Josh de Caires: Michael Atherton’s son on following in his father’s footsteps

Josh de Caires

[ad_1]

De Caires has played for Middlesex since under-10 level

When a teenage university student scores a hundred against a county side, at best a few eyebrows are raised.

When that teenager is the son of a former England captain, the cricket world takes notice.

Whispers grow louder. Social media whirs.

Last month, 18-year-old Josh de Caires – son of ex-England batsman Michael Atherton – scored 118 against Yorkshire for Leeds-Bradford Universities. A sport that loves nothing more than a bit of nostalgia was given its latest dose.

“Someone asked me if I bat similar to him,” De Caires tells BBC Sport. “I couldn’t tell you for the life of me. I have hardly ever seen him bat!

“From what I have seen he just blocks the crap out of it, which is pretty similar to me.”

De Caires, born eight months after Atherton’s final Test, faced 292 balls at Headingley.

Yorkshire’s full-strength pace attack, albeit building up fitness in a pre-season friendly, was thwarted for six hours. The comparisons to a father who…

[ad_2]