By Alex Wakely
I guess this is the last one of these columns I’ve got to write. It’s been an honour to captain this great club and I’ve loved every minute but now it’s time for the next chapter.Ab
Captaincy is the best and the hardest thing in sport I’d say. It comes with certain pressures and when things are tough it’s really hard, but when it’s going your way it’s an incredible feeling. In my time as captain we’ve had the opportunity to win two trophies and that’s the ultimate prize, that’s what you play for.
But, as with any leader, you’ve got a shelf-life and it’s not a job you can do forever. I’d been toying with stepping down for a couple of months if I’m honest. I’m Northamptonshire through and through and it’s really difficult to give up the reins but part of me thinks it’s the best thing for the club, myself as a cricketer and a person.
We’ve not been getting the results we’d have liked lately and that can really take a toll on you as captain. I’ve always done a pretty good job of separating the job and my personal life. I could drive 45 minutes home and park everything, but recently I’d been taking it home with me. I started taking things into the house, I wasn’t sleeping well, I was acting differently and gradually over time you start to notice and think ‘hang on, something isn’t right here’. My personality had changed a bit and once I’d really become aware of that I knew it was time to step aside. I just couldn’t do the job to the best of my ability, I wasn’t enjoying turning up and maybe that had an effect on my own performance and the team as a whole.
This season has been tough so far and I still would have loved to have been able to turn that around but it’s just the right time to stand down. Now there’s a huge weight off my shoulders and I do feel refreshed. It’s a fantastic dressing room that hopefully I can now be a big part of for the future.
I would like to wish my successors the best of luck in the future and I hope they enjoy the challenge as much as I have. Wear those stripes with pride!