By Graham Hardcastle, 春梦直播 Reporters Network
New Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings has extra motivation to score centuries and raise his bat this summer after signing up to help increase awareness of the Cure Leukaemia charity.
Eagle-eyed fans will have spotted Jennings鈥� bat sporting a 鈥楥ure Leukaemia鈥� sticker during the opening round of the LV= Insurance County Championship against Surrey last week.
It is just one part of his wider commitment to help support a charity that is close to his heart.
鈥淚 suppose, like everyone, you have been touched by cancer at some point in your life,鈥� said Jennings, who captained Lancashire for the first time in the home draw with champions Surrey.
鈥淭he opportunity came up to do a bit of work with this charity, which is exciting. I鈥檒l maybe do something (a challenge) for them at the back end of the year, but it鈥檚 more about being around.
鈥淚 know it doesn鈥檛 make a huge difference, but I鈥檒l have the charity鈥檚 name on the back of my bat to try and raise awareness for the brand.
鈥淚鈥檓 from a family who has been hit fairly hard by cancer, so it鈥檚 nice to be able to have an impact, be a bit of a role model and put a smile on people鈥檚 faces if I can.
鈥淢y dad and my grandad have both had prostate cancer, my great uncle too. My mum鈥檚 had bouts with melanomas. My aunty had breast cancer. That鈥檚 why I shaved my head in 2018 in the Caribbean. I kept my head shaved whilst she went through her chemo.
鈥淚 also did that for Thomas Jackson, a young wicketkeeper batter in the Lancashire age-groups who had a brain tumour a couple of years ago when he was only 13 or 14.
鈥淚 sat in the changing rooms, and his dad broke down telling me how he had shaved his head. I thought the least I could do was show a bit of solidarity.
鈥淚鈥檓 getting a bit emotional talking about it because it鈥檚 something which is close to my heart. I fully believe that if you can make a difference by doing something, do it.鈥�
Jennings, who was the leading run scorer in Division One last summer, agrees with a couple of suggestions.
One, his charity work is more important than his captaincy: 鈥淎bsolutely, it鈥檚 life,鈥� he said.
Two, it could take the pressure off his cricket: 鈥淵es, it means a whole heap when you nick off and you want to throw your kit around the changing room,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 more to life.
鈥淎 close friend of mine has also had a really close relative pass away through cancer within the last couple of weeks. It strikes home again that there鈥檚 more to life than just hitting a red ball.
鈥淭hat allows you to read the game differently, take the pressure off yourself, play with a bit of freedom and have some fun. That is, at the end of the day, why we play the game.鈥�
Lancashire face another tough early-season test this week as they travel to Essex, who sit atop the fledgling table after a thumping first-up win over Middlesex at Lord鈥檚.
The Red Rose welcome England鈥檚 all-time leading Test wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson into their line-up as they look to showcase their title credentials at a major rival.
Lancashire finished second last summer and speaking of their bid to go one better this time round, Jennings said: 鈥淚鈥檓 confident. We have a strong squad with really good depth in it, and we鈥檙e a good group of people. I鈥檓 sure all 18 counties will say the same thing.
鈥淏ut that confidence means absolutely nothing until you bowl or hit the ball in the correct manner. Hopefully it鈥檚 a good season for the boys and we have some fun.鈥�