James Tredwell on England

Kent off-spinner James Tredwell has further strengthened his position as a part of the England squad. After a series of fine performances for his country, over the summer, Tredwell has proved to be a more than adequate replacement for Graeme Swann.

Most recently he took fine figures of 3-35 against South Africa at Lord’s with all dismissals, including the tourists captain AB de Villiers, reading on the scorecard as ‘stumped Kieswetter bowled Tredwell’ as the off-spinner helped England to a six-wicket victory.

His performances have boosted his chances of travelling to India on tour this winter as a Test match player. However, before that comes about, one of Kent’s longest servants has more pressing matters to contend with as he looks to help spin his county to promotion into division one of the LV= County Championship.

Yesterday Tredwell claimed three Glamorgan wickets as the Welshmen battled to 334 for eight at stumps. The promotion race has come to a tense crescendo and the 30 year-old is fully focused on the challenges ahead as he talks to the official Club website about everything cricket.

How did you enjoy your latest time with England?

All the time I’ve been involved, I’ve found it a fantastic experience. Playing those three games was enjoyable and having played and done okay, it was good to get another opportunity. When things go well, it drives you on to do well and hopefully get further chances.

How do you think you did?

I think it went pretty well – both personally and from a team perspective. When you come on and get a couple of wickets, especially with the class of batsmen you are bowling to, it is a great confidence boost. There was a bit of turn and I took advantage. It showed once more that I can perform at international level and I was certainly very pleased with the first two games.

What about England’s performances?

It was well highlighted that we didn’t really put up a performance of note in the last game. It was disappointing to finish in that way but, in the last 12 months, our win percentage is the highest that it’s ever been with an England team over a 12-month period. The dressing room is a good place to be and we are playing some good white ball cricket in the 50-over game.

You came back into the Kent side, at the halfway stage, to play a key role in last week’s win over Derbyshire. How did you find that?

Well, it was slightly strange but the scenario was similar the week before so it wasn’t any different in that respect. I was just following the laws and the backroom staff sorted it all out for me to play. I was asked to join on the third morning and was pleased to get back into the team and help us to a great win.

You certainly played a key role in the success. How pleased were you by the team performance?

We knew, going into it, that we needed to win it and we did it – with some pretty special performances from a number of individuals. We batted well as a unit with Sam, in particular, going well in the second innings. We also saw a number of top performances with the ball, including five wickets for Mark Davies in the first innings and four for Stevo (Darren Stevens) in their second innings. On the back of two great wins, we gained some great confidence. It was a good performance and put us in good heart ahead of this current fixture against Glamorgan.

Geraint Jones played his 100th consecutive Championship match, in the win. You are good friends with him – how big is that achievement?

I think it’s a great achievement – especially as he is a wicketkeeper and they are prone to suffer little injuries and knocks. He is a good bloke and a fine player. He has worked very hard at his game, on and off the pitch, and has always looked to further himself; to keep himself in the team for that length of time shows his dedication. Hopefully he will be around for a good while yet.

How would you rate your performances for Kent this summer?

I would say it’s been a so-so season for me. It hasn’t been a massive year for me, in terms of taking wickets, but I have been able to tie an end up on several occasions and that has helped the team. I guess it has been a bit stop start and I haven’t really got into a rhythm with my international call-ups but I feel that I have played my part in most of the games and have enjoyed the season.

How would you rate the team performances this season?

I think we have played quite well throughout the season. We have been superb in some matches and not so good in others but, overall, it has been good. We highlighted at the start of the season that we wanted to improve on last year and I think we have done that. It would be lovely if we could finish the season with promotion and I feel we deserve it because we have played well in the Championship. We also got very close to the knockout stages in both the CB40 and the t20. If we can finish the season with a good performance, here in Cardiff, then hopefully we will be back in division one and that sets us up nicely for next season.

The St Lawrence Ground now looks lovely. Are you enjoying the new facilities?

Yes, of course. Last year was tough, in all respects, as the ground was a building site. This year, the facilities are fantastic. The new dressing rooms are superb and all of the players are really enjoying them. The spectator experience is also a hell of a lot better for Kent members and supporters. The atmosphere generated at the bigger games has been fantastic. There is still some work to do but, all in all, the Club has done a fantastic job on the redevelopment so far and the ground is now looking fantastic.

Finally, with a more experienced squad, has it been a little easier?

Yes, it has. Keysy (Rob Key) has had greater choices as captain as the experienced players that we’ve brought in have all been bankers. Mark Davies and Charlie Shreck have been magnificent at the start of the innings in four-day cricket. When you begin well with the new ball, you know you are heading in the right direction and Matt Coles has certainly flourished, especially in the first-half of the year, having them around. I think the batters, especially Sam Northeast, have enjoyed having some more experienced heads to talk to about the game. The dressing room is a nice place to be at the moment and the more experienced players have all helped the younger players coming through. We have been able to pass on our knowledge and there is a nice blend.