Alex Tudor predicts bright future for talented siblings

Former England man pleased with Kimbolton School production line

The future of Kimbolton School cricket looks Taylor made…

Yes, siblings Jess and Zac Taylor are the jewels in the Cambridgeshire school’s set-up, run by former England fast bowler Alex Tudor.

Jess is in Year 11, and has been selected for the London and East Region Women’s Emerging Player Programme. She has represented Cambridgeshire at under-15 and under-18 levels. She is a fine batter, wicketkeeper and can bowl Mike Proctor-style inswingers.

Zac is in Year 10. He opens or goes in at No.3.

"He scored his first hundred for Eaton Socon CC last summer, and I think it will be the first of many,” says Tudor. "He is the best male batter in the school, he also keeps well, like his sister, and can bowl. They are both pretty talented! Their mum played badminton for England, and their dad is a good club cricketer."

Tudor is also focusing on the school’s batting, as a whole.

"The circuit we are on is strong, with Bedford, Stowe and Oakham, but we do well. It's not all about winning, though. It’s about developing, learning and above all enjoying it, and we tick all these boxes.

"Since I have been here, working with Mr Gilbert, the bowling and fielding has been strong, but I've been trying to get the youngsters to bat longer. They see T20, and people like Jos Buttler doing scoops and ramps. My pupils try it too. I say to them, 'Look, he’s played that shot 1,000 times. I don’t mind you playing it, but make sure you have runs on the board first.'

"We've some good some good youngsters coming through. They look as if they want to bat longer. Cricket is their main sport. We do sessions with four or five youngsters at a time, helping them to read the length better and hit a lot of balls, against bowling machines. I've also been getting them to sweep. You don't see a lot of sweeping in school cricket, but it's a good option against spin... to rotate the strike, or as a boundary option. Hopefully it will become second nature in matches.

"I was lucky enough to play with Andy Flower at Essex. I remember him playing a one-dayer against Gloucestershire. I think he scored 130 not out. He kept sweeping, and reverse-sweeping, and Martyn Ball and Ian Fisher didn’t know where to bowl. Andy's manipulation of the field was a masterclass."

The first Test in Pakistan has just finished. "I'm just glad I did not have to bowl in Multan," he jokes, after watching England rack up 800-plus. With that, Tudes is off to take a girls' cricket session. It's a Friday afternoon in winter, but the weekend can wait.