Hewson branches out

When not scoring runs, Dominic Hewson spends his time climbing trees. BBC Sport Online's Gabrielle Lewis investigates.

Dominic Hewson either had a bizarre vision during a past appearance at Kent's St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury, or he is purely into adrenaline rushes.

But if he is not careful his choice of winter occupation could easily cut short his professional cricket career.

The Gloucestershire batsman has had a few close shaves since he qualified as a tree surgeon and almost severed his arm during his apprenticeship.

When I was at college I nearly took my arm off with a chainsaw

  Dominic Hewson

"When I was at college I nearly took my arm off with a chainsaw, but I didn't tell anyone at the time," he admitted.

"I was up a tree trying to control a branch and it dragged my arm down on to the blade, which went through my sleeve. But luckily I dropped the branch just before it hit my arm."

It is not a career move he has taken lightly. In fact, at 26, Hewson sees it as future investment, as long as he can hang on to all his limbs, that is.

His interest in this rather exceptional, not to mention potentially lethal, craft stemmed from a conversation with former county team-mate, Matthew Church near the end of the 1999 season.

"It all happened a year or so ago, myself and Matt decided that we both wanted to go into this so we applied to get on to a college course in Surrey and they accepted us.

"We started it last November. It was a three month intensive and practical course, which ran from 9.00am until 6.00pm, Monday to Friday. It was rather like being at school. At the end of it we did our City and Guilds exams."

Hewson wearing his summer uniform

Having already laughed in the face of dangerous sports like bungee jumping, Hewson thought nothing of climbing a 40m Beech and may even have contemplated attaching his harness to the famous lime tree that stands at cow corner in Canterbury.

But for Hewson, tree surgery is simply a practical way of staying fit and alert in the close season, while doing something useful with his time before the county resumes training around Christmas time.

"It fits in quite nicely in the winter. The firm I work for know it's going to be seasonal and they give me a bit of leeway," he said.

"I wanted something to keep me occupied. It appealed to me because it is outdoor, physical work and I didn't to be stuck in an office.

"I've done the winters in the Southern Hemisphere in the past. This is something very different from sport. This time of the year it's quite nice to get away from cricket for a while and concentrate on your own thing. And I do enjoy it.

  Hewson's 2000 stats

First-class cricket
11 games, 448 runs,
three 50s, average 22.40

National League
5 games, 85 runs, average 21.25

B&H Cup
4 games, 51 runs, average 25.50

Natwest Trophy
2 games, 49 runs, average 24.50

"It can be dangerous, and it could affect my cricket career, but I try not to think about that too much," he added.

The recent storms have created a lot of work, with the effects of heavy rain and wind keeping the tree surgeons busy.

At times like these, Hewson's cricketing prowess takes a back seat and he is fully focussed on the job in hand.

But ask him to describe what he does, and there is a definite air of coyness in his reply.

"You could be taking down dangerous trees blown down in the storms, or making trees smaller but still attractive, thinning them, felling them safely - it's quite a diverse job.

"You do have to learn a lot during the course, so I'm pretty clued up about trees but there's so much more to learn and I'm very inexperienced at the moment.

"Some of my mates think I'm a bit boring by doing it. But it is something I want to carry on with."