Aditya Adey revelling in Woodvale role

Aditya Adey believes a move to Woodvale is bringing the best out of him and with his performances in recent weeks, it’s hard to argue with that.
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The all-rounder spent the 2020 campaign with North Down, helping them win the Robinson Services Cup and reach the LVS Twenty20 Cup final after arriving from Muckamore.

Following one season at The Green, Adey moved to Woodvale and has started life superbly at the Ballygomartin Road outfit.

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He picked up his best senior figures in last Saturday’s 10-wicket Gallagher Challenge Cup win over Templepatrick after finishing with 7/14 from just six overs.

Woodvale's Aditya Adey.Woodvale's Aditya Adey.
Woodvale's Aditya Adey.

Adey also scored his first top-flight century (118*) earlier this season against Lisburn, putting him well on his way to a best campaign of his young career in terms of runs scored.

There are always key figures behind the scenes that help players produce on the field, and for Adey it has been no different.

“I worked very hard over the winter on my fitness and have been working closely with Steve Lazars,” he said.

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“He has been my mentor and coach basically throughout the winter and even now if I need something he is always there. He has been there for me and worked quite hard with me.

“He has been a big help for my batting and bowling, and mentally I’m in a very good place at the minute. I would say that’s why I’m getting good results.

“I only have one hundred at the minute so I want to push on and also help the team win.

“If I perform and the team doesn’t win, it doesn’t really count for me. It might go in the stats but for me it doesn’t count – that’s just the way I am.”

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The standard of performance has helped him settle in straight away at Woodvale and shows why they were so keen to have him at the club.

Adey has slotted in at number three in the batting order and has experience around him in James Hall and Ruhan Pretorius.

It’s a role he is embracing and that consistency was a big reason behind his club switch.

“It wasn’t anything against North Down because the year I played I really enjoyed it and playing with the likes of Craig Young and Paul Stirling was a great experience,” he added.

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“I wanted a role in the team and I didn’t want to be up and down.

“What Stephen (Bunting, captain) and I have spoken about is giving me a role in the team and that puts more responsibility on me and makes me work that much harder to help the team.

“Woodvale have pushed me and gave me opportunities to go out and perform.

“They see my work ethic as well so I’m putting in the work and the captain and senior players see it and they feel like I deserve my opportunity, so that’s why Woodvale is getting the best out of me.”

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It has also been a case of taking pressure and expectation off his own shoulders, learning crucial lessons from seasons gone by.

“When I was younger, I expected a lot of myself and you put unnecessary pressure on yourself,” he said.

“I don’t want to put pressure on myself by having targets.

“Over the years that’s what I have done and put a lot of pressure on myself, so I think I will just take every game as it comes and give 100% in every game.

“I’m not looking to set targets and then be disappointed with myself so taking it one game at a time is the best approach for me.”

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Results haven’t gone to plan so far this season for Woodvale, who finished bottom of the LVS Twwnty20 Cup after failing to win a game and they currently sit last in the Premier League.

Adey is confident they will be able to turn it around in the coming weeks – which starts with a trip to old club North Down on Saturday - and begin to climb the table.

“I’m very confident,” he added. “I definitely think we will be able to pull off a few upsets. There are a lot of new players in the team and it can take that time to gel.”

Other PremIer League fixtures: CSNI vs Carrickfergus, Instonians vs CIYMS, Lisburn vs Waringstown.

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