Jake Lintott, an ex-primary school teacher from Somerset, is eager to kickstart his red-ball career after a promising breakthrough. In 2021, he left his teaching job in Taunton to pursue a second chance as a professional cricketer, joining Warwickshire's squad. In spite of having been with the club for four seasons, Lintott has played just three times in the Championship. Now, he’s chomping at the bit to play more County Championship cricket and establish his legacy within the sport.
Lintott’s story is unique. He is the only left-arm wrist spinner to make his first-class debut at the age of 28. That’s seen him heavily focused on T20 cricket during his time at Warwickshire, with 93 T20/Hundred appearances under his belt. Though he has not played a competitive game since the Bears’ home quarter-final defeat to Gloucestershire last September. He is optimistic too of further opportunities in County Championship cricket.
"Warwickshire fans have probably only seen me play T20 but there is a burning desire to play more red ball and I've done a lot of work on that this winter – both batting and bowling – to enable me to bang on the door a bit more," Lintott shared.
During this interim period, Lintott has stayed busy by coaching at his old school, Queen’s College, Taunton. His mandated break from the field at Edgbaston opened up an opportunity to experience and learn about coaching, an experience that he found extremely fulfilling.
"It's really rewarding coaching. I first felt it when I was coaching at the school and when you see someone score a 100 and you feel you've helped achieve that and they come to you and thank you, that's a special feeling," Lintott expressed.
Lintott has been working closely with fellow lefty wrist spinner Millie Taylor. They’re looking ahead to their first season in the new pro-am development structure. Taylor will be playing in a newly created women’s first team at Warwickshire under Alistair Maiden. This partnership is a testament to Lintott's commitment to honing his skills and contributing to the game's future.
Even after a tough time in The Hundred drafts where chances were limited, Lintott is still confident on his efficacy.
"Opportunities dried up in The Hundred for some reason but I feel I've still got something. Drafts are a funny thing. They don't always work out. And I feel a little bit hard done by," he remarked.
Lintott carries great maturity as he reflects on life and performances during the summer of blast last year. This reflection follows a grim year indeed in 2023.
"I bounced back well in the Blast last summer after a poor year in 2023," Lintott noted.
He is adamant to prove himself in the red-ball cricket. He understands all the challenges that are inherent to being a wrist spinner.
"Part of being a wrist spinner is that at times it doesn't how go how you want," Lintott admitted.
As Jake Lintott continues to train and mentor emerging talent like Millie Taylor, his focus on returning to County Championship cricket intensifies. His story from school teacher to professional cricketer is an inspiring story of commitment and love towards the game.
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