So proud of my tons against Aussies but not my sledging

Age: 48 Role: Middle-order batsman and right-arm seamer England Appearances: 42

How did you get started in cricket, and were there any particular coaches that helped inspire you? I started playing schoolboy cricket at Moseley Ashfield as there were plenty of opportunities to play all facets of the game with peers of the same age.

But it was only when I was introduced to Ron Young – the England Deaf coach – when I was 25 that I realised the more I understood, the less I actually knew about the game.

He had the necessary patience and empathy to ensure what he was saying got through, and feeding back on progress whenever he was asked. What are the main differences in the deaf game? The key in deaf cricket is learning to compensate for the silence without any hearing aids – it affects your balance and co-ordination which is a learned skill, so you have to recalibrate everything learned in the hearing environment.

Run calling was a learning process of watching the ball and an understanding of other people’s body language to quickly gauge if they were running, waiting, or not interested.

As in hearing cricket, square and square leg – where the responsibility for the call is less defined – was often the catalyst for mayhem as batsmen were watching ball, fielder and each other.

Sledging does exist in deaf cricket; it just tends to be more subtle – a look of contempt, disgust or amusement directed at batsman or bowler with the odd gesture in sign language does the trick.

Sometimes I miss exactly what was said but I take the bait anyway and respond with my own sledging which bears no relation to the original comment! How has the game grown since you first started? A greater emphasis on fitness and wellbeing has certainly been a key driver for the England team.

It is however important to strike the right balance, as the gene pool in deaf cricket is not so large that only ‘natural athletes’ will provide all the ability required to complete at the highest level. What are your greatest achievements and why? Forming the England Cricket Association for the Deaf in 2003 and organising an Ashes Series in 2004 and World Cup in 2005 – this was the catalyst for ECB recognising and supporting the England Deaf Cricket team.

But on a personal level scoring hundreds against Australia in the 1996 World Cup Final and in the 2008 Ashes series in England was brilliant as well. What is next on the agenda for the England team? There are unconfirmed reports that there will be a T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2017/18, which would be a fantastic opportunity as there has been no World Cup since 2005.

This would undoubtedly refresh the hearts and minds of all aspiring cricketers to be able to perform at the highest possible level.