A World Cup & The Ashes in England - this will be the biggest summer of our lives...
PLEASE can we just get started!
I have been looking forward to this summer for so long and now you can almost touch it I just want the World Cup to get going. We’ve been talking about it, we’ve been preparing for it and we’ve been asked about it so much I just want it to begin.
I’m bored of talking about it. I’d love to wake up tomorrow and it was May 30 ready to play South Africa.
And what a tournament it could be for us on home soil if we play to our potential and go all the way. That’s something we’re certainly capable of. Then it’s the Ashes, the ultimate in Test cricket. We are so lucky to be in it this position where we’ve these two events at home with no other major global sport event such as an Olympics to compete with.
Certainly from an England point of view this is the biggest summer of our lives. I like football, but I don’t support anyone, I just follow the big games. And what the football World Cup did for me last year was incredible. I’ve never been so involved in football before.
I was so excited to watch it, and that’s not me. I was so into it and you could see Gareth Southgate’s squad really did inspire the nation. It was great to hear about it from him personally when he visited our camp.
We’ve an opportunity to do the same this year for cricket, to make the next generation want to take up the game. And maybe even spark their ambition to be involved at a World Cup when they are older.
We’ve a responsibility to perform on the pitch and to promote the game as best we can, and this summer gives us a massive chance to do that. I hope I have a great World Cup, my first, and that England win it, and then we do the same in the Ashes.
I hope I can influence games to help us win. That might not be a hundred or a five-for but maybe just doing something at the critical time. A catch or a wicket or a quickfire 30, anything like that.
But I’ll take winning over any personal milestones, no doubt. I give 100 per cent every time and I leave everything out on the field. I want to do well and help the team, but it doesn’t always happen. If we win I’ll be happy.
We’ve had a three-day camp in Cardiff with some general fitness testing, and after a couple of weeks not bowling at the IPL, I’m building that up again to be good to go at the World Cup.
It was great to catch up with all the lads again and everyone is buzzing for what’s to come.
Of course there was the decision taken to leave Alex Hales (above) out of the squad, and everyone is focused on sticking together and concentrating on what’s important.
I’ve had times over the last year or so where I’ve been left out of teams and I was given the support I needed, not left high and dry.
I’m sure Alex will get the same support to help get him through this tough period in his life and he takes it all on board.
Joining us for the first time with England has been Jofra Archer, who was my team-mate at the IPL. There is no doubt he would have been nervous coming into a new environment, but I think the atmosphere we have in this dressing room is such that whoever comes in they are made to feel welcome. It is a very easy group to become a part of.
To my mind Jofra is the most naturally gifted bowler I’ve seen. I’m sure he does things without understanding how hard it is to do it. It is so exciting to have a player with his skill level in our squad. Whether it goes well or not to begin with, a guy with Jofra’s skill and ability will shine through.
The Ireland game and Pakistan series is a chance for guys to put their hand up and say, ‘I’m here’ and put pressure on the rest. No one in this squad is scared of that pressure or of others performing when they are rivals for the same place.
We all have the same goal, to win the World Cup.
We have a chance to make youngsters want to take up cricket and play in a World Cup