Who stands out for you as the best wicketkeeper in the world?

Well, he has been for a while, and that’s James Foster at Essex. He’s not playing international cricket but he is the best keeper in the world, and has been for three or four years. He’s just on a different level. He stands up to the fast bowlers and he’s so aggressive. If you look at some of the catches he’s taken over the last couple of years, off bouncers and full tosses, he’s without question on another level.

And on the international circuit?

Perhaps I’m a bit biased, but I always think we’ve got the best keepers here in England. Nobody stands out for me from the others countries in terms of keeping. There are some great batsman-keepers, no question about that, but in terms of actual keeping you name me a better keeper than Matt Prior.

Have you been impressed by how much Prior’s improved as a keeper?

He has come on a lot in the last two or three years. I remember playing against him and he was a bit mechanical. It didn’t come naturally to him but the more keeping he’s done, the more natural it’s become. It was the same for Alec Stewart. It’s difficult to explain but you can be over coached and look mechanical. Craig Kieswetter is at that stage at the minute. He’s getting lots of theories but as his career goes on he’ll loosen up a bit. He’s still learning his trade.

Why do you think England produce such good wicketkeepers?

England is the hardest place to keep wicket in the world, especially for the Aussies. Their techniques get exposed in English conditions because we haven’t got that nice bounce where the ball comes through nicely. Sometimes you’re catching the ball down by your ankles and you have to stand up close to the stumps. They have to adjust and it took Ian Healy three tours to do so. Adam Gilchrist’s keeping on his last tour here was very poor and Brad Haddin also had a difficult time. Our keepers get the best training so we should be the best, shouldn’t we?

You had very much your own style. Do you think players are a bit vain these days with modelling contracts and the like?

I don’t know about that, I didn’t really have the body for a modelling contract or the hair for hair gel. Look, if these lads are enjoying themselves and earning enough money not to have to do other work, then good luck to them. When I first started playing you had to get a job in the winter. You had to have a skill to get yourself a job in the winter because we only had a job in the summer to play county cricket. If you didn’t play for England in the winter you had to get a job and my trade was as a carpet fitter. Luckily these lads now have a bit more money and as long as they don’t lose focus on bowling, catching and hitting a cricket ball, then I don’t think it matters what they do.

Are you pleased to have your old coach John Bracewell back on board at Gloucestershire?

Considering how much things have changed and how young our squad is, having him come back has been crucial. Bracewell gives the place stability and he doesn’t take any messing. The disciplines are good but he’s also flexible enough to allow for individuality and he’s not regimented. We’re in good hands but it’s going to take time. Already we’ve shown glimpses of being a really good team but it’s understandable that there are going to be inconsistencies at the minute with so many youngsters. It’s going to be tough but in the long run I think we’ll end up with a really good team.

Twenty20 would have been right up your street, wouldn’t it?

I did play a couple of matches – in fact that’s probably what finished me off! But yeah, I’d have loved that. It would have been no different to the way that Gloucestershire were playing their one-day cricket; just in a slightly different format. The margin for error shrinks, the pressure of the game increases and the pace quickens. It would have been a natural progression for me and I would have loved it to bits.

Chance to Shine ambassador Jack Russell was speaking on ‘Brit Insurance National Cricket Day’. Chance to Shine supported by Brit Insurance has brought cricket to over 1 million state schoolchildren. To make a donation visit www.chancetoshine.org