When I was hit for four and felt no disappointment it was time to quit

Iwill ever forget what Bruce Reid said to me when my first-class career was at a bit of a crossroads in 2004.

“You’re not quick enough to bowl fast, you’re not tall enough to bounce people out, you don’t do enough with the ball and you’re not accurate enough. But come with me and I’ll sort you out!”

That was quite hard for a young bloke to hear but he was exactly right and so, four years after my first-class debut, I had to actually learn how to be a proper bowler.

I had always been a good left-armer – in backyard battles against my older brothers Hugh and Ralph I had been forced to punch above my weight from a young age.

Then I was lucky enough to go for a trial with Hampshire on the recommendation of my PE teacher Mr Fittal and – along with my time at Cardiff University – I was playing a lot of high level cricket from a young age.

Injuries meant I was getting a lot of overs in for the Hampshire second team earlier than expected and by 2002 I was even bowling for the firsts and getting smashed all over the place – I particularly remember Matthew Elliott giving me the treatment in one game.

That was frustrating but meeting Bruce and spending time with him for three winters in 2004, 2005 and 2006 in Perth and Sydney meant I actually learned how to play the game.

After those years in the wilderness I finally got my chance again with the Hampshire first team – during Shane Warne’s era I had not had much of a look in and quite a few senior players had told me to move elsewhere.

But in 2008 it all came together for me and after that I never looked back.

Again there was an element of luck about that as my ankles were very bad at that point and, at the start of the season, I was told I only had weeks left until my tendons were gone and I would need surgery.

But, with great help from my physio and a few injections, I got through that summer and just found my rhythm. I ended up with 67 wickets that season – the most in the County Championship – and took an eight-for against Somerset.

I think a lot of that was to do with my ankles – I was so worried about them that everything else just faded into the background – I didn’t think about opponents, or plans, or contracts, I just went out and bowled in the right areas hoping I could get through my 20 overs each day and it seemed to work.

After that breakthrough I had a few offers – I even took a fancy lunch in London to listen to another county’s offer – but really I never wanted to leave Hampshire. I think loyalty is very important.

2008 was a great year, but I really liked 2010 as well. Dominic Cork is a marmite figure in cricket but I loved him – he took all the pressure off me as he would take on everyone – the opposition, the umpires, the crowd, and leave you to get on with your job, Hampshire stayed up that year and won the T20.

Promotion in 2014 was very satisfying as well but there are small moments that stand out when I look back on my career.

Meeting and having a couple of coaching sessions with my lifelong hero Wasim Akram in 2003 when he had a short spell at Hampshire was amazing, getting Kumar Sangakkara and Wasim Jaffer as my maiden first-class wickets also.

But in the end I knew it was time to give up. Last year I was dropped for the game at Lord’s – a ground I unbelievably never got to play at. That was very disappointing and something left me that day.

This last year hasn’t hurt as much – when you got hit for a four it wasn’t a stabbing disappointment but more of a shrug and that was when I knew it was time.

But coaching is something I have been doing for a couple of years now already and I am passionate about finding the next up and coming bowlers for Hampshire.