From the age of six I used to watch every England team and when I was messing around in the backyard I would pretend to be whoever was scoring runs at the time, whether they were a right or left-hander. I just wanted to be them and do that.

We should be looking to inspire every living person in this country to play the game of cricket.

As a batter you are generally playing a mental game most of the time and having too long to prepare can work against you - you can almost fry yourself out before a Test match or feel slightly fatigued two games in because you have spent too long preparing.

I am slightly better at sleeping now during Test matches. I have a diary and I write things down, which helps. I write about decisions, a lot about opposition and stuff I want to say to the team so I am clear on the message I want to give.

I remember getting hit in the ribs when I was on about eight or nine in my first game, and everyone rushed over, quite concerned. The umpire said to me afterwards, 'If anyone had appealed I would have had to give you out LB!' I ended that innings about nine not out off about 15 overs. I was already digging in - Yorkshire style.

That's the food chain that cricket is sometimes. You have to be at the top of it otherwise you get swept away and eaten up.

I still like to think I have a pretty good laugh with the other guys in the dressing room and still enjoy a beer and the odd night out.

Bowling at Steve Smith in his form is difficult and you have to make sure you take all your chances.

You have to enjoy winning and being part of a successful team, just being a young bloke. But at the same time you want to be back page and not front page news and be spoken about for your cricket and contributing to winning rather than getting it wrong on a night out.

I want England to do well. I want us to go to World Cups and win. If I'm not in the best eleven or the best squad, so be it. I'll support whoever's involved all the way through.

I've always wanted to play Test cricket from a young age and that's what you dream about. But you have to make sure you can contribute regardless of the format.

When I'm waiting to bat I try to watch the game and make sure I know what is going on so I am ready when I get out there but I spend a lot of time hydrating. It is very important for your performance and concentration. If it is cold I might have a coffee but mainly I am trying to stay really hydrated.

Over the course of the game you're probably going to have 10 turnovers or so just because you're playing hard, you're competing, that's the way the game goes. But it's the other 10 that you have to limit. You can't have the careless ones, the ones where guys are cutting backdoor and you throw it, or you try the hail mary pass.

I know what my game is and what I do well and I'm just going to keep trying to I,prove and make sure I'm consistent as possible in those areas.

The teams that have got good continuity, good chemistry typically have more success.

It's hard to compete with everything that Brooklyn has to offer as a city.

I think Brooklyn is easily one of the best NBA cities out there.

I think I've gotten more comfortable and more confident on the defensive end. I've just been able to anticipate things a little bit better instead of reacting to how guys play offensively.

You're gonna have pretty bad defeats. But you've gotta be able to respond and come back in and compete the next night.

Even over the course of the NBA's schedule, you're gonna have games where you're gonna take your lumps.

Obviously, back-to-backs are tough... but everyone goes through it in this league.

You never want to see anybody get hurt... but if you've ever played basketball before you've probably sprained your ankle so that stuff happens. It's part of the game.

I'm one of the best shooters in the League.

If you've got one guy that can create just a little bit of space for somebody that can get downhill, it opens up everything offensively.