Durham batsman David Bedingham is into his second season with the county, having signed as an overseas player after the Kolpak loophole closed earlier this year.
And Bedingham has certainly delivered for Durham this season, scoring key runs in all three formats.
The 27-year-old has scored 992 runs at an average of 70.85 in the County Championship, a tally only bettered by Sussex's Tom Haines.
He also played a key role in Durham's journey to the final of the One Day Cup, scoring 292 runs at an average of 41.71.
In the T20 Blast, Bedingham struck 298 runs at a strike-rate of 152.82, with Birmingham Phoenix drafting him into play in the final of The Hundred as a late replacement for Finn Allen off the back of his form.
This season has been an excellent showcase of Bedingham's talents after some promising yet unremarkable returns in his first year - a difficult season devastated by the impact of Covid.
And Bedingham believes that a change in his approach to cricket has allowed him to get the best out of himself.
In December 2016, he was involved in a serious car accident, crashing into a truck and missing over a year of cricket as he recovered from his injuries.
In a video produced by Vertu Motors, Bedingham said: "Before the accident I put loads of pressure on myself, when you put yourself under pressure you stop enjoying it.
"After the accident I try to get myself into a space where I’m real chilled out, going onto the field like that I feel like I perform a lot better.
"If you work hard you give yourself the best chance of success, but first you have to have fun and play with a smile on your face."
And Bedingham believes that approach has enabled him to perform consistently for Durham this season.
He added:"This year, we've really worked on starting the innings well and respecting those first 25-50 balls.
"Definitely the start [to this season] has been the best I've had. Coming back at the start of the year where we trained for two or three months, I think that played a massive factor.’
"Pre-season we do a lot of running, a lot of gym work, a lot of technical sprinting. So, I think being quick, being agile, being strong, I think it all plays a part in where you’re at the start of the season.
"I think it’s vitally important to maintain your standards- eating well and training hard when you have time.
"I feel if you’re doing these things for 3 or 4 months and then the season starts and you lose it, there is a higher chance of your performance dipping."
