My earliest cricket memory,
I think would actually be,
just in the back garden
with whoever came round.
They were unfortunately,
tasked with throwing cricket balls at me.
I think just being brought up
in a pretty sport-mad family is
the reason sort of why I found myself
being a professional Sportsman.
My earliest cricket memory is playing
on the side of a ground
with my younger brother.
Watching my
father and his brother playing cricket.
My dad used to play for a team
in Birmingham,
Well, just outside of Birmingham,
called Wythall,
and their passion for the game
really rubbed off
on me and my brothers.
That's where the love really
started for the game.
My earliest cricket memory
would be
playing in the back garden with my dad.
I was England, he would be Australia,
and we'd have to practice the actions
and stuff.
I think I fell in love with cricket,
probably,
around maybe age 8.
I wasn't into sport that much
and then all of a sudden
I just absolutely loved sport,
couldn't get enough,
wanted to be outside all the time.
My grandmother used to always record
my games,
no matter where and who I played for
when I was on TV.
She sadly
had dementia before she passed away.
So, my own connection to it, I think
it's really important
because
people obviously love the game,
and have massive love
and passion for the game,
and for to have gone,
for them it's very sad
and,
so if we can keep that connection,
with them and the game.
It would be amazing.
My grandma, she died of dementia.
She had her for a lot of years,
maybe 10 years,
and she was a completely
different person,
to the one I remember in the end.
She didn't recognise anybody.
People with
dementia or other things at home,
You really hope
that even just the way we're playing,
it can inspire them and hopefully,
bring a smile to their face when there is
hard times around the corner,
and I think that's what's most important,
having that connection
that you feel like
your still part of something.
I think it's a great sport for
families,
to just experience something together.
It's a long game,
especially test match cricket,
so you can have a really good day out,
and not only you can
watch some great cricket
and some great sport being played,
but there's obviously the
the togetherness that cricket
always has.
My most unforgettable memory
would definitely
be the World Cup Final in 2019.
Just simply for the drama of the game.
How tense it was,
the build up of 4 long years,
that we had
that have been the best team.
And it all came down to that sort of
one moment in the game and
I'll never forget that moment
when Jos whipped the bales off.
My biggest moment up to that date,
was when we won the Ashes,
in 2015.
When Mark Wood
took the last wicket at Trent Bridge.
Yeah, that was,
that was a memory
I'll never forget.
Winning the World Cups with the guys,
and who we had
this journey for 4 or 5 years together,
and we worked extremely hard,
and we created those memories,
amazing memories together,
and we're really good friends,
and to win two World Cups together
has been the best two feelings
on a cricket field I've ever had.
I've been fortunate enough to be
involved in some
pretty special moments
in my career.
With lots of other people,
whether that be teammates or
or sharing those moments
with family members and friends.
If I was to lose the ability
to remember those things,
it would be,
yeah, it would be
be a tough one.
Cricket is all about memories
and if that did end up happening to me
I'd be obviously absolutely gutted,
because,
what really,
makes me carry on playing,
is the memories I've had
and I want to create more memories.
I think I'd feel heartbroken to be honest.
Because you know,
I've been involved in
some huge moments.
World Cup finals.
You know, Ashes moments
with test match cricket,
and some great personal moments
for myself.
If I was to lose them,
I think I'd lose part of sort of
my identity as a Cricketer.