty for Acton – he could have joined any one of the big clubs and showed everyone that he was the best around.

9. Is there any particular player you modelled your game on?

You could pick any number of spinners who don’t really turn it and/or scratchy lower order batsmen…

I learnt the most from Matty Turnell and John Reeve, two of Acton’s most successful bowlers. John is a bowler who will out think anyone and will always back himself to find a way to get any given batter out on any given day. He always has a plan and that’s what I’ve tried to bring into my game in the last couple of years; if you’re not going to be better than the batsman you have to try and find a way of getting on top.

Where would you like to see Acton in the next three years?

This is a big period of transition again for our club with the owners of our main ground recently selling the pavilion and key facilities to David Lloyd Leisure. It’s going to be a tough year or so for all involved at the club but I think it could be the making of us and a successful future. If our plans come to fruition we will be an independent cricket club within a fantastic community sports hub. We will have first class facilities for all sports and should benefit from new members across juniors and seniors. So I think the future is very bright but we will have to navigate this transition stage carefully.

We have some outstanding younger colts and I would love to see them beginning to progress through to senior cricket, as six of our current 1st XI have done. Producing our own players has been key to Acton’s rise from the Middlesex Championship to an established county league club and it is also critical to our special culture.

In the future, I’d like the 2s and 3s to stay in their top divisions more seasons that not and I’d love for the 1st XI to have one more go in the Premier Division before a few of the current crop move back down the XIs to be replaced by the youngsters we’re starting to see coming through. I don’t think we’re a million miles away and the new set up we will hopefully have from next season will help us continue to improve both on and off the field.

AdminFebruary 22, 2018