Nick Ferraby sees cricket as part of his worship.,,,
Former international cricketer Nick Ferraby has spoken of the “overwhelming peace” he carries onto the pitch when he plays.
The ex-Leicestershire batsman, who also represented Jersey in the 2018 T20 World Cup Qualifiers, was referring to the extra dimension his Christian faith gives to his enjoyment of the sport.
Now an assistant pastor of the Jersey Baptist Church, Nick was sharing his thoughts in a podcast with Christians in Sport director Graham Daniels, a former Cambridge United footballer.
Also a medium-pace bowler, 39-year-old Nick actually sees sport as part of his worship.
It was at Loughborough University that he developed his abilities in cricket and hockey. But his faith wasn’t then central to his life. “I didn’t really know what Jesus had done for me on the cross, and I wasn’t living a Christian life that honoured God.”
A ‘wake-up call’ came when his brother broke down in tears while dropping him off one term and challenged him to start reading his Bible again. He then joined a university Bible study group.
“I wanted to find true life. Although sport was going well, it wasn’t really fulfilling me.”
He also joined a Christians in Sport group, meeting others with a genuine faith who were also serious about their sport. As a result, he experienced a fulfilment unrealised by his sport or lifestyle and, when things go wrong, his security, self-worth and value are no longer undermined.
As a batsman, he admits the pressure to score runs can be crippling. “But as a Christian, God is in charge of my life,” he says. “Jesus is number one, not me, and it’s all in his hands.”
Speaking of his World Cup experience, he admits he was gutted when, despite beating three teams, Jersey missed qualifying by losing to Hong Kong.
But he emphasises the importance of being authentic. It’s not just about what we communicate when we get it right, but also being transparent about our failures when we get it wrong.
“I am a Christian because I get it wrong. I need Jesus to save me from myself and enable me to live my life to glorify him. And through my sport, my relationship with God has very much grown.”
