It's a bit of an odd story, really! I first started watching cricket in 1989, when the Ashes were being won rather easily by Austraila. My dad explained the basic rules of the game, and I took a casual interst in the game for the next year or two - I remember watching Gooch make 333 v India, plus some of WI tour where he broke his thumb.


When the Ashes came round again in Austrailia, I was rather unwell for several months with glandular fever, and couldn't sleep at night. Sky Sports was showing the Ashes, and my Mum had signed up to cabel t.v, so I used to get up at around midnight, take my quilt downstairs and watch the cricket all night curled up in an armchair to take my mind off of being ill!! By the end of the Ashes series, inspite of England's poor performance, I was hooked on the game!!

What is strange is that over the years, my Step Dad has become a big cricket fan too, and he never liked the game to begin with and now my Mum also loves cricket too - in fact she watched more of the last World Cup than I did!!

I'm actually pretty pleased I was so ill, or I probably would be obsessed with Pop Idol or those other naff things my friends like to watch!!