Final over
On the Spot
Date of Birth: 19/04/1990 Marital Status: Single
The Last
Bat you bought/used? My sponsorship is Kookaburra. I’m trying out a bat with quite a bit of wood in it! What’s on your Spotify playlist? At the minute I’m listening to the Kings of Leon’s new album, Walls – it’s nice and chilled. Five-wicket haul or century? My last five-wicket haul was against Nottinghamshire last season at Trent Bridge and my century was that game as well, so I was happy with that! Injury? I have had tons of broken fingers but my worst was a stress fracture in my lower back when I was about 16. How a 16-year-old gets a stress fracture I don’t know, but it wasn’t nice.
The Jury’s Out
Tea or Coffee? Coffee – I don’t mind tea but I only really drink hot drinks in the morning and then I need a coffee. Beans on toast or pasta? Pasta with cheese. Caribbean with the missus or Magaluf with the lads? Magaluf with the lads! I haven’t been but it’s possibly one for the future. Red or white wine? White wine – I like wine from New Zealand mostly. 50-over, T20 or County Championship? County Championship – I think it tests your skills more. The fun is in the T20s but when you do well in the four-day game you feel happier for yourself. There’s nothing better.
Time added on
Who did you support as a boy? I’m a big Sunderland fan and I used to love watching Kevin Phillips scoring all those goals, especially in his record year in the Premier League. We aren’t going very well at the moment unfortunately but I just hope that the manager David Moyes can turn it around and sign some players in January. Best coach you have ever played with? Geoff Cook at Durham has played a big part in my career. He’s known me since I was ten so he’s been my coach for a long time, I’d have to go with him. The most nervous when next into bat? Personally, in my only Test match in Australia when Mitchell Johnson was bowling at the speed of light! Or in the OneDay Cup final two years ago with Durham when I was next up and it was a really low scoring game – thankfully we won. Person to avoid after being dismissed? Ben Stokes. He throws his bat around. When he was younger and a bit angrier he once threw his bat, it hit the fire alarm and it went off! He’s one of my best mates but I’d still have to pick him. One rule you could change? I think that we need free hits across all formats of the game. That would make the four-day game more exciting. Three words to describe yourself? Badger, energetic, athletic. Which TV pundit makes you cringe and which do you really listen to? Nasser Hussain – he speaks a lot of sense whenever he’s on. And I’d say Bumble is the one to make me cringe, he goes over the top sometimes but he’s funny. Do you have any superstitions? I try to avoid all of that because it can mess with your head, though I normally put on all the leftsided pieces of my equipment first... What are your hobbies outside of cricket? I play golf, a bit of FIFA and some Football Manager as well. I love my golf but my handicap needs some work. Which five people would you invite round for a dinner party? As long as James Corden is there, it would be ideal! Who is the worst dressed player at the club? Mark Stoneman – without a doubt, a lot of his stuff is very questionable.
And finally:
Who has the worst banter at the club? Ryan Pringle. We have a bit of banter together, but I usually get the better of him!