It’s a couple of hours ahead of the second day of our latest championship match against Essex at Chelmsford – focusing on another important day ahead, looking to build on what we did the day before.

I don’t think I have ever had such a good start to the season before in my career. I’m seeing the ball well and playing nice and straight.

I must admit, though, I was disappointed with the way I got out in the defeat against Warwickshire last week. I was caught in a situation between two tailenders coming in, knowing we needed 40 to win or 10 overs to bat to save the game.

I rolled my wrists on a sweep shot and got caught by Chris Woakes running in from fine leg.

Farby’s (Paul Farbrace) reaction was to tell me if that situation happens to me again he wants me to keep playing my own game.

To lose against Warwickshire was massively disappointing. We desperately want to get our first win and are probably striving a bit too much and too hard to get it.

We were 96-3 at tea, really in a strong position and we probably let ourselves down a bit by not talking more about how we were going to get across the winning line.

Then it was up to Nottingham. The rain did us no favours again, after Rob and Joe had given us such a good start. We can’t do anything about the weather, though.

It was Rob Key’s birthday on Wednesday – 31 by the way – but there are never any special dressing room celebrations, I think the plan was to all go out for a drink.

Rob has had a quiet time in the championship but he is a high class player. He had a bit of a slow start last season as well but came good with a career best 270 against Glamorgan, and then followed up with 123 against Surrey.

We are off to the Midlands again on Sunday to play Warwickshire for the third time already this season and then it’s back to Canterbury for another Monday start and a four-day game against champions Durham.