IT SOUNDS strange for someone who plays cricket all the time but I haven't watched much of the Ashes.
I've watched a few bits here and there but the television coverage is annoying me. Yes – it's a big competition for a tiny trophy, but the coverage is turning it into a huge epic gladiatorial battle where every hit is scrutinised.
It's a cricket match.
I love playing cricket, but if I'm honest I preferred watching the British & Irish Lions in action.
I just think the Ashes coverage has been over the top. Look at the Stuart Broad thing. I don't think it was any bad thing he left the decision up to the umpire.
Having said that, it was quite obvious he'd hit it to slip. I would have probably walked if it had been as obvious as it looked on the replays, but I wasn't standing where Broad was having to make a spilt second decision. Given the gravity of the situation, leaving it to the umpire to do his job seems reasonable.
I've heard some people likening Broad's decision not to walk to that of Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell's positive drugs tests, on the basis both incidents are cheating. What Broad did is not cheating.
Anyway.
With Surrey having a run of T20 games coming up, I have the week off to rest my hamstring after injuring it in a seconds game.
It felt fine against Notts but the T20 games give me the ideal chance to let it fully mend, then I'll look to do a little light gym work before I have a couple of seconds games coming up.
My aim is to get some good one-day cricket in for the seconds to give myself a good chance of some YB40 games when they come along, but I would love to play some more T20 too.
Unless I can get into the T20 team I might have already played my last game with the legend, on and off the pitch, that is Ricky Ponting.
It was great to watch him against Nottinghamshire. He's a bit good – the lad's got potential.
I love him, so it would be great to get another chance to bat alongside him.
