An attacking keeper-batsman, Phil Mustard was for a time touted as a solution to England's problems in one-day cricket. He represented England at Under-19 level, and while initially a wicketkeeper, his batting improved considerably and he enjoyed a superb 2007 as Durham won their first two trophies, scoring 893 List A runs at 49.61, including a breezy 49 in the county's first Lord's final.

Off the back of a such a successful summer, Mustard was called up to replace the injured Matt Prior for England's one-day series against Sri Lanka in October 2007. And although he kept beautifully, opening the batting his highest score was 28 but he was still named as back-up keeper to Prior for the subsequent Test series in Sri Lanka and again acted as understudy during the New Zealand Tests, this time to Tim Ambrose. In the ODI series that followed Mustard returned to the side and finally made his mark with 83 from 74 balls in a dramatic tied game in Napier. But one half-century was not enough to retain his place for that summer's ODIs as Ambrose kept against New Zealand and Prior returned for the South Africa series.

The subsequent emergence of Craig Kieswetter appeared to put an end to his England hopes but domestically, Mustard continued to perform in one-day cricket with averages in the mid-40s in 2009, 2011 and 2012.

In first-class cricket, Mustard didn't produce the consistent performances he managed in white ball cricket but after a 2009 season which saw him average 41.80, he was asked to take over from Will Smith as Durham captain after a poor start to 2010. Mustard averaged close to 40 again and more importantly steadied the ship as Durham finished fifth in the County Championship.

2011 was his first full year as four-day captain (Dale Benkenstein took over the one-day role) and Mustard enjoyed a fine campaign, scoring 716 runs at 51.14 as Durham looked strong favourites for a third title in four seasons. But, coupled with a turn in the north-eastern weather, their challenge faded towards the end of the season as Twenty20 quarter-final and CB40 semi-final defeats added to the disappointment.

And the poor form ran into 2012 as Durham endured a disasterous first-half to the season and, rooted to the bottom of the table, Paul Collingwood took over as captain. He conjured a miraculous recovery that led Durham to the safety of mid-table but Mustard returned the second-worst figures of his career with 482 runs at just 21.90 with one half-century.

Mustard has taken to playing Twenty20 cricket abroad in the off season. He represented Barisal Burners in the Bangladesh Premier League and Mountaineers in Zimbabwe in the 2011-12 season, scoring 56 in the final to help the latter win their domestic title. He returned to Barisal for the 2013 BPL, but the highlight of his winter was his unbeaten 97 off 66 balls, including six sixes, for Auckland against Wellington in New Zealand's HRV Cup, a career-best in the short format. He had hoped to play in the Pakistan Premier League, but Durham refused to endorse a No Objections Certificate amid concerns over security.

A talented all-round sportsman, Mustard was at Manchester United for two years until he was 13 and then with Middleborough until he was 15. He still plays football in the winter to keep fit.
ESPNcricinfo staff