Cricket star Jos Buttler has shared how Somerset inspired his love of cricket and kickstarted his career.

Jos is joining the ECB in their new campaign to encourage more children to find their way to play – whether that’s casually at home, in the street, or at school.

He said: “I first fell in love with the game playing with my brother and sister in the back garden. It’s where the passion for the sport started.

 “At the 1999 home World Cup, I was inspired by watching some world-class cricketers when matches were taken to my home county ground at Taunton, Somerset. Watching Indian batsmen Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid both score big hundreds against Sri Lanka had a profound impact on me.

“I was inspired and thought I could do this when I grew up. From that day on, I dreamt of playing cricket professionally. 

 “Fast-forward to today. I’ve worked hard and had a bit of luck along the way, but after winning two World Cups for England, the highlight so far in my professional career, I always think back to those warm summer days in the garden in Somerset or watching the best as a kid at Taunton. That’s why this game is special.”