JARED WARNER really does now have a claim to be ‘The Gaffer’ after setting up a joint venture coaching company with best mate and fellow Yorkshire up and comer Matthew Waite.

That is fast bowler Warner’s nickname within the Emerald Headingley dressing room given he runs a winter five-a-side football team which many of the players get involved with. But this managerial role is serious.

Fast bowler Warner and all-rounder Waite, aged 23 and 24 respectively, have started up Cutting Edge Cricket and are currently offering one-to-one sessions for players of “all ages and abilities”.

“Myself and Waitey are equals in this, but I reckon that nickname will stick for a while now!” laughed Warner who is happy to report early success following their start-up late last month.

“This is something we have been thinking about for 12 months I’d say.

“Our initial plan was to get it ready for October - the winter. But with coronavirus happening, we’ve had a lot of time on our hands.

“It’s not been a great situation, obviously, but it’s provided us with more time to plan and get it ready sooner than we thought.”

You would think that starting up a business during a global pandemic would be a significant risk, but they have had good early interest for their individual £30 hour-long sessions or blocks of 10 sessions for £250.

“Some people have said to us that it’s maybe not a great time to start, but we are well prepared for it,” said Warner. “It’s not an off the cuff thing.

“The other thing, a lot of people are just gagging to get outside with a bat and ball in their hands, especially young kids.

“It’s also good for us to be putting our minds to something productive whilst we’re away from our day jobs with Yorkshire.”

Their sessions are currently being held at Methley Cricket Club - where the pair play their club cricket there when county commitments allow.

“We’re sharing the sessions out between us and doing one-to-ones, which is all you can do in line with government guidelines,” continued Warner.

“From October, if we’re allowed bigger groups, our plan is to do a 10-week course before Christmas and then another one after Christmas for say groups of 20 to 25.

“We’ll also keep doing the one-to-ones and maybe even try and get a couple of masterclasses with some of the Yorkshire lads. We’ve said all ages and abilities are welcome.

“I’ve done quite a bit of coaching over the last five or six years and have coached five-year-olds to 45-year-olds. I’ve got experience with a wide range of ages. We’ve already got a five-year-old signed up, which is great.”

Warner has played one Royal London Cup game for Yorkshire and two County Championship games whilst on loan at Sussex - all last summer. Waite made his T20 debut for Yorkshire in 2015 and has since played 27 times across all formats, turning in some valuable contributions.

The pair are ECB Level Two qualified coaches and plan to study for Level Three this winter. The highest a coach can go is Level Four.

“We do want Level Four in the future, but it’s probably a bit early for that,” said Warner.

“Coaching is something we want to do long-term, hopefully alongside our playing careers and definitely afterwards.”