"Mikey Franklin might not be paying attention at all and just watch the ball hit the deck in a trance! If he's awake at the time he pulls off a blinding catch!"

- Stew Moss

1. Date of birth & star sign?
28 Feb 1972. Pisces - the sensitive dreamer.

2. Occupation?
Insurance claims handler at Lycetts in Charlbury

3. Favourite meal?
Takeaway chicken Balti with rice, peshwari naan, Bombay potatoes. With a pint of milk and some of wifey’s home-made trifle for pudding!

4. Hobbies other than cricket?
Fishing, driving & maintaining my classic car. Listening to music.

5. Football team supported?
Fulham & Oxford Utd. Both have crap teams this season!

6. Imagine your partner has left you - who is your dream date?
Probably French actress Leah Seydoux at present, she was the girl in the last Bond Film Spectre. But I'm not to fussy at my age!

7. How did you first get into cricket, and who did you play for when you first played junior, and then adult cricket?
I didn't get the opportunity to play any junior cricket whatsoever, not even at school. When I was 18 I worked up the courage to introduce myself at Charlbury CC and started from there, I was miles behind all the other lads my age. I made my debut against a team called Alcan in Banbury, I was euphoric to score 5no! But after a couple of years of batting no11 and hardly bowling I got fed up and quit. I was already playing footy for Stoney and Robin Hanks persuaded me to play cricket here as well. The first game I played for Stoney was away at West Witney in about 1992, a young tearaway bowler called Adam Lambert was our captain!

8. Favourite ever professional cricketer?
Mark Ramprakash. I liked his style, especially how he used to drive through the covers.

9. What do you regard as your most memorable innings?
I remember scoring 65 vs Shipton-u-Wychwood years ago, playing really well until Jason Constable yorked me. But probably most memorable is my highest score, 87 at Twyford in about 2005. They were top of the division and I pulled my hamstring on about 50, so Milko Masters had to come out as my runner. For some reason I had a total brain fade in the 70s and just started slogging, and after a few more 4s got stupidly bowled by the slowest oldest greyest spin bowler ever, I hadn't realised I needed just 13 for a century. It took ages to limp off the field in disappointment with a torn hamstring!

10. What brand bat do you have?
I had Slazenger bats for years but I don't like the current ones, so now have a Newbery.

11. Most memorable bowling performance?
By coincidence also vs Twyford 2nds away but in a different game. It was a dry dusty track and slight cross slope, I used to spin it more then (before I hurt my back) and I had it turning square! I kept pitching it well outside off and hitting middle stump and I took 7 for 59.

12. Favourite away ground?
Charlbury as its where I live and my old club. 2nd would be Swinbrook as it’s really pretty.

13. Least favourite away ground?
There are several contenders but in recent times Risinghurst or Middleton Cheney. Years ago we played at Risi and everything kept shooting along the deck, about 7 were out LBW in an innings! In 2017 we played on a minefield wicket at Cheney which ruined the game, with a terrible outfield – Jord Newman took 8 wickets just by putting it on a good length. I’m sure it will be far better when we play there this season now that they are in Div 1.

14. Which Stoney batsman do you most enjoy watching bat, and why?
I'd have to say Luke 'Zlatan' Burns. There is never a dull moment - boundaries, thick edges, bowlers getting wound up, wickets, confusion running between the wickets – total entertainment!

15. Which Stoney bowler do you most enjoy watching bowl, and why?
Probably my son Rowan - its been great watching him develop and I hope he grows into a really top-notch fast bowler for Stonesfield. Other than that I've always loved watching Dave Skidmore bowl leg-spin and was desperate to get him back at the club in 2017. He always gives it 100% and he is a natural wicket taker. Sometimes loses his rag though!

16. You've taken the first 9 wickets of a game, and the no11 hits the last ball of your spell 'straight up the chimney' - which fielder, past or present, would you least want under this crucial catch?
Mikey Franklin, he might not be paying attention at all and just watch the ball hit the deck in a trance! If he's awake at the time he pulls off a blinding catch.

17. What do you consider your best attribute as a cricketer, and why?
I have good powers of concentration when I bat, and a solid forward defensive! As a captain I'd like to think I'm good at inspiring people to play and at getting the best out of them.

18. Which weakness in your game / technique would you most like to improve?
I've always been a terrible nervous starter when I bat, and my pull shot is embarrassing!

19. Funniest memory in cricket?
Too many to list, but here’s two. In 2017, an experienced Eynsham 2nds batter saw Rowan (then 13) pacing out his long run, and decided to announce to all the fielders “ha ha, I’m not getting out to no kid!”. So, the look on his face was absolutely priceless when Rowan clean bowled him middle stump, first ball, and took 3 for 4 off 5 overs!
And last season Stanton Harcourt's John Woodward shouted across the field to Sam Townsend to go to his house and put his dinner on, seeing as he was doing everything including moving the sightscreens. Sam shouted back "alright but I'll give your wife one whilst I'm there!" - everyone was laughing even the umpires!

20. Greatest remaining ambition in the game?
With my hip problems stay fit enough to keep playing! For the 2nd XI to win something with our young team, after over a decade of stagnation – would be magical.
Personally I'd love to score a century before I'm done, although it’s looking long odds. If I don't then maybe Rowan will get one for me one day….