Jake Lintott can't wait to be back among the Bears for the next instalment of what he describes as a "13-month whirlwind."
Wrist-spinner Lintott returned to training at Edgbaston this morning four days after his skilful work helped Southern Brave to glory in the Hundred final at Lord’s.
Next up for the 28-year-old is another huge assignment with the Bears as they prepare to visit Kent in a Vitality Blast quarter-final on Friday. Then, while his Warwickshire team-mates pursue the county championship title, Lintott will travel to the Caribbean Premier League to represent the Barbados Royals.
Exciting times and not bad for a chap who, just over a year ago, was teaching at Queen’s College, Taunton and wondering if his aspirations to a career in professional cricket would come to nothing.
“I really can’t believe what has happened,” he said. “It has been a 13-month whirlwind.
“To play in the inaugural final of the Hundred in front of a full house at Lord’s was an amazing experience. It was so special to see my family there afterwards and just be part of that day.
“It is almost unbelievable. My ambition was just to become a professional cricketer. For all this to have happened so quickly has been a dream.
“Now I can’t wait to be back among the Bears. The Hundred has been an incredible five weeks and I loved it but I have really missed being among the lads at Edgbaston. I’m looking forward to being back in the dressing room and getting to work preparing for the quarter-final at Kent.
“Then I’ll join up with Barbados Royals and I am very grateful to Paul Farbrace and Mark Robinson for letting me go and for their understanding. To be among the world’s best players in the Caribbean Premier League will be great experience and really help me with my development as a player. It is a very exciting opportunity and I will return to the UK two days before Finals Day so it will all fit perfectly if the Bears can make it through.”
Lintott’s emergence as pivotal to the Bears’ T20 bowling and then the Southern Brave’s attack in the Hundred is a remarkable story for a player who made his Bears debut less than a year ago.
On August 30 last year he made his bow against Glamorgan at Cardiff and contributed a match-winning 4-0-13-1. Since then he has taken every step forward and upward with the composure necessary to allow his skills to shine.
Lintott appears nerveless, though he insists that is deceptive.
“I am incredibly competitive and have the belief that I can perform and do well, but I do get nervous,” he said. “It is something that I have worked on quite a lot with the sports psychologist at the Bears. It’s all about channelling those nerves and your energy in a positive way.
“It has gone very well so far and now I just want to build on what I have achieved and do well in other competitions, including red ball. I really enjoy red ball cricket and am on an all-format contract with the Bears. They have Danny Briggs and Dan Mousley so are well covered for spin, and I will be in the CPL for the next few weeks, but I would very much like to play more red ball cricket for the Bears.
“I really enjoyed my championship debut at Worcester. Four-day cricket is a very different game with different skills and it is another area I want to improve in. Hopefully I could provide a different attacking option.”
The Jake Lintott story continues apace, today he clocked back on with the Bears, looking ahead to a big match on Friday and a stint in the CPL – with a Hundred winner’s medal safely in his possession.
Safe to say his teaching career is firmly on hold, but Lintott will never be a stranger to Queen’s College where he was first a pupil, then a master.
“Queen’s is very special to me,” he said. “I have loved it there as both pupil and teacher. I was due to finish teaching in November but have brought it forward but will always go back there and do some coaching when I can.
“Without Queen’s I wouldn’t have joined Warwickshire and all this wouldn’t have happened. They have been so supportive all the way through and encouraged me to try to achieve my dream. I am so grateful to Queen’s, as I am to the Bears.”
