Jennings signs up to support Cure Leukaemia charity
New Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings has extra motivation to score centuries and raise his bat this summer after signing up to help increase awareness of the Cure Leukaemia charity.
Eagle-eyed fans will have spotted Jennings’ bat sporting a ‘Cure Leukaemia’ sticker during the opening round of the LV= Insurance County Championship against Surrey last week.
It is just one part of his wider commitment to help support a charity that is close to his heart.
“I suppose, like everyone, you have been touched by cancer at some point in your life,” said Jennings, who captained Lancashire for the first time in the home draw with champions Surrey.
“The opportunity came up to do a bit of work with this charity, which is exciting. I’ll maybe do something (a challenge) for them at the back end of the year, but it’s more about being around.
“I know it doesn’t make a huge difference, but I’ll have the charity’s name on the back of my bat to try and raise awareness for the brand.
“I’m from a family who has been hit fairly hard by cancer, so it’s nice to be able to have an impact, be a bit of a role model and put a smile on people’s faces if I can.
“My dad and my grandad have both had prostate cancer, my great uncle too. My mum’s had bouts with melanomas. My aunty had breast cancer. That’s why I shaved my head in 2018 in the Caribbean. I kept my head shaved whilst she went through her chemo.
“I also did that for Thomas Jackson, a young wicketkeeper batter in the Lancashire age-groups who had a brain tumour a couple of years ago when he was only 13 or 14.
“I sat in the changing rooms, and his dad broke down telling me how he had shaved his head. I thought the least I could do was show a bit of solidarity.
“I’m getting a bit emotional talking about it because it’s something which is close to my heart. I fully believe that if you can make a difference by doing something, do it.”
Jennings, who was the leading run scorer in Division One last summer, agrees with a couple of suggestions.
One, his charity work is more important than his captaincy: “Absolutely, it’s life,” he said.
Two, it could take the pressure off his cricket: “Yes, it means a whole heap when you nick off and you want to throw your kit around the changing room,” he said. “But there’s more to life.
“A close friend of mine has also had a really close relative pass away through cancer within the last couple of weeks. It strikes home again that there’s more to life than just hitting a red ball.
“That allows you to read the game differently, take the pressure off yourself, play with a bit of freedom and have some fun. That is, at the end of the day, why we play the game.”
Lancashire face another tough early-season test this week as they travel to Essex, who sit atop the fledgling table after a thumping first-up win over Middlesex at Lord’s.
The Red Rose appear set to welcome England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson into their line-up as they look to showcase their title credentials at a major rival.
Lancashire finished second last summer and speaking of their bid to go one better this time round, Jennings said: “I’m confident. We have a strong squad with really good depth in it, and we’re a good group of people. I’m sure all 18 counties will say the same thing.
“But that confidence means absolutely nothing until you bowl or hit the ball in the correct manner. Hopefully it’s a good season for the boys and we have some fun.”
You can find out more about the work of Cure Leukaemia, here: https://www.cureleukaemia.co.uk/