The Ashes Diary

The Ashes Diary Read Online Free PDF

Book: The Ashes Diary Read Online Free PDF
Author: Michael Clarke
they’ve talked to us about what they want. This has been an ongoing process, and Darren has slipped into that smoothly. We’ve had ideas for a while that Watto might be the best guy to start the Ashes series opening the batting, but also, the best batting order is going to vary with the conditions in each innings, so it’s something we’ll be constantly working on.
    Friday 28 June. Taunton.
    Everything on the field went pretty much to plan today. Phillip Hughes batted extremely well to make 76 not out. For a guy who’s played most of his cricket as an opener, he has adapted brilliantly to batting in the Australian team at number three and now, potentially, in the middle order.
    Our goal was to get past Somerset’s total quickly and declare, then bowl to try to force a result. It’s not that there are any first-innings points at stake, but you always like to get that ‘win’.
    With the ball, Jimmy Pattinson and Mitchell Starc led the way, and Nathan Lyon bowled pretty well to take three wickets. We got Somerset out for 260, leaving ourselves eight overs plus a day to run down that total. I feel that it’s important to balance the need of individual players to get practice and push for a Test place against the wish to win the match. Ed Cowan and Usman Khawaja, who didn’t get much batting in the first innings, have opened, while Watto will take a rest and come in later if needed. We’d all really like a win, not having won a match since before the tour of India. It would be a nice way to top the game off tomorrow.
    At home, Dad’s just come out of knee replacement surgery. We’ve been on the phone, and he sounds like he’s in a bit of pain, but the doctors have said the operation seems to have gone well. I hope I’m not looking at my own future there.
    Saturday 29 June. Worcester.
    It was a boost, and also a relief, to get out of Taunton with a fairly comfortable six-wicket win. It doesn’t matter who the opposition is, if it’s first-class cricket, chasing down a decent fourth-innings total is a challenge. Ed, Usman and Hughesy all played well at the top, I had another bat and made 26, and then Brad Haddin went out and tidied things up with a quick half-century.
    What pleased me most was that everyone played a part in the win. All the batsmen got some runs and the bowlers did well. Our attitude and intent were outstanding, playing to win and attacking to take wickets. All in all, it was a very good performance.
    Straight after the game, we had a two-hour bus ride to Worcester. There was a good feeling in the group, some beers flowing on the bus to celebrate our first win.
    Tonight we’re all going out in Worcester as a team. As I said after the business in Birmingham, I’m all for celebrating, but a drink tastes a lot better when you’ve had a win.
    Sunday 30 June. Worcester.
    As feared, my inbox was chockers, with 60 unanswered emails. I’ve had to spend the day calling family and friends, catching up on everything I missed while we were in Taunton. Luckily, Boof has given us a compulsory day off. Even the biggest cricket obsessives in the team were ordered not to practise. No training, no work, and that goes for the support staff too.
    I slept in until 8 o’clock, which is a big sleep for me. A few of the boys are tired after indulging last night, and most of us are just chilling around the hotel. A handful of the boys are going to the Formula 1 Grand Prix. I’m sure they’ll have a great day, especially if Mark Webber wins. The Wallabies beat the Lions last night in the Second Test, we’ve won in Somerset, so let’s turn this summer around!
    Monday 1 July. Worcester.
    Having given us a day off yesterday, Boof and our team manager Gavin have kept us extra busy today.
    We started at 7.30 am with a novelty: an illicit drug test. Cricket Australia is bringing in hair testing for the first time, and eleven of us had to have a sizeable hunk of hair cut off and taken away. It’s been explained to us
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