IN the latest of our 'Getting to know you' features, today we are profiling Toft Cricket Club's Nigel Muirhead.

He reveals a fact that his teammates don't know about him, selects his all-time cricket dream team, names who he considers to be the greatest sports personalities ever and divulges a lot of his background and thoughts about the sport he loves.

Name: Nigel Muirhead

Date of Birth: 01/10/1969

Place of birth: Bridlington

Area I live: Knutsford

Schools/colleges/uni attended: St Peter’s School, York / Sheffield Polytechnic

Occupation: Director

Team I play for: Toft Cricket Club

Previous teams/clubs: York Cricket Club and St Peter’s School

Any trophies won or honours gained: A number of individual and team awards over 40 years of playing!

Q: When did you first start playing cricket and what attracted you to it?

A: 7 years old and my uncle who I played with in the back garden

Q: What do you enjoy most about playing for your team?

A: The desire to win but win, lose or draw I enjoy the fun and banter of the game

Q: What’s been the highlight of your sporting days so far?

A: Scoring 100s at Yorkshire grounds including Headingley, Scarborough, Sheffield and Castleford and making the honours board for batting and bowling at Toft

Q: Who do you look up to in cricket?

A: When I was younger my cricketing hero was Sir Geoffrey Boycott – a good old Yorkshire man!

Q: Who has had the most influence on you in cricket and in what way?

A: My uncle who got me started and 2 masters in charge of cricket in school

Q: What’s your aims in cricket?

A: To win in the right way and develop younger players to share my experience

Q: What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen in cricket?

A: Maybe not the funniest but dropping Yorkshire and England international Craig White for a first ball golden duck and he went on to make 160

Q: What do you find to be the most difficult aspect of participating in cricket?

A: Balancing the wants and needs of different players

Q: If you could pluck any player from the elite level to play in your team who would it be?

A: Andrew Flintoff or Ben Stokes – great guys and legendary cricketers

Q: Which team do you support and what’s been your favourite moment watching them?

A: Yorkshire and when I was aged 8 to 12 watching them in the John Player Special Sunday league at Scarborough (definitely helps by the great pack lunches my mum did)

Q: What other sports have you played and what were your achievements?

A: Rugby. I played Yorkshire schools cricket and rugby – got an England school cricket trial (not successful). Also played golf, squash, football and running

Q: If you could change one rule in cricket what would it be and why?

A: Being run out at the striker’s end is I feel unfair

Q: What’s been the most memorable event/match you’ve participated in?

A: About 4 years ago I played in a charity rugby match at Welford Road, Leicester in front 18,500 people against Leicester Tigers side including Martin Johnson and other rugby internationals

Q: Sum up your team?

A: Competitive, talented with a good mix of experience and youth

Q: Tell us something about you that your teammates wouldn’t know?

A: I once rowed at Henley Regatta

Q: Do you have a set routine in terms of preparation on a match day?

A: I’m usually late, but no set routine

Q: Best piece of advice you’ve been given?

A: Learn to take the highs and lows in equal measure

Q: If you could choose to play cricket at any venue in the world, where would it be?

A: Lords, the home of cricket

Q: How much of your life does sport take up?

A: A huge amount and have been very fortunate to be supported by family to be able to do so

Q: What or who motivates you ahead of a match/event?

A: My family – to make sure that they can’t pull my leg when I don’t score any runs or take any wickets

Q: Do you have a motto that you follow in cricket?

A: Play hard but enjoy

Q: What lessons for life have you learned through cricket?

A: Ability to deal with different personalities has been very helpful in the business environment

Q: When the time comes to retire from playing cricket, do you think you would like to take up a different role in the sport?

A: Ask me in 20 years as I still hope to be playing then!

Q: Who would you say are the top 10 sporting personalities in the world, ever?

A: 1 Steve Redgrave, 2 Pele, 3 Roger Federer, 4 Tiger Woods, 5 Messi, 6 Ronaldo, 7 Tendulkar, 8 Shane Warne, 9 Martin Johnson, 10 Bradman.

Q: Name your cricket dream team, with you in it

A: Geoffrey Boycott, Sir Alastair Cook, Tendulkar, Ben Stokes, Nigel Muirhead, Andrew Flintoff, Sir Ian Botham, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding.

Q: Would you rather hit a six, or catch an opponent out – and why?

A: Hit a six – you’re in control

Q: Tell us about any other family members who are involved in sport?

A: Immediate and wider family play many sports including rugby, golf, squash, cricket, American football, horse riding, running, golf and hockey

Q: What would you say to somebody to recommend them to cricket and to your club?

A: Hopefully a warm welcome and great place to learn and develop

Q: What have been the benefits to you by playing cricket?

A: Many friends I have got from all over the world (e.g. I played a season in Australia in 1994/95 and keep in touch with many of the people today)

Q: What’s the worst injury you’ve had and what was the rehab like?

A: I went to catch a ball at school and took the top of my finger off and was out the remainder of the season which was too long a rehab

Q: Is there a sport you haven’t tried but think you might be good at, and why?

A: Hockey because of the similarities in the way of cricket

Q: What advice would you offer to a youngster starting to play cricket?

A: Learn to be patient

Q: What’s your opinions of county cricket in this country – do you watch it, is the standard as good as it used to be, would you change anything?

A: It needs an overhaul to reduce the number of counties and it is financially unviable in its current format in the longer term

Q: Who is England’s greatest cricketer?

A: Sir Ian Botham for antics on and off the pitch

* If you would like to take part in our 'Getting to know you' feature, contact mike.parsons@nqnw.co.uk for a Q&A form.