The Ed Boy Speaks - Janet interview with Ed Smith


The Ed Boy
By Ed and Janet
July 18 2007

A couple of weeks ago, Janet caught up with Ed Smith and asked him some questions. We now publish those questions and Ed's answers. Many thanks to both Ed and Janet for their time and effort. Janet's next interview target was to have been Richard Pybus. Surely it wasn't...................

A couple of weeks ago, Janet caught up with Ed Smith and asked him some questions.  We now publish those questions and Ed's answers.  Many thanks to both Ed and Janet for their time and effort.

  1. A few years ago the Middlesex captaincy was described as a ‘Poison chalice’. How do you feel about it? Are you enjoying it?


Ans: It’s a great honour and I’m really enjoying it.


  1. In the media our bowling attack is still being described as ‘toothless’. How do you rate it? If you could add any other bowler to our attack who would it be?


Ans: We bowled Somerset and Glamorgan out for less than 60 so that’s pretty handy.


  1. How do you feel about losing Vaas for a few weeks while he takes part in a test series for Sri Lanka? Will Middlesex be getting another oversees star for that period of time?


Ans: Tyron Henderson joined us in the interim.


  1. I see that our batting is still quite ‘brittle’ at times. What steps are being taken to rectify this so that we maximise our batting points.


Ans: Batting points will come more freely once the wickets dry out. We have played on several bowler friendly championship pitches.


  1. Last year it was obvious that Ben’s authority was being undermined. Is this happening this year, and how are you dealing with it?


Ans: It isn’t happening.


  1. The body language in the field seems so much more positive this year. How was it transformed from the negativity of last year?


Ans: All teams rely on a strong core of senior players to set the tone. They are all very committed to helping Middlesex win.


  1. There were several dropped catches in the last match. How are we going to sharpen our fielding?


Ans: Generally we have caught very well this year. (6 out of 6 at Southgate in the Twenty20)


  1. We now seem to have healthy competition for places in the first team. How hard is it to get the right balance of youth and experience? How hard is it to drop one’s friends?


Ans: It is always hard to drop a team-mate. But the whole squad understands that my priority is always getting the right team on the field to win the game.


  1. What cricketer do you admire the most?


Ans: Rahul Dravid


  1. Which cricketers are our future stars?


Ans: Billy Godleman, Steve Finn, Eoin Morgan


  1. Who do you like batting with most/least?


Ans: I’ve shared some big stands with Owais Shah. And we all enjoy batting with Joycey.


  1. Which bowler do you like facing most/ least?


Ans: Amjad Khan has got me out too often!


  1. Apart from Bob Dylan what are your musical tastes?


Ans: Everything from Classical music to Razorlight (who are Middlesex fans! ).


  1. What did you last see at the theatre and who did you last see in concert?


Ans: Can’t remember I’m afraid


  1. What is your favourite food?


Ans: Italian


  1. Who is your ‘fantasy’ dinner party guest?


Ans: Grace Kelly

Perhaps gutted by that last answer, that's all she wrote, folks.  Many thanks once again to Janet for taking the trouble to conduct this interview.  And many, many thanks again to Ed for agreeing to participate.

Janet's next interview target was to have been Richard Pybus.  Surely it wasn't...................