Former England goalkeepers Nigel Martyn and Paul Robinson were once teammates at Leeds United, with the latter beginning his career as Martyn's understudy before replacing him as number one in 2002.
Despite rivalling each other for the same spot in the Leeds side, the pair were good friends, with Martyn mentoring the younger Robinson. To this day the two remain close, with Robinson calling Martyn his 'best friend' in a 2020 interview.
And with the pair now long retired from football, they are teammates once more at Knaresborough Cricket Club, with Martyn a regular for the village side and Robinson turning out when his punditry engagements allow. Speaking to the ECB Reporters Network , the former said: "A couple of seasons ago, Robbo played a couple of games.
"I saw him somewhere, and he asked what I was doing. I told him I was playing cricket at Knaresborough, which is where he lives. His lad, Jack, is actually in the Yorkshire setup - probably around under-12s or 13s.
"I said: 'Look, you get the camaraderie we had in football dressing rooms, it's good exercise, come and play a bit yourself.' But he has a lot of football engagements, like punditry in the Middle East.
"He's not available much, but when he is we like to get him in. We actually played a game at Dringhouses away about two seasons ago. It was the first game we played together, and there were some Leeds fans in their team. They couldn't believe it."
Martyn, unsurprisingly, plays as a wicketkeeper for Knaresborough and has enjoyed returning to the sport following his retirement from football in 2006. "I just wasn't allowed to play," he added. "Managers were concerned I would break a finger. My last cricket was half a season in 1987, and that lasted right through to 2006. I probably played two games of friendly cricket in between.
"When I retired in 2006 with a stress fracture of my ankle, I didn't think I'd be able to play cricket. So I sat at home a bit bored on a Saturday for a couple of years and then thought: 'Let's give it a go. I'd rather be happy doing something I love. If my ankle gives way, so be it.'"
In 2017, Martyn was invited to join the England team in their pre-match warm-up ahead of a Test against the West Indies at Headingley by Jonny Bairstow. Martyn was on holiday with his family in Cornwall at the time, but travelled back to play football with the likes of Bairstow, Joe Root and James Anderson on the outfield.
"I initially said: 'No, I'm on holiday Jonny - thanks anyway,'" he said. "But I put the phone down and Amanda said: 'What are you doing, get on a train and get up there.'
"So I rang him back and went along. I really enjoyed it, though I was secretly a bit disappointed I was only heavily involved in the game of football they had.
"I wanted to know what it would be like to take some balls from the quicker bowlers. I've not actually done any proper wicketkeeping training, which is something I'd love to do."
