There has long been a cricket controversy in the English media which has debated the wisdom of giving match practice to the very Australian players who will be opposing the English cricket team in the Ashes series. Earlier much was being written in the cricket news about Aussie players Phillip Hughes and Stuart Clark benefitting from their association with the Kent and Middlesex counties which would stand them in good stead when opposing the English when the Ashes came around.

Now it appears as though the critics were right with Aussie opener Philip Hughes realising their worst fears. His stint with Middlesex has yielded four centuries and has given him excellent familiarization with the conditions and the very grounds and venues that will be hosting the Ashes test matches.

Hughes said as much when he was quoted in the cricket news as saying, "I thoroughly enjoyed it and the preparation has been great. The big thing that came out of it was that I played at three Test grounds I'm going to be playing on and got to experience them before this big series coming up." Hughes had returned home to Australia when he said this.

Hughes has had valuable experience of playing at grounds like Lords and Edgbaston which are the very venues for the Ashes tests. For the 20 year old, it was a matter of getting used to a different culture, different weather, the wickets and the bowlers as well. "I have got a hell of a lot out of it; just experiencing the conditions has been fantastic. Guys who have been around a bit can tell you about the conditions but until you come over here you don't experience it and really understand it.” Hughes was quoted as having said.

Hughes 574 runs from just five first-class innings are already drawing comparisons with Australian legend Don Bradman's first English season in 1930. In fact Hughes has improved on Bradman’s record by some runs. When 21, Bradman notched 556 runs in as many innings. "The rise to the top level has been very fast for me. I'm 20 years of age and it's all happened like a bang. It is flattering [to be compared with] the world's best player and the best player anyone's ever seen," the young Aussie was quoted as having said.

While the English are hoping that they don’t live to regret the day that Hughes was signed on to play county cricket, Hughes hopes that they do!

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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