We set the tone in our second match of the season with a good win away to Leicestershire.Individually, I had an important innings in that match that kind of set me up. I got a hundred on the first day facing the bowling of Mohammed Asif and Stuart Broad on a low, slow pitch I really had to graft and be patient Experience helps in those situations. After that innings the next knock came easier.Other things helped, too: It has been a cracking summer in terms of weather which helps when batting and has in turn produced good, true pitches. People keep asking me why I have had such an excellent season.
If I knew I would have done it 15 years ago and if I could bottle it now I would. It could come down to several things.For the first time in my career I didn't practise during the winter and was not particularly looking forward to the season. I think it was a hangover from getting relegated from the Championship at the end of the previous year.But what sticks in my mind from pre-season is a meeting the whole Surrey squad had back in March We met at the Oval and we put some issues out in the open. On Monday night I felt chuffed to bits and very proud to win the Players' Player of The Year at the Professional Cricketers' Awards in London. There were lots of people who had very good seasons so it was special to receive the accolade: Mushtaq Ahmed was outstanding for Sussex; Ian Bell hit three consecutive Test centuries, which was a magnificent feat, and John Crawley once again proved what an excellent player he is by scoring bucketloads of runs for Hampshire. He was not happy with what he saw and, after consulting with fellow umpire Billy Doctrove, the pair, believing that the Pakistan team had tampered with the ball, decided to change it.As captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq was charged with a breach of level 2.10 of the ICC code of conduct, which relates to changing the condition of the ball.
If Inzamam is found guilty he faces a fine of between 50 and 100 per cent of his match fee and/or a ban of one Test or two one-day internationals.2) Bringing the game into disrepute.Later that day Pakistan twice failed to take the field when the umpires instructed them to As a result the umpires awarded the match to England. Pakistan then appeared on the field, suggesting they were willing to play. Inzamam, as captain, was charged with breaching C2 at level 3 of the code of conduct which deals with a player bringing the game into disrepute. If found guilty he faces a ban of between two and four Tests or four to eight one-day internationals.The cast list:The Adjudicator; Ranjan Madugalle (the ICC's chief referee)Adjudicator's assistant; David Pannick QCThe ICC's team David Stewart (prosecuting the case)Pushpinder Saini (counsel assisting the ICC's officials)Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove (match umpires)Trevor Jesty (third umpire), Peter Hartley (fourth umpire)Mike Procter (match referee)Doug Cowie (ICC umpires and referees manager)Pakistan's team:Mark Gay (defending the charges)Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain)Bob Woolmer (coach)Shaharyar Khan (chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board)Expert witnesses: Geoff Boycott (former England cricketer); Simon Hughes (former Middlesex cricketer); John Hampshire (former England cricketer and international umpire).