The (Obvious) Way to My Heart

I've had the mickey taken out of me a few times on Test Match Sofa because I like Jade Dernbach. No, not in that way (although his car is rather lovely), but I do rate him as a player. A few people both on and off the Sofa think he's all hype and no substance, and doesn't deserve his England place. They're entitled to their opinions, obviously, and I'll accept that he's had a few off games... but who hasn't? Really, though, I think that the reason a lot of folk aren't keen on him is that he can come across as a bit arrogant on the pitch. The image is backed up rather by the blingy earrings and the tattoos. There seems to be a general opinion that Dernbach is a bit of a strutting tosser, in fact.

I met him on Thursday, and he really, really isn't.

Now, I have no idea what Jade's like in the dressing room or down the pub with his mates. I don't even have a proper idea of what he's like on the pitch because it's not as though I've been out there during a game. And it's not that I don't care, exactly, but what's more important to me is that he was lovely to my son. I know that's a biased-mummy opinion, but a few moments being nice to a six-year-old is worth solid gold to me. MiniSurreyFan does birthday cards for the Surrey guys so he took one in for Dernbach on the first day of the season. He came down from the dressing room, had a little chat with MSF, posed for a photo... it's not like it took a huge amount of his time or anything, but if he really was the arrogant sod that people seems to think, he wouldn't have done that. And today, when MSF was watching the warmup, he got a hair ruffle and "How're you doing?" from Dernbach as the team headed back to the dressing room. This little gesture made MSF's day and, by extension, mine.

Jade Dernbach isn't the only one of the Surrey boys that's good with MiniSurreyFan. Everyone at the Oval has been fantastic with him - not just the players but the coaches, the stewards and the splendid (TM) commentary team of Mark Church and Johnny Barran. It's this sort of thing that made renewing our memberships a complete no-brainer. While the Oval is my sanctuary and I'll happily sit there on my own with my maths books and a cuppa; it is also, more importantly, a place where my son feels happy, confident and welcomed. MSF is fearless at the Oval. He'll happily chat away to the stewards, or hang over the boundary fence watching the warmups, or tell other spectators his opinion of the game (sorry about that). The players now recognise the little blond dynamo charging about the place - although never never behind the bowler's arm, he knows that much - and are almost always good for a smile even if they're really busy.

I know it doesn't take much time or effort to be nice to the fans but it does take a bit, and I'm sure there must be times when a bouncy small child is the last thing* the players want to see. I think that there has been a push at Surrey to overcome the image of the side being rather aloof and up themselves (the 'Surrey strut' and all that) and I'm sure someone has emphasised the importance of keeping the kids - and therefore the parents - onside. I do feel, though, that Surrey have gone above and beyond this with MSF. If they are just being nice to him because they've been told that they have to, then they've all got a career in acting when they retire from cricket. I genuinely believe that the folk - both players and staff - at the Oval are nice to my son because they are happy to see a six-year-old who's so into the game. (And also because he's utterly fabulous, obviously!)

So...
...when the team look genuinely pleased to see MSF and me when we show up for the start of the season...
...when so many of them ask about him at the pre-season lunch...
...when MSF waves chocolate eggs in front of the dressing room window, gets invited in by Chris Adams who then gets Rory Hamilton-Brown to give him a new season cap**...
...when Chris Tremlett writes him a little note that tells him to 'keep bowling fast'...
...when Mark Church sticks MSF in the commentary chair and puts headphones on him so he feels a proper part of the action...
...when the stewards (thank you, Shashi, thank you) take him out of the autograph crush at the Test match and make sure all of the players sign his card...
...when Gareth Batty gives MSF high-fives or ruffles his hair every single time he comes off the pitch...

...these are the moments that make my heart belong to Surrey. My whole biased-mummy heart.


* Apart from Giles Clarke doing the Macarena in a bikini. But nobody should have to see that EVER. Or think about it. Er, yeah. Sorry.
** I totally count this as his first Surrey cap, by the way. First of many, I hope.