ENGLAND welcomed a new cricket captain this week as Joe Root was handed the honour of skippering the test side.
His elevation could also see Worcestershire CCC batting coach Kevin Sharp fulfill an agreement struck with the then teenage Root 13 years ago.
Observer sports editor Rob George found out more
KEVIN Sharp has revealed his pride at the news former protege Joe Root is now captain of his country and praised England’s new skipper for his humble outlook on life.
Sharp worked closely with Root during his formative years at Headingley when part of the Tykes coaching set-up and has kept in touch with England’s number three.
The pair talked in the early days about Sharp going to watch Root if and when he played for England at Lord’s.
Now Root has stepped into Alastair Cook’s role as Test skipper, Sharp is hoping to fulfil that promise this summer against South Africa in July.
He said: “You feel a lot of pride and Joe keeps in touch. In fact he sent me a photo the other day of his new child and a nice message.
“We had this little bit of banter of when he was young of me going to watch him to play at Lord’s and I haven’t been yet.
“He said that as a 13-year-old and every year he has reminded me ‘I haven’t been yet’.
“This could be the year. I’ll see if [Worcestershire director of cricket] Steve Rhodes will let me have a day off work and perhaps the first day of the Test match at Lord’s could be the year to go.
“I said to Joe two years ago ‘I will come when you are captain’ so now he is made captain, I’ve got to go haven’t I!
“He always says he will leave me two tickets,” he added.
Sharp says Root always remembers the people who have helped him reach the top of the cricketing tree.
“The thing about Joe is he doesn’t forget the people who have supported him,” he said.
“That’s the good thing. He keeps in touch. A message will come through. I don’t pester him at all but just occasionally, he might send a message.”
Sharp, who is also Worcestershire’s Second XI coach, admits he relishes working with young talented players.
“For me, as a coach, I’ve been very lucky at Yorkshire and Worcestershire, to work with some great young players,” he added.
“It’s what I enjoy most and if, at the end of the day, there are players out there who say ‘you made a difference to me’ then I couldn’t be happier really.”
Root has the luxury of five months until his first Test match. He begins at Lord’s at the start of a four-match series against South Africa in July