Kent Spitfires captain Sam Billings has opened up about “the best decision of my cricketing life” after returning to action this week.
Billings was back in Kent colours as the Vitality Blast T20 tournament got under way, with Spitfires defeating Middlesex last Friday before missing out in a tight finish at Hampshire Hawks two days later.
It’s a happier and content Billings at the helm now, in stark contrast to last summer when he axed himself from Kent’s County Championship side after a horrid run of form. He’s had a complete break from the game in recent months, also using the period to enjoy fatherhood for the first time.
“The best decision of my cricketing life - and my personal life as well,” reflected Billings, on the past three months. “I tried chasing things for way too long, if I’m honest.
“When you’re always on the fringes of that England side and you’re kind of in and out, it can be incredibly tough just because you’re constantly trying to get better, you’re trying probably even harder than the guys who are actually playing. Then you come back to Kent and put more pressure on yourself to go out and play and score runs, and it becomes unhealthy.
“I had a lot of personal stuff going on last year. I obviously dropped myself from the Championship and I just needed a break, it all built up.
“Life changes pretty quickly, I’ve got a little girl at home now - 13-weeks-old - it’s just been incredible spending time with her and it puts it in perspective. Some things are bigger than cricket. Every part of my life has improved so I’m very happy with my decision.”
Billings, who turns 33 later this month, has unfairly come under criticism from some Kent supporters for his involvement in various franchises.
But he’s quite rightly maximising his earnings in what is a relatively short career, and he can bring those learnings from around the world back to Kent.
“I’m a passionate guy and different personalities work in different ways but I think the key thing, having played in a lot of successful teams all around the world, is [making sure] the intensity is absolutely top tier,” explained Billings.
“I think people get scared of the word intensity now because they get quite defensive but you need that intensity because when the pressure hits, it’s not just a flick of a switch and you can switch on. You have to be on it the whole time, as little margins can make a huge difference.
“You mature as a person and as a player. I’m a lot more comfortable in my own skin now, both as a player and as a leader, and realise that people work differently. I realise that people need different approaches to get the best out of them. I need the support from other people as well, that experience really teaches you that.”
There’s been question marks over why Kent have more overseas players than they can play at one time - that’s already been justified with the injury to bowler Wes Agar - while another topic for discussion has been Zak Crawley’s absence at the beginning of the campaign.
The England opener has to manage his workload and Billings says that’s got to be the way forward given the packed cricketing calendar, which offers little respite.
Having been in the thick of an unworkable schedule - through no fault of his own as Billings chased the dream of international cricket - that proved to be his downfall, the wicketkeeper knows exactly what it feels like.
“If you’re playing 11 months of the year, it’s very hard to get away from it and being stuck in a hotel room on your own isn’t much fun,” he added. “Don’t get me wrong, everyone points the finger and goes ‘you get paid a lot of money so just crack on’ and all of that but at the end of the day if the human isn’t functioning right, then you can’t play sport.
“We see it all over the world now in every sport, and it’s far more common now than people give it [credit]. Me and Zak Crawley had a great conversation about it (on Sunday), rest is as important as playing. You can’t just think you’re going to get the best out of yourself if you don't have that time off at some point.
“People get frustrated, I know, you see it on social media where they say Zak is having a week off or not playing the Championship game. Well, he’s playing the Ashes so he’s got five matches coming up. You can’t just keep playing the whole time, those days are gone now and I’m sorry, as people might not like this comment, but the game’s changed.
“Every game is 100% at 100 miles per hour, you don’t cruise through a county season anymore, and then [there’s] international cricket and franchise cricket as well. The intensity has gone up, the professionalism has gone up, so the game has changed. With those high intensity [games], you’ve got to have the time off as well, if that makes sense. It’s just my opinion, I’ll probably get slated for it, but it is what it is.”
Billings played three Tests for England, an emergency dash to Tasmania for a debut in the Ashes in January 2022 was followed five months later by replacing Ben Foakes due to Covid midway through the Headingley Test against New Zealand. What proved his final outing came a week later against India at Edgbaston.
Fast forward a year and Billings was in a difficult position. Having prioritised red-ball cricket over the IPL, the runs never came. He was - in his own words - in a “pretty bad place”. But after taking a step back he was able to reset, and has arguably enjoyed his most successful spell in franchise cricket.
“It got to breaking point. To be honest, it was done,” he reflected. “I tried long enough to keep on going through it. It’s tough when you play all three formats as well, and you’ve got the carrot of obviously playing all around the world.
“I’m not centrally-contracted so straight away there was a financial benefit. It’s multi-factorial but as soon as Test cricket looked as though that ship had sailed, then it was a pretty straight-forward decision. I was in a pretty bad place and, like I said, [it was] the right decision.
“Off the back of it, winning the Hundred, finding some brilliant form after that break - not much consolation for Kent fans - but, for me, I found my game again and played really well in the Big Bash, won that, played well in the ILT (International League T20) and was one of the top five run-getters, and we got through to the final.
“There was method to the madness so I’m seeing the benefits. That’s not to say it will all go right, but it’s about giving yourself the best chance.”
Back at Kent, the club Billings loves more than any other, he would like nothing more than to guide Spitfires to another T20 finals day.
There’s no promises on that front but at least Kent will get to see the best possible version of Billings this summer.
“In the past I’ve put way too much pressure on myself to play for Kent,” he admitted. “I care about the club deeply, as much as some people think otherwise. I’ve probably tried coming back to Kent and tried to play the perfect game every single time, and doing more and more.
“I can’t bat for everyone else, as captain I can’t do everything and it’s just accepting that I’m part of the team and trying to get the best version of me out there benefits the team.
“I’m probably a bit more at peace with that and more entrusting in other people, and realising that I’m part of the machine. I’m just trying to get the best out of myself and not trying too hard when I come back and play for Kent is the key.”
