Meet Byron Hatton-Lowe, a youngster highly confident both at the crease and with the ball, in our latest Academy Spotlight.
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The the ability to influence a game with both the bat and the ball can be a formidable ally, and such is the case for Academy prospect Byron Hatton-Lowe.
The 17-year-old had an impressive year in 2023 in Nottinghamshire’s green and gold, mustering 34 wickets whilst also tallying five fifties in age group cricket for the Outlaws. His best of that year: 3-13 against Northamptonshire in the U16 County Cup.
Pace is his game and, with a chuckle, he enjoys recalling a fond moment from his days in U12s cricket - against Warwickshire at Papplewick & Linby Cricket Club.
“Myself and Saif Ali opened the bowling,” he explains, “and we got told off for bowling too fast and too short at their batters.
“Their coaches weren’t very happy, but our coaches just told us to bowl even faster at them,” he laughs, whilst remaining modest as one can be.
Such an event might have easily hinted the potential of this seamer, who last year made his Second team debut and went on to feature a number of times in the Second Eleven Championship.
Without a doubt, Hatton-Lowe has been soaking up the experience.
“I’ve loved it all, every game I’ve played” he says, “I like to learn off the other bowlers in the morning - people like Luke Fletcher, (James Hayes) and Toby (Pettman) - just any little bits I can pick up to develop my game.”
The Papplewick player clearly demonstrates the requisite mentality, too, as is required to make his Academy spell a successful one.
“One thing I love about him is his competitive spirit,” says pathway bowling coach and Chief Scout Andy Pick, “he doesn’t suffer fools gladly and he’s got a real good attitude to the game, almost a professional’s attitude even at his young age.
“Players tend to show their hand as they are coming through, but Byron has come through and he is naturally an all-rounder. He can bat anywhere in the top five or six and can open the bolwing or bowl at the end.
"We want people that can bat or bowl at any stage of the game. It gives you two goes at the game, if you don't get any runs you can still influence the game bowling wise and vice versa.”