By Oliver Brett BBC Sport Online

In the same way that many youngsters begin the game, Julian Bellew began playing cricket with his two older brothers in his parents' garden in Somerset.

As someone who showed rare talent as a batsman and a wicket-keeper, he won his first cap for England in 1997 and, now aged 27, he is also captain of his county.

The reason you may not have heard of him, however, is that he was born with curvature of the spine and a separate disease which wastes away his muscles.

Bellew plays disabled cricket, in existence in England since 1991.

Bellew with club colleague Mark Davis

"I have played nine times for England," says Bellew, an information analyst for Somerset County Council who lives in Ilminster.

"The national structure of our sport only permits us to play against Wales because countries like Australia and India have a totally different set-up."

All the same, he still has happy memories of playing in his first match at Lord's against Wales.

"I think I was batting six or seven. We wanted 15 runs to win but we had lost seven wickets. I hit the winning runs.

"It was amazing, to be honest, and to have lots of friends and family watching - especially being the new lad in the team - made it extra special, even though there was a lot of pressure on me."

Bellew can understand why there is still no cricket against top-class opposition from overseas, though it frustrates him a little.

I am sure it would be fantastic for the sport if we played in Australia

Julian Bellew

Bellew behind the stumps for Somerset

Bellew is keen to stress that in many ways disabled cricket is very similar to the sport played by able-bodied cricketers.

"The great thing about out sport is that it's very competitive," he says. "There's sledging just like there is in any cricket.

"If we played against the Aussies we would get stick off them. But to travel over there and play would be a dream.

"The Australians made such a good job of the Paralympics in Sydney that I am sure it would be fantastic for the sport if we played there.

"Young disabled cricketers would see older disabled cricketers playing for the equivalent of the Ashes."

Dorset roots

Somerset's disabled team was set up in 1994 after Bellew and some friends began playing some friendly games in Dorset and wanted to cut down on travelling so far to play cricket.

"I wrote to the chief executive at Somerset, Peter Anderson, and he arranged for me to meet Andrew Moulding, the development officer.

It set the ball rolling and Somerset is now one of the strongest teams in the south of England.

Bellew cannot guess what the future holds for his sport, at personal, club or international level.

But if disabled Ashes cricket ever gets off the ground, look out for his name on the team-sheet.