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Matt Jones: Why cricket?

Tom Maynard: My dad always encouraged me to get into it. He never pushed me, I've just naturally grown up with cricket. I remember watching my dad and everyone else from the changing room and I've always enjoyed it.

MJ: And what excites you about the sport?

TM: Everything. It's nice when you get a crowd in, like when we're playing Twenty20, but I enjoy batting and bowling and everything about the game.

MJ: Obviously your dad has been a big influence, were there any school teachers who helped you along the way?

TM: Definitely. There have been a few inspirational teachers and coaches at club level. Mark Davies was really helpful when I was at Millfield. Phil Makinson helped me a lot when I was really young, playing at St Fagans Cricket Club.

MJ: How competitive were you at school?

TM: I've always been competitive and liked my sports. I suppose that's why I'm here today. My dad's always said 'Go out and play any sport you can, it doesn't matter what you like.' If I had said 'Dad, I want to play rugby,' he would have said 'Go for it.' He's never said 'You've got to play cricket because that's what I did.' It's never been that way.

MJ: What advice has your dad offered you?

TM: He's offered me heaps of advice. That's the advantage of my dad having been a player. If I've got a question I've always got my coach there to ask. He's so experienced and he's gone through it all. He's always given me good answers to any questions I've asked.

MJ: Most successful sportspeople experience the pressure of playing, you've got the added pressure of following in your dad's footsteps - how do you deal with that?

TM: I suppose that'll always be there. It's only present off the pitch. As soon as I step on the pitch I don't think 'I better score runs today because my old man did it.' I just go out and think 'Watch the ball, smack it, or bowl as fast as you can.'

MJ: Do you motivate yourself by saying 'I want to be even better than he was'?

TM: Yes. I want to play for England. I think most cricketers do. If I do, then hopefully I'll have a better time than he did (laughs).

MJ: Do you have any superstitions before you go out to play?

TM: I've got a few. I always put my left pad on before my right. I used to have really weird ones. I wouldn't let anyone touch my bat before I batted. I'm not as bad as I used to be. If I go through a bad stint I'll change my gloves or my bat to try and give myself a bit of a mental boost. Then I can think 'It's going to be different this time, I'm going to go out there and get runs.'

MJ: To be a top sportsperson you need to be disciplined, does that come naturally to you?

TM: I think so. This has been my first professional year, so this is my first winter in the professional game. I've learnt a lot about professionalism and the amount of training that goes into it.

My dad's always been an inspiration. I remember him coming back to the house in a T-shirt that was drenched in sweat. Then he'd go upstairs and do sit-ups in the lounge. He's renowned for training hard, so I guess I try and take that on board myself. I try to work as hard as possible, and to be as professional as possible. I want to give myself the best chance of succeeding.

MJ: What motivates you to get up and go training in the winter, when it's raining outside and you'd rather stay in bed?

TM: It's the ambition to play for England. I've got the Ashes DVD, and I've watched it hundreds of times. Playing for England is what I want to do. Obviously I want to play well for Glamorgan and do as well as I can for them, but every cricketer wants to play for England and that's my ambition. When I'm on the treadmill and it really hurts I just think to myself 'Keep going if you want to play for England.' That is my main motivation.

MJ: What has been the highlight of your career so far?

TM: I'd say my debut. That was a really special day for me. It was in Colwyn Bay and my grandparents and lots of family came along to watch. We lost, which was a bit disappointing, but I was really happy to get the opportunity and do well.

MJ: How have you managed to balance your cricket with your school work?

TM: I think I've balanced it well. When I was at Millfield I got my work out of the way so I could go and play sport. If you get it done as soon as you get home from school you can go and enjoy yourself with your mates. I've always been pretty happy with the results I've had throughout my education, so it's been good.

MJ: Is there one bit of advice that someone's given you over the years that's served you well?

TM: There have been a few pieces of good advice. One that I remember is last year when we were playing Yorkshire at Sophia Gardens. Jason Gillespie was giving me loads of abuse, saying things like 'I'm going to knock your head off.' I was thinking 'It's my second game, I'm really nervous.'

In the bar after the game he said 'Tom, I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean any of it.' Then he said 'All you've got to remember when you're batting is to watch the ball, don't think about anything else, just watch the ball.' When the bowler's running at me I just think 'Watch the ball, watch the ball.' It's amazing what you can do if you don't think about anything other than watching the ball.

MJ: How hard is it to deal with sledging?

TM: You've got to deal with it as a cricketer. I just try to focus on my own game.

MJ: If there's one thing you could take from your dad to further yourself as a person and a player, what would it be?

TM: It would be his mental toughness and his knowledge about the game. He's solid. He always gives me the best advice. If I had his knowledge now then I'm sure I'd score a lot more runs.

MJ: What would you say to kids to get them off their backsides and participating in cricket and other sports?

TM: Come and start watching the 20/20 games. If you enjoy that, which I'm sure you will because it's an exciting game, then you might develop an interest in the longer form of cricket.

I'd say get out, try different types of sport and you're bound to find something that you enjoy. Once you find the sport for you, work hard at it and compete to the best of your ability.