Name: Oliver Holt
Nickname: OJ, ASBO, Oli
Current or past player: Past at the moment but who knows ?
What sparked your interest in Cricket:
I used to play tennis as a 10 yo and on a Friday I would watch junior training led by AJ and Danny Varney after tennis practice. I joined in one night and fell in love with the game, 2 weeks later I was playing my first game with borrowed whites and gear at HQ.
Do you prefer the T20, 50-over, county or Test format:
100% Test cricket, a genuine Test of all aspects of cricket skill mental and physical. The rest are good to watch while I comb and moisturise my beard.
Cricketing hero: Stems back to 2005 Ashes, Simon Jones, workhorse of the attack and a fierce competitor.
Favourite current (pro) player: Although his form is absolutely dyer right now, probably Jos Buttler
Most admired/best player you have played with:
It will come as no surprise that for me to say Chris Humphreys is the best player I have ever played with or will ever play with. The guy was a master and could change the course of a game with bat, ball or something ridiculous in the field.
Most formidable opponent: Probably DSL in the time of Ryan Nurse, Steve Dublin, Boccarro etc. Very tough team to beat especially at their ground
Favourite away ground: Elton, great club!
Favourite/most memorable match:
Turning up to Alderley Edge in a cup game to see their team warming up with what looked like a Marine taking them through their drills, Prestwich’s warm-up consisted of a mass pile-on by the edge of the square. We dicked them in front of a paying crowd which coined the phrase “we’re Prestwich and we play in a Chip Shop league”. We all love Chip Shop cricket on a weekend.
Personal highlight/champagne moment:
Personal highlight for me is being involved in some of the best teams 1st and 2nd teams at Prestwich where league and cups have been dominated by us and almost everyone contributing as a proper team should do.
Funniest moment in cricket:
Peter Lorenzini in my first senior league game taking 5 for and making a 50 against British Aerospace and actually believing he was a good player, it didn’t take me long to figure out that was definitely not a true reflection on Pete’s ability.
Best way to relax after the game:
A few tokes on an electric cigarette and a snakebite while enjoying the shower banter. (pipe last night Oz?)
Do/did you have any cricketing superstitions: I used to always bat in a Norden Jumper for Prestwich no matter how hot I was.
What will you miss most in cricket during the enforced break: Just being able to watch some entertaining cricket/or being able to influence some entertaining cricket.
Is there anything you’d change about the game:
At grassroots level, I’d have the ECB or whoever has the power to plunge more resources into developing more consistent umpires, don’t make them like John Barrow any more.
If you could invite 3 cricketing celebrities round for dinner, who would they be and why:
Bumble for sheer banter. Brian Lorenzini as Bumble might be the only person to make him laugh or smile ever. And Ozzy to send us all asleep after we’re full on grub and drink.
