At the time I played in the Bunbury Festival it was the showpiece of the cricket calendar at under-15 level and there is nothing to suggest that anything is different now.

Playing in the Bunbury Festival gave me the chance to pit my wits against the best players in the country; in my age group at the time were players such as Andrew Flintoff, Ben Holliake, David Sales, David Nash, Chris Reed and Dean Cosker.

It was an honour to be selected to play for my region in the tournament and gave me a good grounding for my future career in showing me where I was at that stage.

Along with hundreds of other kids before and after I had a thoroughly enjoyable week at the Festival.  David English has done so much for youth cricket and given so many kids a chance.  He makes sure he knows everyone’s name and his heart is in the right place.  David is not just interested in the star players but nothing pleases him more than when a Bunbury represents England.

I was around at a good time with a lot of good players and several of us went on to play for England together up until under-19 year level.  Our team morale was excellent and helped us achieve victories in South Africa and Pakistan.

Playing with and against a lot of these players in the Bunbury Festival gave me an early opportunity to develop relationships with future team-mates.  ‘Freddie’ Flintoff didn’t bowl much at the time because of back problems but he was a destructive batsman; Ben Hollioake was also talented but it was David Sales who really stood out.  David would score hundreds for fun at the different age levels so his was the wicket everyone wanted above all others.

Although I had already represented England by that stage there is not doubt playing in the Bunbury Festival helped to cerement my reputation.  At the end of the week a ‘best team is selected and the goal is to play well enough for your region in order to make that side.  I did manage to make that side – to play in a game against HMC private school – and I remember David Sales swapped teams to even them up. Needless to say he scored a hundred against us!

Just to prove how important the Bunbury Festival can be, the one that I was involed with helped to make Owais Shah as a cricketer.  Owais wasn’t selevted fo the team of the week but was then drageted in when Andrew Flintoff go injured.  When he dot his chance he impressed and thre rest is history.

Owais and myself are just two cricketers who benefited from playing in the Bunbury Festival and long may it continue!