We caught up with the Bears and England all-rounder, Dan Mousley, ahead of the Birmingham Phoenix campaign to lift The Hundred trophy
Dan Mousley picked up a cricket bat aged just three years and has never wanted to do anything else. That rare single-mindedness meant that by the age of eight he knew he wanted the game to be more than a hobby and believed wholeheartedly he would become a professional cricketer.
He’s been at the Bears since he was 10 and at the ripe old age of 23 is an integral part of the team and their success as well as joining England in their recent ODI and T20 campaigns. Next up, Dan will play an important part in a Birmingham Phoenix team whose sights are set on lifting The Hundred trophy which Dan reckons is achievable with the talent they have on the team.
PACKED HOUSE
If you’ve attended one of The Hundred games at Edgbaston, you’ll know the buzz and joy around the ground. Pulling in big crowds, the explosive nature of The Hundred attracts die-hard cricket fans as well as new followers of the game wowed by the excitement and the atmosphere. Dan says: “Every player looks forward to The Hundred. It’s brilliant playing to a packed house and you see so many team shirts and caps in the crowd. It really feels like you’re inspiring the next generation.”
It’s also an opportunity to learn from other players on the team. He says: “It’s a month of learning – youngsters learning from the more experienced players and vice versa and playing at Edgbaston is always brilliant for players.”
FAMILY AFFAIR
Generations of Dan’s family have played cricket. His parents were heavily involved in their local club, Nether Whitacre Cricket Club, while his uncle and dad played the game. Dan loved cricket immediately making some of his best mates through the sport who still play at the club. Like all the sports stars we’ve interviewed, there’s a support network – generally parents – behind the scenes ferrying their kids to away games and providing encouragement and opportunities to excel. Dan says he was spoilt on this front with his parents making sacrifices and taking him everywhere.
When cricket became a job rather than a hobby, it was a bit of a shift in mindset for Dan. He says: “I absolutely love cricket so I know I’m very lucky, but there are different pressures – so much time spent abroad, time away from family, more scrutiny, but I love it.”
CHILDHOOD DREAMS
The highlight of his career so far is playing for England in their ODI and T20 campaigns. He loves the short form game but equally enjoys red ball cricket and feels there’s room for both saying they require different skill sets that ultimately make you a better cricketer. On playing for England, Dan says: “To get the call to play for England is something I dreamed of as a kid and when it happened it was pretty special.”
He adds: “It was about enjoying it as much as I could, the boys are different level, their skills, how cleanly they strike the ball. It was a great opportunity to learn. For me it was a chance to understand what international cricket is all about. How well the team operates as a unit, everyone knows their own and each other’s games, it was really impressive.”
Dan’s ultimate ambition is to play test cricket for England which he says would be ‘awesome’. We reckon is not too far away.