T H E W O R L D ’ S F I N E S T B O O K M A K E R , TA K I N G B E T S S I N C E 1 8 8 2 • T W E N T Y- F I R S T E D I T I O N , C H R I S T M A S 2 0 2 4 • S T R I C T LY N O U N D E R 1 8 s
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BY JUSTINE ROBERTS
BY OLIVER HOPKINS
BY JOE HODGSON
BY NICHOLAS GODFREY
Watching an Ashes series without the inspirational Stuart Broad in it will be a challenge for all of us – not least for the man himself, who sums up the true magic of the occasion… T ’ S HARDLY A SECRET, my relationship with the Ashes. A year from now the series will be well under way in Australia, and the next chapter in Ashes history will be shaping up. I think of what I went through as a player in the heat of battle, the very same things that have been happening since the 1880s. I was experiencing the same rivalry that was felt by Harold Larwood, Don Bradman and Sir Ian Botham. It’s that history, and the characters central to it, that make the Ashes so special to be a part of. As a player, it’s something you’re incredibly aware of. Reflecting on my Ashes debut in 2009, I’d been part of the Test setup for almost three years, but I perhaps hadn’t experienced anything on this scale. I was
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incredibly conscious that I was stepping on to the stage on which so many household names had trodden. With that, comes a lot of expectation and pressure. During my career, I had this analogy in my head about playing international sport: when you’re driving in a car along a straight road, you’ve got to keep yourself on the tarmac. There are so many uncontrollable elements that could knock you off the road or distract you at any moment. All that chaos peaks during an
The noise was so intense, and it sounded like all the crowd was screaming was: “Kill, kill, kill!”
Ashes series like no other time in cricket. Towards the end of my career, when the build-up was even more intense with rolling news and increased social media attention, it was almost a relief to start a series. I could count on one hand how many times I suffered cramp in my England career, yet three of those were on day one of an Ashes series. I think that shows the heightened sense of expectation that came from playing in those occasions, which could result in some anxiety. That said, I preferred not to think of this added pressure as resulting in nerves. I’d always try to reframe ‘nerves’ so that the feeling would be of positivity or added excitement and energy. I wanted that same feeling to benefit me, rather than hinder me or my
performance. ‘Nerves’ would only be a short-term feeling. Once you got into a game, experience would see you through. That was the plan. OME CROWDS have always helped with that. The fans can be so influential, which explains why there is such a big difference between playing at home or going Down Under. The role the Barmy Army play – as well as the broader English fanbase – has massively contributed to Australia not winning the Ashes in England since 2001. And the more experienced I got in my career, the more I realised how much I needed the crowd; how influential they could be for energy on the field. I’d often →
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