I’VE been playing my first game for Essex this week in Lancashire and I’m really pleased with how things have started.

I took a wicket with my third ball of the match, so it is good to get in there straight away.

I feel like I’ve bowled fairly well and picked up a couple of wickets, it has just been nice to bowl some overs.

It has been pretty frustrating because the weather has been pretty bad, so we haven’t got much play in.

It will be hard to force a result but now it’s about picking up bonus points, which could be crucial come the end of the season.

You obviously want to play but you can’t do anything about the weather. It’s such a hectic season so anytime you get to relax the body and mentally rest, it’s quite nice.

When the rain comes people do their own things. Some of the boys play a bit of cards or watch the telly and just chill out but I try to get a bit of sleep in.

Hopefully I can get a bit of time in the middle before the end of the game as I have got a lot to play for. I want to score as many runs as I can and bowl as well as I can.

I’ve enjoyed coming in here and I have been welcomed really well. I am excited to play cricket and I couldn’t have come into a better changing room.

They are a good set of lads and there are some good players in this changing room.

If it does continue to rain we will be able to watch the start of the Ashes.

If you look at the hype around it you don’t really get that with cricket in England but every time the Ashes come around everyone is talking about it.

It’s massive on the TV and in all the papers as well, so it’s exciting time for the country.

It’s two sides that are in from now so should be really good viewing.

The England team is a completely different team now from the last series Down Under and the majority of them are young lads who play without any fear. That’s how you have got to play against Australia.

It will be a tough series for both sides but that’s what you want in Test cricket. It isn’t easy, Test cricket is supposed to be tough.