How one 11-year-old used Instagram to take cricket to a broader audience

LV= INSURANCE PRIDE OF CRICKET AWARDS 2022: With the help of dad, Jackson Bentley began filming videos of his cricket training during lockdown, inventing wicketkeeping drills using whatever they can find lying around the house and garden

What do England internationals Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and Sarah Taylor have in common? They're all fans of Jackson Bentley, the 11-year-old wicketkeeper taking social media by storm.  

Jackson, who captains Lancashire at under-11 level alongside his commitments with Urmston CC and Nantwich CC, is better known as 'The Cricket Kid' and won the 2022 LV= Media Hero award, for, in the words of nominator Rob Arnold, his efforts in "bringing cricket to a wider audience".  

With the help of dad, Nick, the youngster began filming videos of his cricket training during lockdown, inventing wicketkeeping drills using whatever they can find lying around the house and garden as well as producing batting and fitness clips, and posting them on Instagram.  

From getting "300 or 400 views" on his first few videos, Jackson's posts now regularly reach thousands of people on social media – one viral post received over 16million views – while he has amassed just shy of 20,000 followers on Instagram alone.  

"Just before lockdown I was watching YouTube and I saw people on video games and I wanted to [make videos] for my thing, and that's cricket," Jackson explains. "So, we went down to the cricket came and did a few videos on how to do a forward defensive, cover drive, really basic things and it went from there.  

"I'm just filming my journey and my cricket. Every match, training, what I do on a daily basis – I try to do something every day. There's loads of amazing coaches I've worked with and seen online. Seeing and copying that, [drills] just come in my head and me and my dad figure something out. We just make anything up and try and keep it fun and relaxed.  

^{Jackson Bentley is the LV= Media Hero for 2022 [supplied]}

"One of the best things is kids, younger or older, saying 'you've inspired me to become a cricketer'. That's better than scoring a hundred or taking five stumpings. A few people in my teams have started trying Instagram and YouTube and I think it's amazing I've inspired people to do that, or just play cricket."

And as well as social media acclaim, Jackson's videos have taken him to Emirates Old Trafford where he interviewed Phil Salt ahead of Lancashire's Roses clash with Yorkshire for Lancs TV and was put through his paces by his idol, Sarah Taylor, on the pitch.  

"I've been wicketkeeping since I was eight and that's because of Sarah Taylor. She's probably the best wicketkeeper of all time in men's and women's. I'd been watching her on YouTube and saw her catching and thought it was brilliant how you can be involved with every ball. I wanted to copy her really,” he said.  

"[Meeting her] was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, whacking balls really hard at me on the main square. [It was] amazing to see what they experience on a daily basis."

Regarding why the videos are so popular, dad, Nick, believes viewers enjoy Jackson's "energy" and "commitment". 

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A post shared by J C Bentley (@thecricketkid)

"At the time they went out, we had a captive audience," Nick said. "Everyone was at home, the cricket season was basically cancelled, and anyone who liked cricket was probably devastated – like Jackson was. That was part of it: showing people that you can do stuff at home and try this, try that. But also, his age and energy for the cricket – I can't keep up, it's too much for me.  

"I let him direct where he wants to go, what he wants to do, and I help with the digital aspect and putting it together. It's his concepts and we work on them together.  

"He doesn't need motivation. He would be doing it anyway – he catches even when we don't film – and for me and anyone watching, that's the joy of it. It's just what he does on a daily basis. It shows hard work is equally as important as talent. You have to work hard and hopefully it shows other kids, people in cricket and other sports that commitment."

And as for winning the award, which saw him beat nominees including Lancs TV and Surrey commentator Mark Church, Jackson hasn't stopped smiling: "I was really surprised. I was like, 'there's no way I can beat Lancs TV!' I was bouncing off the walls."