Matt Jones: Why cricket?

Matthew Maynard: My brother and I used to follow the old man around when he was playing on a Saturday. I started picking up the bat and ball and following it on TV. I guess that's where it all started - hitting a ball around with my brother when I was seven or eight-years-old.

I loved playing football. I played for Bangor City Reserves and Menai Bridge Tigers in the Welsh Amateur League, but then I broke my foot playing which put that to bed. I loved my rugby at school. I played full-back and had a big trial for the Welsh schools team. I got high-tackled and had to wear a neck brace for six weeks. That put rugby out of the equation for me. From that point on I just concentrated on cricket.

MJ: How did you handle the pressure of going from county to test cricket level?

MM: I struggled with the transition to be honest. In county cricket you have about 16 overs an hour. Once you're in you get a certain pace to your innings. In test cricket the pace is a lot slower. There's more discussion between balls about field placing. The captain will go into things a lot deeper to try and get the right fielder positions for the right individual. I never got used to that.

You need to have the attitude to believe in yourself and get used to that step up. Unfortunately I didn't get enough games at that level to adapt, but I still think I could have done it had I had the opportunities.

MJ: What has been the highlight of your cricket career?

MM: Still being part of it! I must be doing something right if I'm still involved in the game after 20 years.

Playing for England was a massive achievement. Leading Glamorgan to the Championship was probably one of the proudest moments I've ever had. The next challenge is to get the club back to where it should be - consistently competing with all the top sides.

MJ: What was it like playing with the great Sir Viv Richards?

MM: He was awesome and really changed my outlook on the game. He taught me that you're never out of a game, and he was so inspirational. When he said things in the dressing room, you listened to his every word. When he spoke you were mad if you didn't listen to him and try to adapt your game to suit.

Just before we won our first ever one day trophy in 1993, we'd had a shocking couple of days against Kent. They'd hammered us all over the park. At the end of the Saturday night we all had our heads in our hands, not knowing how we could beat Kent the next day. He went round the dressing room and reiterated the strength of every single player within the team.

He used to call Steve Jones 'The run thief' because he'd run the ball down to the third man and always sprint back to get the second run. He'd say 'Steve, you're a brilliant run thief, keep doing that,' 'Hugh Morris, you've got shots all over the place,' 'Adrian Dale, you're a great worker of the ball,' 'Matt you just see the ball and hit it, you know that's your strength.' We walked out of that dressing room with our heads held high, chests out, feeling really positive.

The next day we were really up for the challenge of playing Kent. We went ahead and beat them, which was a great achievement. Viv played a massive part in that. What he gave to Glamorgan can never be underestimated.

MJ: Did you have any superstitions when you were playing?

MM: Everything left first - left sock, left shoe, left pad... I went through periods of leaving my thigh pads and protector off until I was about to go out to bat. When I walked to the wicket I'd give two swirls of my left arm, put the bat in my right hand and do two swirls of that arm to loosen up.

If I had a good innings in a short sleeve shirt, I'd wear a short sleeve shirt for the next few. If I got a couple of low scores I'd go back to long sleeve shirts.

MJ: What would you say to young people to get them out there playing and watching cricket?

MM: What better way of spending your days than playing cricket in the sun? These poor rugby players and footballers play in winter, when it's cold. They go on the Lions tour if they get to the highest level, go out to New Zealand, which is a beautiful country, and play in the snow and the rain. We go out to New Zealand wearing T-shirts, shorts and we play in the sun.