Jack Shutt says being the son of a former Barnsley FC player has helped in his journey into the Yorkshire CCC first team.
Midfielder Steve Shutt came through the Reds’ youth system and played twice for the first team before being let go in 1984 and playing in non-league football for various clubs. Jack, who made his Yorkshire CCC debut in the 2019 season which finished last week, said: “It helps having someone who has been a professional sportsman as your dad.
“I was drilled in good habits from a young age, down to stuff like always being on time and having a good attitude, and he’s helped me a lot in my career. My dad also played cricket for Elsecar CC, which is just a few metres from our house, and we are family friends with Ian Swallow (the former Yorkshire cricketer) so we used to watch him play. I have always loved football and Barnsley FC but I was better at cricket and that’s the direction I went in.”
Jack, who had not made his professional debut until this season, played his first seven games in the Twenty20 Blast – taking ten wickets including five for 11 against Durham which were the club’s second best ever figures in that format.
“Overall I have really enjoyed this season. Playing for the first team for the first time was really enjoyable. I have proved to myself that I can do it at that level. I always believed in myself but, until you play for the first team, you don’t really know if you will be able to do it. There are a lot of good young players coming through at the club and hopefully we can keep improving.”
Shutt has struggled with injuries in his short career so far and was sidelined at the end of the season with a side strain, meaning he missed out on a possible County Championship debut in the final game at Warwickshire. He said: “It’s frustrating to hear I might have made my County Championship debut but these things can’t be helped and I just need to focus on next season.
“Over the winter, there is a plan for the club’s young spinners to go over to India for a few weeks then there is a pre-season tour of South Africa. “I just need to be bowling as much as I possibly can. I want to play in all three formats. “I need to keep working on my skills and hopefully I will get more opportunities.”
Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon said: “It’s been a breakthrough season for Jack. He was injured pretty much all last season and barely played. He got his chance in the Twenty20 Blast due to injuries to other players and took it magnificently.
“He has been unlucky to get injured again towards the end of the season because he probably would have made his County Championship debut in our last game of the season. I see him as a player with a bright future in all three formats. He just needs a long run of games without injuries, to bowl a lot of overs and really find his rhythm.
“He will be finishing this season with a lot more confidence and belief than he started it with so that is something to build on.”
