Exclusive Interview: "My heart sank, because I knew I hadn't done what I wanted to do, yet.", says Sean Williams

'My heart sank, because I knew I hadn't done what I wanted to do, yet' : Sean Williams

Sean Williams is a bold and dynamic left-handed batsman playing for Zimbabwe. He is one of the players who has cemented his place in this ever growing side as a threatening batsman. He is a great asset to the team with his dainty batting and left arm spin bowling. There is no doubt about his role in the ICC World T-20 2016. He is hungry for the cup and has positive vibes about performing well too. In an exclusive interview with Param Kothari and Deep Mehta, he opened up about his cricketing career and goals ahead.

How are the preparations going on for World T-20 going in the Zimbabwe camp?

They are going pretty well at the moment. A good time to spend together. A lot of fitness work and team work too. Everybody seems to be playing their roles well.

Which are the Zimbabwean players to watch out for at the World T-20, according to you?

I would say, Hamilton Mazakadza, Malcolm Waller and Greame Cremer.

Do you think India are the favourites for winning the World T-20?

No, definitely not (smiles). T-20 is a funny game. Anybody could win it.

What do you have to say about a historic knock of 163 runs in 71 balls from your mate, Hamilton Mazakadza?

Great knock. I am very happy that I wasn't the bowler and the fielder too because it was one of the cleanest hits I've ever seen in my life

You were the captain of Under-19 Zimbabwe team in 2006, what does it really take to lead a young bunch of players with similar dreams?

It's amazing to lead a young bunch of players with similar dreams. It was a really proud moment for me to see one of my team mates, Gary Ballance, to go on to play for England and currently begin in their Test Team. To have players like that and lead them really meant a lot to me.

The main highlight of that World Cup for Zimbabwe was defeating England, how happy were the boys and especially you as you were the captain?

Well (smiles), at the beginning of the tournament I had clearly stated that beating England was my number 1 priority at the World Cup. So, I had talked the talk and had to walk the walk. There was a lot of pressure heating up on myself making into that game. Moeen Ali was the captain of their team. We just stuck to our game plans and looked at what we had to do. It initially paid off, especially Gary Ballance, in that match, really played well and the funniest thing was that the players who were expected to do well were the ones that actually did well. So, it was nice to have a team that backed up each other really well.

Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams have long served Zimbabwe Cricket and have been around for a while now.

Image Source: ICC

Talking about captaincy, what about Brendan Taylor? How was he as a captain?

Ah! I thought Brendan Taylor was really good as a captain, I think his cricketing decisions on the field were remarkable. You have to try and know Brendon well to understand what's he really thinking. I thought he was brilliant!

We all know Brendan Taylor for his on-field performances, what kind of a person is he off-field and what kind of bond you both share?

He is quite funny off the field (smiles). He is really nice guy. Obviously, things changed with our friendship as eventually he got married and has got children now. So yeah, things have obviously changed, we don't see each other much now. We were close and we really enjoyed ourselves off the field but on the field, it was always serious business.

You were drafted into the international squad having the experience of playing only one first class match, so did it really come to you as a surprise to you were kind of expecting it?

I was completely, completely surprised. I had just left school and we had just come from the Under-19 World Cup. I was actually playing a game in Boulevard, my home ground, and all of a sudden I got a phone call from the national selector saying that you were leaving for Harare on Monday and you'll be travelling for South Africa for a Test match. I was completely shocked, I think I was 18-19 years old. I didn't know what to respect at that age. I was stuck in between happiness and a bit of fear at the same time, as now it was South Africa, really big guns. Ntini, Morne Morkel, AB de Villiers, they were all there. So I was stuck in between rock and a hard place, whether to celebrate or be happy. My coach took me to the nets for preparation and everything changed, literally, like overnight. From Under-19 World Cup to now a national warm up. The speed of the nets and the speed of the balls being bowled at you, everything just suddenly changed.

You officially turned down a central contract one month earlier as you were looking for a more settled overseas career. What made you think so and what was constantly running into your mind?

Well, you see at times, Zimbabwe as a country, as a whole, nothing was really going our way. There were the farm invasions that were going on. All the people's farms had been taken away. Things were not settled. Me being at school, I was in a boarding school which was around 18 kilometers away from my home and due to farm invasions, we had to go through certain routines incase of emergencies. It was quite scary and also there was no food around, so food was also a problem, you couldn't buy alot of bread, there was no milk. You couldn't even get petrol from the gas station. It was barbaric. Those were the things going into my mind and sooner, there was no money around. It is fine to sign a central contract but will you be paid at the end of the month? All the kids had a gap year, like going somewhere and returning after years. But I didn't wanted to do that, I wanted to play cricket, cricket and only cricket. And all the way, I could have a gap year and play cricket was in Zimbabwe team. But when I got a call from the national side, my mom and my dad kind of sat down and thought well, you can't miss an opportunity of playing in international cricket, just give it a go and see how it goes. My mind started thinking, what if I did?

Unfortunately you were ruled out of the 2011 ICC World Cup due to a fractured thumb, how did it feel missing out on such a big tournament after all the hard work you had put in?

Well, what had happened was, I was with Heath Streak and we were facing Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson in the game before, against Australia. I struggled with pace a little bit so I thought, let me bring a net bowler and make him bowl from a bit closer. He came in and he bowled me a short ball cause I had asked him to bowl short. I tried to defend it but it hit me on the thumb and it hit me in a really awkward place and all of a sudden, I felt this pain. Heath Steak came over and told me, "Listen, you've got to stop showing pain, you've got to carry on batting otherwise selectors will drop you because you're showing weakness". Anyways, I carried on batting and I managed to get a hit there again, same place. That was it. Game over. My heart sank, because I knew I hadn't done what I wanted to do, yet.

During all these though times, who was your constant source of inspiration or the one who supported you the most?

My mum and my dad, both of them. They have been a pain in my bum to be honest and funny enough, the sports minister at that time was David Coltart, whose personal assistant was my wife. Between my mum, my dad, my wife and David Coltart, there built quite a bit of pressure for me to carry on playing and not give up. It was go, go, go. So they are the reasons I am still playing.

19 February 2015, the day when you scored 76 runs of 65 balls in a World Cup match against U.A.E.. This crucial knock led your team to victory after being in a deep trouble with 177-5 at one stage. Can you describe this moment?

I recall everything at that time. I remember coming out to bat in a little bubbly and pressure situation because all of a sudden here we were, on a big stage. We just had a really big game against South Africa. But I failed and in that game I learnt that I was going too fast. So I just slowed myself down for this one. I remember it was like 35 runs required off 38 balls at one stage. But for the first time in my career, I actually didn't feel any pressure whatsoever because I was happy as I knew that I needed only one run a ball and then we would win with one over to spare. Also, I didn't expect to hit 3 consecutive fours. The bowler just bowled me the balls to hit them for four (giggles).

Who has been your role model or an inspiration since childhood?

Andy Flower. I always wanted to emulate Andy Flower. But there are also players like Ricky Ponting. I've never ever missed a game of Ricky Ponting. The way he has captained things, just to have a team like he had is what I always wanted. You know that killing instinct, when they see 3 wickets down and only 30 runs to win, they still believe that they can get those 7 wickets.

Your father refused to release you for cricket as he wanted you to focus on studies more. How proud does your father feel now?

My father is right now in Boulevard with me. He is an electrician at the moment but he generates good stuff so yeah. My parents are divorced so we live in separate homes obviously. He is really proud right now. At that time, I also used to play hockey and I was in the international men's hockey team as well so it was a difficult decision to make, sporting wise as there were exams on, there was national hockey for me and even national cricket. So it was tough, and the country's situation was also not good, so the best decision at the end was going to school (giggles).

You are specially known for batting wee against spinners, what is the key to play spin well and how difficult it is to adapt?

Ah! I'll say that the key to adapt spin bowling is to watch the ball as close as possible. When I first played spin, I struggled. But then I saw Sourav Ganguly very closely and I noticed one thing that he was often using his feet. He would use the spin and run down the spinner every ball. And I was like, "Jesus! I am going to try it", and now all of a sudden I've got the confidence to do anything I want to, like manipulate the bowlers and keep the field placing where, I want it to be. That's obviously if everything goes away. But that's how I watched and learnt. Actually, David Houghton started it off, he took my pads off as most balls were hitting my pads and told me to if I can hit on leg now. So then, I started hitting every ball and from that day onwards, I've never looked back.

Apart from cricket, what does Sean Williams do all day?

Ah! I like to sit on the couch (giggles). I love the bush. I absolutely love the bush. I love going to places like Victoria Falls. I do a lot of target shooting out at the gun range here in Boulevard as well. I try and spend more time with my family fishing. We have got a holiday house in a place called Binga. When we get time off for family, we all go there, talk and do fishing all day. It is what I love to do.

One advice that a senior player have you which improved your mindset, skills and techniques?

The only advice I've been given is to be calm and relax. Walk out to bat and breath. Just breath and slow things down. So that has really worked out for me.

Sean Williams will form an integral part of the team that will go to India for the ICC World T20 2016.

Image Source: Chronicle

What is your take on the leagues like IPL and Big Bash? Is T-20 demolishing the Test cricket tradition?

I think there is not enough Test cricket being played any more. I think we haven't even played any Test matches before. Not even one. We were supposed to, and now we haven't. The Test matches were changed to four T-20s. So yes, I do think that T-20 is taking over Test cricket.

How does it feel when you put in all your hard work and don't get what you deserve? As sometimes, Zimbabwean cricketers have disputes with the board over financial issues. For instance, you made yourself unavailable for the first Test against Pakistan?

It's hard. It's not nice when you have worked extremely hard and for hard and long hours. Its like when you've got your game at the right place and then all of a sudden everything is taken away from you. Seems to be an instance because, cricket is a mental stage. It has a lot to do with skill factor but if you don't have your mental stage right, how can you expect yourself to perform well. Dealing with that kind of stuff is very hard. I actually can't explain you how hard it can be at times. So many small things can go wrong and can actually blow your mind.

Where do you see yourself in next five years? What goals have you set?

Well, I would like to see myself play in the next World Cup. The next 50 over World Cup which is 3 years' time. But for next 5 years, I haven't thought of anything as of now. So hopefully this World Cup goes well and the season after it is busy. So just looking forward to the next World Cup.

Are you ready for the rapid fire round of questions?

Bring them on!

Describe yourself in one word.

Complicated

An idea for a perfect holiday.

Dubai!

Favourite song.

Photograph by Ed Sheeran

Most important lesson that life taught you.

To be humble and always remember where you come from.

All time favorite cricketer.

Ricky Ponting

Best cricketing moment on-field.

A 100 run partnership with Brendan Taylor vs. India in the 2015 ICC World Cup

Most beautiful thing ever.

My wife!

If you had an option to edit your past, what would it be?

School (giggles)

One characteristic that sets your apart from others.

I am skinny but I am underestimated.

Your mantra for success.

Thoughts become things!

All time favorite movie.

Terminator

One goal you wanted to achieve in your career.

I always wanted to be in top 20 batsmen in my career. I've still got time to achieve 

that.

Biggest disappointment till date.

When I broke my thumb in the 2011 World Cup.

Most embarrassing moment in your life.

My first business class flight, didn’t know how to operate the chair or T.V.

Hardest thing you ever had to do.

Fitness with Makhaya Ntini!

Hardest thing for you to give up on.

Playing hockey.

Your nickname.

Willy!

Best mate in dressing room.

There are so many, I can't even actually name them. It's pretty much every Zimbabwean player.

Funniest moment on-field/off-field.

My first dance at my wedding with my wife!

Tests, ODIs or T-20s

ODIs

Most important thing for you in life.

To make sure I've got everything set for the security of my wife and family.