Potts - How I fuel up for a Test match

England bowler Matty reveals his approach to nutrition before, during and after a game
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"If I haven't eaten or fuelled adequately, then it can lead to things like cramp and tiredness." - Matty Potts

Matty Potts made his return to the England side in January when he lined up against Australia in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.

The 4CAST athlete worked hard and waited patiently for his opportunity, and was rewarded with his 11th Test cap - and his 23rd England appearance across all formats.

We caught up with Matty in Australia to get the lowdown on his nutrition strategy before, during and after matches.

And it's clear that the right-arm pace bowler thinks carefully about how he fuels for long days in the field.

"For me it'll start the night before the first day of the match," Matty told The Edge.

"I'll probably have a very carb-heavy meal for overnight, so I can carb load. And then on the morning of the first day it would be something consisting of heavy carb again.

"I'll get to the ground and have a carb shake as well. So I'm just topping up the carbs to make sure I've got 100 per cent energy when I go out on the field. Then it's about maintaining that throughout the day.

"Test match week is actually pretty tough in terms of eating, because you eat so much," he added.

"So then when I have days off in between Test matches, I taper it back a little bit and eat what I need to when I need it. Then I try and taper back on the carbs then, so I can then ramp it up again for the next Test match."

Nutrition planning for bowlers is complicated by the uncertainty over what the next day of play will bring.

As a bowler, Matty needs to be ready for long days in the field and long spells of bowling - but in reality he may be in the pavilion watching his teammates bat. So how does he prepare for different scenarios?

"I'd still eat moderate carbs, regardless of how the match is planning out," explained Matty.

"If you know you're probably not bowling or you're having a lighter day, you've still got to fuel just in case, because in this sport things can change within an hour. So you've got to be prepared.

"We might end up losing a few wickets and you've got to be out on the field again. And if I haven't eaten or fuelled adequately, then it can lead to things like cramp and tiredness.

"In that situation you can't perform at 100 per cent. And in this sport, at this level, you've got to be performing at 100 per cent all the time."

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