Whatever happened to... David Nash

Are you still attached to Middlesex?

My dad was a fan, I was a fan and signed my first contract at 15. I’m an ambassador for the club and on their committee for fundraising. I love the club and I love going back to Lord’s.

You were a prolific batsman in the England age groups, but never represented England at senior level. Is that a regret?

I averaged more than 100 for the Under-19s in Sri Lanka and was part of a great set of lads, including Freddie Flintoff and Steve Harmison. I got involved in the drinking groups and it started to fall away from there. I had too much fun off the pitch and did not take it as seriously as I should. I enjoyed the life away from cricket more than I did the cricket. I turned up drunk on numerous occasions to training and I got away with a lot. In those days, you would go out after a Sunday League game and return at 2am. I’d have a full English breakfast and then play cricket. I wanted to make sure that I did not make the same mistakes when I transitioned into the business world.

You suffered from anxiety attacks while playing. Has mental health improved since you retired?

I got to the stage of not wanting to play anymore. Many saw me as a chirpy, happy-go-lucky chap but underneath I suffered from anxiety attacks. I did not tell anyone for a long time. I remember going to the doctor one day to talk about my anxiety attacks on the field. He suggested I was dehydrated and should drink more water. There was little knowledge or support because nobody wanted to admit that they were depressed or struggling. It has changed massively, and the PCA have done some excellent work. People can talk about their problems now. People are no longer alienated or seen as the black sheep of the group. There is still a long way to go though.

How did you get into business?

I knew my time as a county cricketer was coming to an end. I went to Vinny Codrington, the CEO of Middlesex, and pitched them on my final contract. I told them I’d take a pay cut but they in turn would give me a three-year contract that included a benefit year. I said I’d work with the county and their sponsors over the winters, commission only. I made the relationships, learnt how to run a business and made great contacts with the sponsors. It was the best decision I ever made.  

Tell us about your business...

D&G are a professional fundraising company. My brother and I set up D&G and we have not looked back. We have raised more than £20m for some of the FTSE companies like Iceland and Holland & Barrett. We now have three offices in the UK, 40 staff, with a turnover of £8m. I enjoy it. My benefit year set me up on how to run a business and that was the making of me. Honesty has always been key and by saying hello to the gateman and treating everyone with respect, the sponsors got behind me. I was a non-international and I broke the benefit year record at Middlesex. I have not been on any courses. I do it from the gut. 

Who were the most talented players you played with and against?

Owais Shah was unbelievable and should have played more for England. He was always very honest but did not always play the game with the team management. Duncan Fletcher had his favourites and Shah was not one of them. On England duty, Shah would walk through a hotel foyer and Fletcher would not acknowledge him. How are you going to perform when that happens?

He had no chance. When Owais Shah and Andrew Strauss were batting in the nets, you would have thought it would be Shah who was the England cricketer. With Straussy, he wanted it more than anyone else. He was so level-headed that in the bar after a day’s play you’d never have known if he got a hundred or a duck. Andrew would train harder than anyone else, and would pay for fitness sessions in the off-season. David Sales should have played for England. He was an incredible talent, a prolific schoolboy, and was unlucky.

Has the fun gone out of the game?

Players these days rarely go out. You don’t learn from the legends of the game unless you mix with them. Players these days sit in their hotel rooms playing FIFA. There are dieticians, nutritionists, urine tests. My urine would have shown 10 pints of Cobra lager and a chicken balti. It is a different game now. We are trying to build robots. You don’t have to have a perfect technique or a six-pack. There is too much of trying to change rather than working with the talent. Let players be themselves.

How can the county game improve?

The Big Bash has got it right in terms of connecting with their public. As soon as the players come off the field they are ushered into a room to talk to 500 kids.

What was your favourite format?

The four-day game. The mental torture, the sledging, the bouncers. That shows the real bravery and skill. T20 is for the crowds. 

Do you still catch up with your cricket mates? I see Richard Johnson – I’m still talking to him despite him going across the river to Surrey. Straussy and Shah too. There is nothing better than a day at the Harris Garden, seeing the lads, and sharing a beer or two with them all.

This article was published in the July edition of The Cricketer - the home of the best cricket analysis and commentary, covering the international, county, women's and amateur game

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