The Ashes Diary

by Michael Clarke

  We know each other very well. He was in the Australian team when I made my Test debut on the tour of India in 2004. It was a great tour, Australia’s First Test series win in India since 1969, and I got to know Boof extremely well. I loved every minute I played with him. While Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist were the captain and vice-captain, for me, as a young guy, the informal team leaders were guys like Boof, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn. I loved talking cricket with them. I dare say I’ll have a lot more time to do that with Darren now. He’s a great man. We have a lot of common themes as players. Boof was positive and aggressive, and liked facing spin bowling. He’s a big team man, as was evident in 2004 when he said publicly that if the selectors had to choose between him and a young player, all other things being equal, he would go for the younger player. I don’t know if the selectors actually did make that choice. But if they did, the younger player in question was me.

  The best thing is, he has total confidence that we can win. He knows it’s going to be a tough challenge, but when I look into his eyes and say, ‘If we play our best we can win the Ashes’, I can see that he agrees with me.

  I’m looking forward to having him as head coach.

  Tuesday 25 June. Taunton.

  Today we had our first training session with Boof, and it went really well. When James and Pat asked me how the team would respond to the change, I suppose there was one thing that went without saying: Darren has the players’ respect. Respect is a huge thing in this group, and has been for as long as I’ve been playing. You have to earn it, but once you’ve got it, you have it unconditionally. Boof can walk into the room and he already has that respect because of how good a player he was. On top of that, a lot of the boys know him as a coach, whether at Queensland, the Brisbane Heat, or in the last few weeks with Australia A. He’s starting off with a lot of advantages.

  Tonight, in a great way to inject a lighter note into what’s been an intense and dramatic few days, we had a team trivia night and dinner. Peter Brukner, our team doctor, ran it, as usual. Each person in the team and support staff had to write down a fact about themselves that nobody else would know. Those facts were then laid out alongside a list of everyone’s names. The job was to fit the facts together with the names.

  We did it in pairs, and Peter paired me up with Phillip Hughes. Now, Hughesy is always copping stick from the boys because he’s from the country and they reckon he’s not exactly a pillar of academic learning. Hughesy knows a lot about cattle and cricket. And he says he may not be able to spell very well, but he’s ‘street smart’. Whenever he says that, he only gets more chuckles. But anyway, he had the last laugh tonight: Hughesy and I came out as winners. We were all in good spirits. I know he certainly is, after shutting a few people up.

  I’m still reeling a bit from the Mickey thing, though. Today I got a message from him: his mother had passed away in South Africa. It’s been a heartbreaking 24 hours for him.

  Nothing more I can say, but I’m going to keep supporting him as best I can.

  I’ve always been able to turn to my family in difficult times, and my nephew Byron’s second birthday gave me a chance to call him, have a chat to my sister, and reconnect with their lives.

  Wednesday 26 June. Taunton.

  Today is my dad’s birthday, so I gave him a call. He’s about to go into hospital for a knee replacement, so I guess he won’t be celebrating too hard.

  We had an interesting day’s cricket, I guess the type of play that happens when you’re rusty and getting into shape. I lost the toss – a bad move on a ground which has just about the best batting wicket in the country and a small, fast outfield. We bowled too wide with the new ball, and let Nick Compton, who’s just learnt that he’s been dropped from the England team, take out some of his frustration. Then, through the middle of the day, we bowled too short and both sides of the stumps. It wasn’t great, and Somerset got to 2/304 by the time we were getting ready to take the second new ball.

  James Faulkner got a breakthrough in the last over with the old ball, and then Mitchell Starc and Jimmy Pattinson got it totally right, and showed what a destructive force they can be when they get on a roll. In six overs with the second new ball, they took seven wickets for ten runs. It’s a great feeling in the field when the wickets tumble like this, and we walked off on a bit of a high after turning a pretty ordinary day into a good one.

  But the lessons remain to be learnt. When the sun’s out, we have to attack the stumps early. Later, when the ball gets old and batting gets easier, we have to bowl with more discipline and apply pressure. And then, when things turn our way, we have to cash in.

  Thursday 27 June. Taunton.

  We’ve had a good day’s batting, albeit shortened by some light but persistent rain that kept us off the field in the afternoon. For me, it’s hard to believe, but this has been my first bat on tour. We’ve been here a month, and finally I’ve padded up and faced opposition bowlers in a match situation.

  The funny thing is, even after nine years as an international cricketer, I get just as nervous going in to bat in a game like this as in a Test match. Even if it’s club cricket for Western Suburbs in Sydney, I’m still like a cat on a hot tin roof while I’m waiting to bat. I can’t sit down, and pace back and forth in the dressing room, listening to music on my iPod. When I go out into the middle, I’m so tense all I want to do is get off the mark. I wish I wasn’t like this, but I am. It’s not going to change now. I guess if I’m serious, I have to acknowledge that my nerves are a measure of my hunger to score runs, and my excitement to be in a cricket match. It’s no different now from when I was a kid. And if it fades away, maybe that’s when I should be thinking of a new career. Right now, because of the enforced lay-off and all the physio treatment, my excitement is as high as it’s ever been.

  I just wanted to play solidly, and more or less achieved that with 45 runs in two hours before I nicked one. All in all, a pretty satisfying knock.

  The batting highlight was Watto’s 90 at the top of the order. I batted with him for about 15 overs and he was hitting the ball as hard as ever. Watto going back to the opening slot has been getting a lot of press, since Boof announced the move before this game. It’s been well documented for about a year that Watto has wanted to open the batting for Australia. This has made it hard for Ed Cowan and David Warner, who became the openers in 2011–12 while Watto was out with an injury. When he came back into the team, Ed and David were going so well that Watto had to slot in at number four. He hasn’t had a great run there, and everyone knows, when they look at his figures, that his biggest impact as a Test batsman has been when he’s played against the new ball – as he does in one-day and Twenty20 cricket.

  What’s confused people a bit is that Darren Lehmann was the one who told the media, during the practice match in Somerset that Watto would be opening the batting in the Test matches. They then ran with the story that Boof had come in and decided to give Watto what he’d been asking for.

  This wasn’t the case. Now that I’m not a selector, the NSP will give me a team at Trent Bridge in the lead-up to 10 July and I’ll decide who bats where. Since I’ve played for Australia, the captain has always chosen the batting order. On the matter of Watto individually, over the past three months Mickey and I have had a lot of communication with him. I’ve talked to Watto, and other players, about the roles I see them playing in the Ashes series, and 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 that hair shows the presence of drugs in your system for far longer than urine, so it’s a more accurate form of testing. It’s certainly a new experience for me, but they can cut my hair any time they like.

  After that I went straight into some rehab with Alex, which was necessary after a four-day match, and then a three-hour training session. Freshened up by our day off, the boys worked very hard. Darren set up different sections in separate nets to work on particular skills: one involved facing spin bowling, another had bowling machines set up with the ball swinging, and another net was for seam bowling. I think we all enjoyed working with such focus and intent.

  After training came some pre-Test media commitments: some guys had an open media session, others had to do interviews for Cricket Australia TV at the hotel, and all of us had our head shots done for Sky television; these are the little cameos you see when guys walk out to bat.

  There’s always time for team fines, levied by a committee of Brad Haddin, James Pattinson and Peter Siddle. When I transgress, the boys have decided not to fine me as an individual. Instead, I have to pay 25 per cent of the total fines that the team pays. So they’re taxing me based on the overall team performance. I guess that’s the captain’s lot. I didn’t quite agree! But you’re wasting your time arguing with that lot.

  To cap off the day, Peter Brukner ran another team trivia night, a lot of laughs. This one was more of a general knowledge test, on cricket, the Ashes, music, you name it.

  Tuesday 2 July. Worcester.

  If I wanted one thing from the warm-up first-class games, it was for the batsmen to score runs. In Taunton and here today, we’ve got exactly that. Today was terrific – 4/340 and everyone amongst the runs.

  It was overcast all day at the County Ground, allowing for a bit of movement in the air, but Shane Watson batted fantastically to make his first hundred on tour. It’s great to see Watto hitting it so well again, and the certainty of knowing he’s back at the top of the order seems to have worked a treat. Chris Rogers went beautifully for 75, carrying on the good form he’s been showing for Middlesex. Then Eddie and I made half-centuries to round it off. Fantastic batting practice, just what we needed.

  It’s true that the wicket was very flat, and Worcester didn’t give us their first-choice bowling attack. It’ll be different in the First Test. But you know, I don’t care. It’s good to get confidence and time in the middle. Any bowler can get you out at any time; it’s the same ball whether it’s delivered by James Anderson or a young newcomer at Worcester. You can only beat the opposition you’re given. And my philosophy is, you always aim to make the most of what you’ve got. That goes for a game, a throwdown session, or facing the best bowlers in the world in an Ashes Test. You set your standards for excellence, and aim to achieve that in every situation.

  The bottom line is, we’re moving through the gears towards where we want to be next week, and today was another great step in the right direction.

  Wednesday 3 July. Worcester.

  A lot of attention has been given to selecting our best top six batsmen. On the bowling side, it’s also complex. James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon played the first tour game as the best way of managing their workload. But it’s not a closed shop. There’s a chance for any of the other bowlers – Jackson Bird, Ryan Harris, James Faulkner and Ashton Agar – to make a push. We want to give everyone an opportunity.

  Today they gave an outstanding performance. On this flattest of flat wickets, they took seven Worcestershire wickets in a consistent day-long effort. ‘Rhino’ Harris, who’s got a fantastic Test average and is still working his way towards full fitness, generated good pace in his first spell. Jackson Bird – who was man of the match in the last Test match he played, in Sydney in January – got four wickets and was the destroyer. And then there’s the teenager Agar. I’ve never played with him, so this is the first time I’ve seen him. He’s a tall, willowy left-armer with an easy action and amazing natural coordination. He’s just a born athlete. I’m not surprised the selectors have fast-tracked him, and he impressed Boof in the Australia A games. He took two good wickets today and bowled quite nicely. I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays a part in this Ashes series.

  Thursday 4 July. Worcester.

  The plan was clear again today and went like clockwork. If only, speaking as a captain, it always went like this!

  We took Worcester’s last three wickets quickly, with Ryan Harris very fast and accurate. As a batting unit, we’d moved beyond just wanting to have a hit and stake a claim for Test selection. Darren and I wanted to see attacking intent and a scoring rate of four to five an over so we could declare and have 20 overs at Worcester tonight.

  So it went. Phil Hughes batted brilliantly again, fo
r a fourth time in four innings, scoring 86 runs. Steve Smith made a good 43 to go with his half-century in the first innings. And it was nice for me to have some time in the middle. Getting 124 off 98 balls is as good a medicine as anything I can get from the doctor or the physio – with all due respect!

  I’m the type of player who needs some time in the middle to get my confidence going. I can’t just turn up after a long break and feel self-assured straight up. Some guys can, but not me. After not batting for a couple of months, it’s reassuring to know I can make a hundred, no matter who’s bowling. It only takes one ball to get you out.

  The fundamental sign for me that I’m batting well is my balance. The keys are being still at the crease and getting my body moving in the direction I’m hitting the ball. I don’t want to be overbalancing and going across my stumps, which makes me vulnerable to an LBW. I’m at the crease thinking about staying still, then moving in the direction I’m hitting the ball. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? If only!

  We’ve got a big job ahead of us to win on this wicket, but we got the big one, Nick Compton, just before stumps. Maybe the reality of losing his Test spot is hitting him now. It’s happened to me at a similar stage of my career, so I know how he’s feeling.

  Friday 5 July. Nottingham.

  In the final analysis, the wicket at Worcester was too dead and flat for us. Worcestershire played quite defensively, determined on drawing, and there wasn’t enough bite in the pitch for either the seamers or the spinners, Ashton Agar and Steve Smith.

  Overall, I’m very happy with the four days. The players have got a lot out of it, particularly the batters. I was happy with how the bowlers tried to find different ways to get batsmen out on such a dead track. In the circumstances, taking 15 wickets was good. I’m very excited about Ashton Agar and how quickly he’s improving. You can see it happening before your eyes, and as a captain that’s a satisfying thing.