*WINNER OF THE 2023 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR**FOREWORD BY BEN STOKES*Hallo - I'm Mark Wood. As an England and Durham cricketer who was born, raised and refined in Ashington, Northumberland, my life has been quite unique. Over the course of my career so far, I've won an Ashes and a World Cup in an international career that at the time of writing is going on seven years and counting.

Being a fast bowler like myself is up there with the toughest of all sporting pursuits, like being Tyson Fury's punchbag or working behind the bar during the darts at Ally Pally. Being a cricketer? There's nothing like it. And doing it for England? Well, I'm lucky to call it a profession.

There's been a lot of hard work along the way. Plenty of sacrifices and pain to accompany the good times that make them all worthwhile. I've been everywhere, from Barbados to Brisbane, Chester-le-Street to Chennai, waiting rooms to operating tables.

I've played in some of the most exotic locations in the world and eaten margherita pizzas in every single one of them. To be honest, it's amazing I've waited this long to bring out my own self-help book.