[Richard]

May as well join the spirit... I'm Rich, I signed-up for CW in 2003 aged just about 18, when I still used my full name, which I now don't really like at all as it sounds hopelessly over-formal; as of this post I'm (sadly) 24.

I've been playing with cricket-bats (of increasing size) and balls (initially tennis-balls, then orange KwikCricket windballs, then hardballs) since I could stand, have never been all that good but am able to hold my own in a serious game of organised eleven-a-side cricket, for which I'm grateful. My Dad's a huge fan of the game as well, and was always a better player than me - in fact was right up to the 2009 season after which he's finally retired at the age of 56. My first memories are of watching the 1991/92 World Cup with him, as England were beaten in the final by Pakistan, and I watched on and off, more and more, until 1998 when England played South Africa and I was completely captivated, and also came to love those two teams. I've followed both of them avidly since then, and since 2000 I've also followed just about all Test teams to some degree, as well as domestic cricket in England and to some small degree Australia and South Africa.

CricketWeb forum is easily the best online cricket-discussing community around in my experience - well ahead of the pack.