Out for a duck: what the England cricketers eat

Catch of the day: The England cricketers deliver their menus

The 6ft 6in fast-bowling 22-year-old is the latest England pin-up.

In India once I made the mistake of thinking there was a broad bean in the middle of a curry. I nailed the whole thing and it turned out to be a chilli. I couldn't feel my face for hours. That put me off spicy food for good, which isn't ideal because we spend six months of the year abroad and tour the subcontinent a lot.

I'm quite blessed because I don't have to watch what I eat. The night before a big game I'll make sure I have a good strong feed of steak and mash in preparation. I'll start the day with baked beans and scrambled egg on wholemeal toast, then have a smallish lunch, such as a chicken breast and boiled potatoes, with a protein bar, because it sits lightly on the stomach. In India, where I'm bowling in 40C heat, I use Maximuscle protein shakes for upping my vitamin and energy levels. After 11 weeks in India last year, coming home for Christmas dinner was pretty special.

My dad Chris was an international cricketer, and is now an umpire, and my mum is a very good cook. She would have the family round on a Sunday to our home in Oakham and do a big roast. My biggest indulgence is still anything home-cooked, such as toad-in-the-hole. I love Yorkshire pudding and sausages. At school once we had an Australian day and they got a load of kangaroo and crocodile in. I went for the kangaroo; I'm a bit scared of crocodiles.

I'm a big fan of salmon, smoked or poached. The opportunity to cook doesn't come around too often because I'm in hotels a lot of the time (Sandy Lane in Barbados is my favourite). I've never been into fast food and when I do cook I keep it simple - like steak on a George Foreman grill with a salad. I'm only two minutes away from M&S so I spend a lot of time in there.

It's part of the job to stay fit so I'm not a big drinker. I stick to pints of watered-down cranberry juice with ice. I'll have a glass of wine with Sunday lunch but generally I stay away from alcohol and Coke.

The England captain and left-handed opening batsman, 32, lives in Ealing with his Australian actress wife Ruth McDonald and sons Samuel, three, and Luca, 11 months.

Before batting, some people can't eat at all but I'll always force myself to have something. I start the day with scrambled eggs on toast and try to get some carbohydrates at lunchtime, with a load of isotonic drinks to help rehydration. There are always plenty of apples and bananas in the dressing room, then straight after the end of play you can eat fattier food such as toasted sandwiches. Later on I'll have a lighter meal without too many carbs.

Cricket is a professional game now so you have to treat your body accordingly. We're very strong on fitness, and nutrition is something we're paying more attention to now we're playing pretty much 12 months a year. On the other hand, I do a great chocolate cheesecake I got from a Nigella Lawson book, which isn't great if you're in training.

I lived in South Africa and Australia until I was seven and I remember a lot of barbecuing and red meat that goes with the outdoor lifestyle. In Australia, a once-a-week treat was to go to McDonald's because in South Africa there wasn't one. Now my favourite restaurant has to be The Cliff in Barbados. It's got an amazing atmosphere and views. Go for the prawn ravioli followed by lamb. I love my red meat and the red wine is even better.

You'd be a brave man to try some of the things we've seen in Pakistan and Bangladesh; all sorts of eyes and offals. I prefer Italian food. I remember arriving in Rome for the first time and having delicious focaccia with ham, mozzarella and herbs. I'm off to Tuscany with my wife this summer without the children. I can't wait.

The former England captain, 34, was once the world's highest-ranked batsman. He lives with his wife Nichola and their two children, Tallula Grace, five, and Archie Matthew, three, in Baslow, Derbyshire.

I've always said I'll try anything once. I bumped into sushi in 2001 in New Zealand, just off the street, and I've never looked back. I love fresh, raw fish, California rolls, sashimi, teppanyaki, all that stuff.

I must have it four times a week. Zuma is my absolute favourite restaurant. Nobu is quite good, too. And you get amazing seafood platters at Blues Restaurant, near Cape Town, with Cape salmon, crab, lobster, everything flying out of it.