Gary Ballance: I can’t wait to take on Australia after a tough time against the Kiwis

 
Looking forward: Ballance had a tough series against New Zealand but can't wait to get out in the middle again
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Gary Ballance7 July 2015

The series against New Zealand didn’t go well for me, personally, but I feel confident I can score heavily in the rest of the summer and I can’t wait to get started in my first home Ashes series.

My Test debut came in the final match of the last campaign, at Sydney in January 2014. There were mixed emotions then: delight at learning I would make my debut, but disappointment at the nature of the series, which we lost 5-0.

There were a few verbals flying around when I batted in Sydney but this only motivates me. That is how the game is played at the top level and that is how I believe it should be played, in a way that is tough for the batsman.

When it happens, you have to be quite strong and just brush it aside, accept that it happens and do your best to use it to your advantage. When the opposition are going at you, it is a great feeling if you can kick on, make a big score and get one over on them.

I’m not generally one to say much when I’m batting. I might get involved in the battle from time to time but, generally, I prefer to let my bat do the talking.

I’m probably the opposite of someone like Ben Stokes, who was even getting involved in verbal battles with Australia on his Test debut, in Adelaide in 2014. You just do whatever works for you.

After a successful first 18 months as a Test cricketer, I have been surprised to hear quite so many people question me after just two poor matches.

As an international cricketer, you will go through matches and innings where you don’t score hundreds or fifties. If you did, you would probably be one of the best cricketers in history — and even they had the odd failure. No batsman is flawless in every aspect of the game and cricket would be a pretty boring game if batsmen were always successful, with everyone averaging 100.

So it is natural for a batsman to have two games, as I did against New Zealand earlier this summer, where he doesn’t score many runs, but I still feel that my performances in Test cricket since last summer have been good.

I have my way of playing and, using those methods, I have shown what I can do. So I am not going to change anything.

Since the end of the New Zealand series, I have played five games for Yorkshire across Championship and Twenty20 cricket. Just as importantly, I have had a chance to work with coaches who know my game very well. Jason Gillespie, the Yorkshire coach, is very good in that respect, as are Martyn Moxon and Anthony McGrath, former England players who are part of the staff at Headingley.

Gentlemen and Sledgers: A History of the Ashes in quotes

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The Ashes is an iconic event. I remember staying up all night during the 2002-03 series, when England were beaten but Michael Vaughan made three fantastic hundreds. I can’t remember getting very much sleep the night before my Test debut, either. I’m sure there will plenty of nerves and excitement tonight, too, but I’m confident I can start well and have a good series.

Gary Ballance is proud to be an ambassador of Liberty Mutual Insurance. For further information visit libertyspecialtymarkets.com/liberty-sponsorship

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