After a frustrating few weeks with injury, I’m still a couple of weeks away from full fitness. But I can’t wait to get back out there and help the lads continue this winning momentum they’ve built.
It started off with what I thought was just a bruised heel in the County Championship game against Sussex at Hove at the end of April. But then it just got worse and came to a head up at Durham when I couldn’t really walk on it.
I had a scan, and it turned out that I’d torn my plantar fascia and had some bone bruising and a bit of a fat pad problem as well. There were a few different things contributing.
I was in a boot for two weeks, which sucked. I’ve just got out of that.
There was also a bit of a neck problem I had to deal with, but that was nothing major at all. I felt like a robot for a while, but it settled down quite quickly after a few days of rest.
I’ve been in at Headingley every day doing rehab – a lot of time spent on the Wattbike – and myself and Matt Milnes have been in our own little rehab group.
I’ve had a bit of time to reflect on the three games that I played in that first Championship block.
I felt like I had periods of bowling quite well without being as consistent as I would have liked. A lot of that I put down to getting to grips with nerves and getting used to conditions.
When I did feel like I was bowling well and putting the ball in the right spot, I didn’t have the luck. There were a couple of inside-edges past the stumps at Sussex and a couple against Glamorgan that went through the slips.
There was a caught against Marnus Labuschagne in the first innings of that Glamorgan game which was particularly frustrating.
Marnus said he nicked it later on as well. But I know it’s an Australian thing to say you nicked it even if you didn’t just to annoy the opposition. Those pesky Aussies, mate, I’ll tell you!
It’s been brilliant to see the guys get on a roll in the T20 stuff over the last couple of weeks. I’ve been loving watching along, though I would have loved to have been part of that first win they got against Nottinghamshire.
I don’t really have a sporting team that I follow in any other sport, so this has been the first time I’ve barracked aggressively for a team. And it’s been cool.
The Leicester win the other night was a great escape. And that’s what good teams do. When you’re on a roll, you can find a way to win.
For me, it was never a case of if we were going to get that momentum, it was when. It certainly does feel like the ship is turning, and hopefully that brings a win against Derbyshire in the Championship this coming week as well.
With the Ashes starting next week, I genuinely couldn’t be more excited for it.
This has the feeling of a really momentous series for the game in general.
I reckon if England win, it will change Test Cricket forever – I really do.
I think everyone will be adopting this new attacking Bazball approach if it goes well again in such a big series.
I genuinely don’t have a favourite because it’s a bit unchartered territory. It could go either way.
It will be hard for England to do it against the bowling attack Australia have. That’s not to say they can’t. But it’s going to be a great series.
Jonny Bairstow seems like he’s ready to go, and I got the sense when he was with us that his love for England, Yorkshire and the game of cricket is higher than it’s ever been having been out of the game for so long.
It also feels like with him that it’s going to be a matter of when and not if. When that form comes – hopefully in that first Test at Edgbaston – it’s going to be impressive to watch.
I’d love to get down to the Headingley Test for a day next month.
It would be amazing to spend a day on the Western Terrace. There’s no substitute for that, is there. Though I reckon I’d be the one getting chucked out!
I’m going to have to try and wangle a couple of tickets from somewhere.
My girlfriend, Katey, came over for a visit a couple of weeks ago, which was great.
She’s still waiting on a visa to come and work over here as a nurse. The plan is for her to come back over early July to start work. But she thought she’d come over for a holiday and get a feel for the place first.
We went to Edinburgh for a weekend and did a bit of sightseeing.
That was far more pleasant than the flat-packing we’ve been doing following a few trips to Ikea. At least I can put my shoddy workmanship down to my injury problems.
