Greenidge avoids stepping in his father's footsteps

THE adage "like father, like son" has run in to a bit of a problem with Carl Greenidge.

The 22-year-old son of former West Indian opening batsman Gordon has forced his way into the Surrey team as a fast bowler, but wants to play for England.

He is approachable and laughs easily at assumptions of a parental hand guiding his career.

Greenidge said: "I wish I had a fiver for every time I've been asked about bowling to my dad in the backyard.

"I didn't do that too often because, like everyone else, I could never get him out.

"The truth is he hasn't been a big influence on my career.

"I haven't seen a lot of him in recent years, and I've got where I am by my own efforts."

Growing up around the great names of West Indian cricket gave Greenidge an early love of the game but it was the family connection that led to him giving up for a year in his mid-teens.

He said: "People kept telling me 'You're Gordon's son, you should be batting. Fast bowling is hard work' and I got fed up with it."

A friend of his mother got Greenidge playing again before former West Indian wicketkeeper Deryck Murray nurtured his talent in the final year of the now defunct London Cricket College in Haringey.

Carl then had trials with both Middlesex and Essex before joining Surrey last year.

Middlesex coach Ian Gould said: "We were hoping Carl had a bit of his dad's talent with the bat because even a little bit would be more than enough."

But Greenidge junior's talent is at the other end of the 22 yards as he showed when taking five for 60 on his championship debut against Yorkshire last year.

Like his father, who grew up in Southampton, Hampshire-born Carl could qualify to play Test cricket for either England or the West Indies, but is again unlikely to follow in his father's lead.

He said: "I'd love to play for England and reach a level where it became an issue but, right now, I'm not even thinking about it.

"In the short term I've set my sights on a regular place in the Surrey first team and I'll take it from there."

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