Ashes 2010-11: Australian batsman Phil Hughes ready for Perth challenge
Australian batsman Phil Hughes’ long wait for another shot at opening for his country is over as he prepares for the third Ashes test against England that starts in Perth on December 16.
The lefthander, who started his Test career in an explosive way with centuries against the formidable South Africans in their own backyard, faded away after twin failures in the Ashes series in England last
year. One of the reasons for his ouster was his perceived weakness against short, rising deliveries. But Hughes insists that it is not the short ones that have troubled him.
"I've heard this the last three years of my career," said Hughes after a training session at the WACA. "I've heard about it all along and I'm not worried about it at all. Being a short opening batsman, [the
bowlers] like it up around your ears and face as much as they can. Often it's not the short balls that get you out, it's the follow-up balls, but that's something I've always heard."
"They're going to come out firing and they did in the Ashes series last year as well, but then they had Flintoff who was their x-factor bowler," added Hughes. "He was outstanding in that series and he bowled
beautifully."
The lefthander was replaced by Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 for the third Ashes test last year and the Tasmanian quickly showed he could be converted into an opening batsman.
Since then the talented Hughes has had to wait for injuries to Watson and Simon Katich to get back into the side. Now, with Katich out due to an Achilles injury, Hughes has all of three Tests to make an
impression and cement his position in the Test team.
"I lost my spot in England during the last Ashes series and that was disappointing at the time," he said. "In the back of my mind I remember losing that series and that was disappointing, so I've come in
and I'm all smiles at the moment and I'm happy to be around the guys again. I can't wait to get out there and just enjoy cricket. I'm happier this time than I was the first time."
Despite his recent failures, Hughes is confident of making the most of his opportunity and reminding Australian selectors that he still has a lot to offer the national team at the top of the order.
"Mentally I feel really good and I'm hitting them good in the nets, which is always a good sign," Hughes said. "It's been disappointing for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-South-Wales-c823; I haven't really got that big score under my belt.
But I've got a lot of starts over the last couple of weeks.”
The last few months have been disastrous for Australian cricketers and they are in desperate need of fresh minds that have not been scarred by their recent defeats.
Australia’s sequence of defeats started against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, and then the crushing Ashes defeat at the Adelaide Oval. Before the Adelaide match,
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 had played a draw at Brisbane which had been completely dominated by the English team on the last two days as they staged a remarkable comeback after conceding a 200-run plus deficit in the first innings.
If such a scenario should arise at the WACA, it will be up to the likes of Phil Hughes to do the needful and make a solid contribution towards a victory Australia absolutely must secure. A defeat in Perth
would mean the end of Australia’s Ashes campaign.
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