An encounter with Joe Hussain

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Essex, about half an hour from Chelmsford, is the Illford Cricket School, a nursery with a rich tradition. Located in an inconspicuous corner behind the Harvesters Pub at Gants Hill, it's a coaching centre that's produced five international cricketers - Graham Gooch, John Lever, James Foster, Nasser Hussain and Ravi Bopara - and close to 40 who've gone on to play the game at the first-class level.

In charge of the school is Joe (Jawad) Hussain, Nasser's father, who welcomes you in an accent that's a delightful mix of Chennai and Illford. "I'll tell you what the problem is," he says with a crisp Tamil tongue before quickly changing tack, "this place is almost hidden innit?" Joe was born in Madras (not Chennai but Madras, he insists) and managed a solitary Ranji Trophy game for Tamil Nadu. "Sardesai passed away man," he says thoughtfully. "What a batsman. I'll never forget the hundred he made for Mafatlal against my club, MCC."

Joe loves to talk. Mention "Asian cricketers" and his eyes twinkle with excitement. "Just wait for five years and half the English team will be players of Asian origin," he states emphatically. "There's so much talent you know but the problem with Asian cricketers is that they're very talented but not able to take their game to the next level. Cricketers like Owais Shah, Kabir Ali and Vikram Solanki should have made it long back. Take a chap like Collingwood, compare him to Owais Shah - Shah is way more talented, miles ahead but Collingwood through sheer hard work has made it. So many Asian boys get country contracts for one-two years and then disappear. Something happens."

He provides a classic example of an Asian cricketer who got a chance to make his debut against Australia a few years ago. "You should have seen the way he came for the match. In a big car with four chamchas and was speaking on two mobile phones. He was acting as if he's the world's best player. The Aussies saw that and sledged the hell out of him. He was finished. You need education, man. Most Asian cricketers who have done well here have had a good mix of cricket and education. Otherwise you think you're better than you actually are. You need grounding."

Joe came to England first in 1963 and admits the first 15 years were spent in dilemma, with regard to which team to support. Initially it was always India, even when they were playing England, but things gradually began to change. In fact it was only when he found himself supporting England that he realised he was being accepted by his adopted country. "It takes time to feel part of another country and nowadays it's always England. When India are playing someone else, though, it's always India."

Joe can relate to men of his generation having the dilemma but can't understand how some members of the younger generation feel similarly. "You go through the junior levels - Under-11, U-15, U-19 etc and move towards playing for England … still you support your country of origin. I find it strange. Why do you want to play for England then?"

"And one question I ask all these kids: has anyone with origins in India and Pakistan gone there and played for that country? No. They won't even consider the thought. The problem is not with the children, it's with the parents and grandparents - they don't want their children to mingle outside their community, they don't want them to speak in English. They want to be as Indian as they can. This country can give so much only … you need to give something to it as well."