cricket with balls

Yorkshire batsman and Pongo main man Joe Sayers had a chat to the balls, and he confirms he is not a stalker.

Are the Yorkshire fans a bit more feral and fanatic than the average county fans?

Feral sounds a little severe! Fanatic, perhaps, and certainly passionate, sounds more appropriate.

Some people compare you to Geoffrey Boycott, is that because you have a special knack for annoying people or is it the way you bat?

After hearing someone call out from the Trent Bridge crowd comparing me to Geoffrey last week, I’m guessing it’s for my way with the willow.

Have you ever imitated Geoffrey Boycott at parties to get girls?

Impressions are certainly not my forte, and besides, I’m taken!

Do county cricketers have groupies?

Though we now travel the Country in a luxury coach, that’s where the comparison between rock stars and County cricketers comes to an end.

There are 45 games of various forms of cricket scheduled for each county and the pitches are getting flatter, is batting in County Cricket a solid platform for moving on to test cricket, or just a place where overworked bowlers get worked into the ground by bowling on roads?

I agree that pitches are generally lacking pace and bounce this summer, and have not been condusive to producing natural results. But from my experience at the top of the order, the performances of frontline attacks in the top flight have been sufficiently challenging to develop one’s game and provide testing periods at the crease.

As an English born batsman trying to play for England how do you feel when South African players move over and make it into the team before you?

The standard of domestic cricket has been improved by the influx of high-quality players from overseas, and my game has developed by playing with and against such players. If I’m good enough, I’ll get into the team when the time is right, whoever is playing.

Do you think you score at a quick enough rate for International Cricket in this day and age?

I would like to improve my scoring rate in all forms of the game. However, when I do my job well and play my way, it has often been the case that the team has made bigscores with the bat, proving the value of having a top order batsman of my natural style in the team.

Does missing out on the limited overs games for Yorkshire career harm your chances of playing for England?

Perhaps. Playing limited overs cricket for Yorkshire will aid my development as a player in all forms of the game.

Would you move to another County for more limited overs cricket like Michael Brown?

I’m confident that I’ll continue to gain opportunities to play one-day cricket for Yorkshire, and I’m really passionate about helping the Club succeed in all forms.

Where do you get the fire from, what makes you keep chasing a test cap?

A love for the game, for new learning, and my goal of being part of a dominant Yorkshire team in the future.

Do you have cricket fears?

Of course. Everybody feels fear, but not everyone admits it.

One hundred every 7 matches in first class cricket, have you got the most out of yourself?

I have got the best out of myself, but I would like to score more hundreds more often in the future.

Is Pongo cricket your way of admitting to the world that you are a cricket obsessed nerd?

I’m a cricketer who studied Physics. Need I say more?

What can Pongo offer that normal blogs can’t?

The opportunity to talk cricket with current stars of the domestic and International game and to receive rewards and prizes for good-quality contributions. Pongo also offers the opportunity to earn money from the sale of your contributions to the press and media, or through employment by the site itself.

Do you think writing for Pongo will help your career the way Iain O’Brien’s blog did?

Maybe. Writing for Pongo Cricket provides a creative outlet for me that I really enjoy, and I’m excited by the potential progress of the site in all parts of the cricket world.

Who is your favourite cricketer turned writer?

Two candidates spring to mind for their writing – Simon Hughes and Ed Smith.

What do you prefer more 40 over cricket or 50 over cricket?

I’m not sure I’ve played enough of either to make a decision!

If you were going to stalk a cricketer, who would it be and why?

What a bizarre question! Is there any way I can sit on the fence here…?

Do you think Jacques Rudolph is wasting his talent by not playing test cricket?

I believe that Jacques has the ability to return to the Test arena and I know that he possesses the desire to do so.

Did you guys eat the Pigeon he killed as a bonding exercise?

Terry The Pigeon is still hanging from the dressing room ceiling.

Will you ever play for England?

God willing.