Meet the Academy players: Ryan Butterworth

FULL NAME: Ryan Eric Butterworth
BORN: At Harare, 14 April 1981
MAJOR TEAMS: CFX Academy
KNOWN AS: Ryan Butterworth (Nicknames: Butters, Stork [make of butter])
BATTING STYLE: Right Hand Bat
BOWLING STYLE: Right Arm Medium Pace. Occasional wicket-keeper
OCCUPATION: CFX Academy student

FIRST-CLASS DEBUT: 16 February 2001, CFX Academy v Mashonaland, at Harare Sports Club
TEST DEBUT: Still awaited
ODI DEBUT: Still awaited

BIOGRAPHY (February 2001)

Ryan Butterworth is one of the leading students at the CFX Academy for 2001. Although he was never selected for one of the national age-group teams at cricket, his performances for Old Hararians in the national first league club championship probably won him a place at the Academy.

His club and the Academy play him as an opening batsman, although he would prefer to bat at number four if given the choice. He sees himself as an all-rounder, though, bowling medium-paced seamers ("I just try and move the ball around as much as I can") and also keeping wicket at times.

Ryan comes from a sporting family, although cricket was not the most prominent. His father played at school, but not as an adult, but has always given Ryan the utmost encouragement. When he was very young, Ryan used to play cricket along with other sports in the family garden at home, along with his twin brother Brendan, who is less inclined towards sport and gave up cricket after junior school. He attended Gateway Primary School in Harare and his natural sporting ability came to the fore, as he was a leading member of the school cricket team throughout his years there, usually as captain. His best performance there was 96 not out against Eaglesvale School while in the colts team, and against the same opposition he took eight wickets in an innings in another match. He was selected to captain the Harare Schools B team in the national primary schools week of 1993.

He progressed to Prince Edward High School, and with his natural leadership qualities continued to captain teams throughout his career. At that stage cricket was not his primary sport as he was more inclined towards swimming and triathlon, but the personal interest of headmaster Clive Barnes did much to encourage him. "He used to come around and watch when I was captain of the A side, he came and spoke to me a bit and taught me a bit," says Ryan. "Then I went on to the first team, with George Lee-Bell as coach."

Ryan was in the first team for four years, his best performance being 133 against Peterhouse during 2000, his only century for the school, although he scored several fifties and took a couple of five-wicket hauls. During the first couple of years in the team he kept wicket, and then, after the departure of a strong bowling side led by David Mutendera, he found himself taking the new ball. He attended Mashonaland and national trials at Under-15 and Under-19 levels without gaining final selection. He particularly enjoyed his matches against St George's College and Peterhouse, as he had some friends there and they responded to the challenge of playing each other.

He joined Old Hararians Sports Club, the Old Boys club of Prince Edward School, and for the last two seasons has opened the batting for them. National umpire Russell Tiffin, an Old Hararians man, came round to the school to speak to the team, as a result of which Ryan joined up. He pays tribute to the great support and help he has received from club captain Trevor Penney. He scored about six centuries for the Old Hararians second team, but has yet to break that barrier in the first league.

Ryan played a season of winter league cricket for Mvurwi, for whom he scored several fifties. He also came under the influence of former national batsman Andy Waller when he took an `O-level' break, working on his farm in that area to gain come farming experience, as he was thinking at that time of taking up a career in farming.

Ryan's most celebrated innings has just taken place, his 33 in the final of the national club first league knockout competition, for Old Hararians of Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Conditions were damp and difficult, and Ryan's determination, top score for his side, did much to give his team a competitive total and bring about an eventual victory.

"I opened with Conan Brewer, and Pommie Mbangwa and John Rennie opened the bowling," he said. "The ball was seaming around like I'd never seen it before on the Sports Club Test wicket. It was very hard early on. The rain came and we had a break; we went back on and it was still seaming. As the ball got a bit older it started swinging, and John Rennie was swinging it plenty. I played a stupid shot to get out, two balls before drinks. My game plan was just to see out Pommie and John Rennie, and when the new bowlers came on to attack them. It worked to an extent."

Ryan is an aggressive batsman, his favourite strokes being the cover drive and the pull and hook. He feels he is better suited to the middle order in the longer version of the game but is happy to open in one-day cricket. He admits to the tendency of losing his concentration once he gets to the twenties or thirties, and the need to carry on to a big score. He is an excellent all-round fielder and enjoys that area of the game.

He is most grateful to coaches Dave Houghton and Gwynne Jones for their work at the Academy. "I think it's going to do very well for Zimbabwe cricket, with all the youngsters coming through."

Cricket heroes: "Daryl Cullinan is one of them, definitely, and Viv Richards. And now Trevor Penney, who has also been a great help to me."

Toughest opponents: "For pace, Brighton Watambwa, who has bowled really quick at me. At schoolboy level, probably Campbell McMillan and Travis Friend."

Immediate ambitions: "At the moment it's the Zimbabwe A side next year, and hopefully from there I'll go bigger."

Proudest achievement so far: "My 133 against Peterhouse for Prince Edward."

Best friends in cricket: "Conan Brewer - I've been with him for the last three years opening for the PE first team. I hope he's coming to join the Academy next year; he's one more year of school. I've made many friends in cricket and I really enjoy all the guys at the Academy."

Other sports: "Rugby for Prince Edward first team; in triathlon I represented Zimbabwe; tennis and swimming. I still play social tennis and I've just stopped rugby because of the Academy. I have no time for triathlon any more."

Outside interests: "Nothing - just cricket!"

Dave Houghton says: "Ryan is quite a good strokeplayer and a good fielder as well. He tends to get out a lot in the thirties and forties. He played quite a crucial role with his innings of 33 to help Old Hararians win the national league last Sunday - but again got out in the thirties, so we have some work to do encouraging him to compile big scores rather than just getting good starts."