Young Suffolk cricket talent Beaumont is starting to reach his potential

Jack Beaumont opening the batting for Suffolk in their Unicorns Championship match against Staffordshire. Picture: NICK GARNHAM (Image: Archant)

Jack Beaumont is finally starting to fulfil his promise as an all-rounder at both club and Minor County level.

The 22-year-old made his Minor Counties debut in 2013, but had only clocked up 12 appearances for Suffolk in five years prior to the start of this season.

His stop-start county career is now taking off, coupled with some impressive performances for club side Copdock & Old Ipswichian so far this summer.

Beaumont has enjoyed an excellent season with both bat and ball, including scoring a maiden century in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League.

Bury St Edmunds-born Beaumont believes his one-year placement as a cricket specialist and games coach at Culford School, where he was previously a pupil, has helped his development.

He said: “I have been in and round cricket a lot more, looking at how other players play, coaching players, throwing balls, hitting balls and bowling in the nets, as well as growing up myself.”

Beaumont, who lives in Hundon, has been working at Culford before returning to Loughborough University, where he is studying Sports Technology, in September.

He has established himself in Suffolk’s side in all three formats – T20, 50-over and three-day cricket – this season.

He admitted: “It was frustrating last season because I had a couple of games when I did alright but because of the job I had at Culford starting last September I had to go and do courses which meant I was unavailable for Suffolk.

“Someone else comes into the team and takes your place and if they do well you don’t get back in.

“So it is nice to get a run in the team this year and I like the fact that I am getting more opportunity to bat.”

Beaumont actually opened the batting in Suffolk’s first Unicorns Championship three-day fixture of the season, away to Staffordshire, scoring 35 in the first innings.

He continued: “I am earning more trust by batting well in club cricket this season.

“The dynamic of the Copdock side has changed this year. There is a good feel about the team with a young squad, and although I am only 22, I am one of the more senior players in the team.

“The pressure is almost on every week to perform, whereas last year we had Jaik Mickleburgh, Martyn Cull and Tom Rash, who are all proper players, in the team.

“That responsibility is probably what I have needed to up my game.”

Beaumont also enjoyed his longest bowl yet for Suffolk – claiming two for 34 from 21 overs – in Norfolk’s first innings as the county beat their old rivals by an innings and two runs at Copdock.

The former Hundon, Sudbury and Mildenhall all-rounder continued: “I am also bowling more overs for both Copdock & Suffolk, and I would like to think I am bowling better this season.

“I think it shows in the way I am batting and bowling more and having more of an input into the team, that I feel more of a Minor Counties cricketer, rather than dipping in an out.

“Before I was bowling three or four overs just to do a job for the team, rather than trying to help win the game.”

Beaumont, who spent a year in Australia after leaving school with current Suffolk captain Adam Mansfield, playing and coaching at North Tamworth, near Newcastle in New South Wales, will be back in action for Suffolk this weekend.

The county will be bidding to make it three Unicorns Championship victories in a row when they travel to North Mymms CC to face Hertfordshire, starting on Sunday.

Suffolk currently sit third in the Eastern Division table, one point behind second-placed Lincolnshire and a further 16 adrift of leaders Staffordshire, with three matches to play.