I joked about wicket-taking and then got 5!

Age: 22 Team: England Learning Disability and Yorkshire

How have you found the triseries against Australia and South Africa so far?

It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, personally, after getting told on Saturday after a training session that you’re in the team for Monday.

We were going to give someone else a go in the next game (against South Africa) but after I took my third wicket (in Tuesday’s draw with Australia), I thought that maybe I can get myself back in the team.

Someone was going to come in to replace me for the Australia game and it would depend how they performed and maybe I would be back in the team on Friday.

Unfortunately, the English weather saved the Australians, really, rather than helping us.

How much did you enjoy taking five wickets in Monday’s win over South Africa?

The openers bowled really well but before the rain delay, I think that, after the whole build-up, the team were too excited.

We basically gave them a 90-run head start but luckily for us, the English weather helped us this time.

We had to come off for rain and that settled everyone down. When we got back out, it was all calm again and we started to make some inroads with the wickets.

Before too long, I noticed the score was 120-5 and I thought: “Where have all these wickets come from?”

Once I took my third one, I thought: “How many can I get today?”

I feel on as much form as I have all season.

I’ve been in a lot of

form all season but I haven’t been taking wickets in the club games, so I said to them that all these wickets are going to come when the South Africans and Australians come for the series – that was just a joke.

I’m really happy but I’m just taking it game-by-game.

Are you savouring playing more in this tri-series rather than the 2015 tour to Australia, where you struggled for game-time?

They said that I got rested but, in reality, I was dropped for a spinner.

But when somebody gets five wickets, it’s hard to drop them. How do you drop them?

I would mind being dropped for today but if the intention is for the whole team to be 100 per cent for the final on Monday, and we’re already in the final, why not make a few changes?

It’s a long tournament and we’ve got the T20s coming up as well.

How has this tri-series differed to Australia two years ago?

This being my second tournament; I’ve been on the sidelines a few times in 2015, so I know how it feels to be on that sideline. The people that aren’t playing are doing a fantastic job for those on the field and the team bonding at the moment is just fantastic. We’re sticking as one big team instead of being individuals, which is fantastic to be part of.

This time, I can help the few new guys that have come in. People are more relaxed and the media coverage is great, compared to 2015. It’s been a great help. We’ve had a few chants around when we were fielding – that really did help. Just having the crowd there does make a difference.