INTERVIEW: Fit-again Vasconcelos ready to repay Northants for putting their faith in him

Fit-again batsman Ricardo Vasconcelos can’t wait to get back out on the cricket pitch so that he can start repaying the faith shown in him by Northants.
Ricardo Vasconcelos in action for Northants during their midweek warm-up match against Middlesex at the County GroundRicardo Vasconcelos in action for Northants during their midweek warm-up match against Middlesex at the County Ground
Ricardo Vasconcelos in action for Northants during their midweek warm-up match against Middlesex at the County Ground

It was July 16 last year that the 22-year-old injured his ankle in a warm-up ahead of the final day’s play of a Specsavers County Championship clash with Derbyshire.

The injury needed an operation that ended the attacking left-hander’s season, much to his and the club’s frustration.

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At the time of the setback, Vasconcelos was in the form of his life, having racked up 750 first-class runs at an average of 46.87, and was well on course for a 1,000-run campaign.

Richard Vasconcelos in action during a recent inter-squad T20 at the County GroundRichard Vasconcelos in action during a recent inter-squad T20 at the County Ground
Richard Vasconcelos in action during a recent inter-squad T20 at the County Ground

Instead, he spent the rest of the summer beginning his rehabilitation.

Then in September the wicket-keeper/batsman was handed a huge boost when it was announced he had put pen to paper on a new five-year deal to stay at the County Ground.

Vasconcelos, who was born and raised in South Africa but holds a Portuguese passport, had been invited to play for Northants the previous summer and made an instant impression.

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That led to him signing a contract that ran until 2022, but despite him being injured, the club wanted to tie him down for longer.

Richard Vasconcelos bats during a recent inter-squad T20 at the County GroundRichard Vasconcelos bats during a recent inter-squad T20 at the County Ground
Richard Vasconcelos bats during a recent inter-squad T20 at the County Ground

"There was a lot of faith shown in me by the club,” said Vasconcelos.

“At the time (when the contract was offered) I was injured, and you never know how you are going to come back after that, so for them to have that much faith in me does mean a lot.

“These guys picked me out of South Africa having not really seen me, and they took a gamble on me, so there is definitely something I owe to the club to do well and prove them right.

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“Hopefully I can do that by being a long-standing servant to the club.”

Ricardo Vasconcelos in action against Pakistan back in 2018Ricardo Vasconcelos in action against Pakistan back in 2018
Ricardo Vasconcelos in action against Pakistan back in 2018

Looking back on suffering the injury, and when it happened, Vasconcelos said: “Things were going nicely, and I felt the most in control of my game as I had been for ever.

“It just felt like whenever I went out there I was going to get runs, so it was disappointing, especially with the Blast coming up and the opportunities that would have brought, but there is always this year.”

The Northants batters have been back in the County Ground nets since the second week in July, and this week Vasconcelos hit a half-century in a warm-up with Middlesex.

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He had also played a couple of innings before that though as he turns out for Geddington in the Northants Cricket League Premier Division when the opportunity arises, and in his first game back on July 18 he hit a half-century.

So how did the ankle stand up to that?

“I still get a bit of stiffness, and on the Sunday I woke up having batted the longest I have for a while,” said Vasconcelos, who also took part in the County’s original pre-season preparations back in February and March.

“The ankle was quite stiff and sore, but that is going to be normal I guess, as there is a bit of scar tissue.

“It didn’t stop me from doing anything on the Sunday, and I am just going to have to get used to the workload I get and I am feeling strong, and feeling good.”

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Which, the player admits, is a far cry from how he was feeling when playing immediately after lockdown.

As part of the furlough regulations, the players weren’t allowed to get a bat in their hand and practice, and Vasconcelos has revealed he was a more than a little rusty!

“The first real hit I had back out in the middle was in Singapore and I was feeling really good there, but to then come back and go to nothing meant I had to start again,” he said.

“On one of my first hits back here, Rips (head coach David Ripley) was laughing at me because I said ‘Rips, can I just have a few under-arms?’

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“The first six on the bounce I missed the ball completely! It was literally starting from scratch, but a couple of weeks later I feel alright again.

“You have to start from somewhere every time, and everybody still laughs at me about it, but that’s how it is and when the season comes I will be fine. I am just waiting to get into it now.”

Vasconcelos could get his first chance to start repaying that faith the club showed in him this weekend when Northants finally get the 2020 season under way.

Suspended since April due to the coronavirus pandemic, the English professional season starts on Saturday, with the County travelling to Edgbaston to take on Warwickshire in the Bob Willis Trophy.

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And he, and the rest of the Northants players, are delighted there is going to be something to play for.

The Bob Willis Trophy is replacing the County Championship, and sees the 18 counties split into three groups of six.

The two group winners with the best records will then contest a grand final at Lord’s in late September, and that has been warmly welcomed.

“It has been about a year now since I played, it has been a long time, and I am definitely ready to get back into it,” said the Johannesburg-born player.

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“It is just going to be good to get back into the competitiveness of it again.

“My concern about playing four-day cricket this year was, is there going to be a goal to work towards?

“There is normally promotion and standings, but when you are only playing five games there was never going to be that.

“But the way they have done it, and the fact there is something to work towards and an end to it, it means it should be competitive, and proper first-class cricket.

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“Everybody is raring to go, everybody is playing well, and everybody is working towards playing again.

“We were hoping to have a really good red ball season this year (before the suspension of the division one campaign), and we thought we had a really good chance of not just staying up, but competing as well.

“The two new coaches (John Sadler and Chris Liddle) have added a lot of life to things, we are all raring to go, and I am sure we will have a good season.”