Published: Jun 30, 2013, 11:16 AM (IST)
Edited: Jun 30, 2013, 11:16 AM (IST)
Phil Hughes scored only 147 runs in eight innings against India earlier in the year © Getty Images (representational picture)
London: Jun 30, 2013
Australia batsman Phil Hughes on Saturday said that he was preparing hard with coach Darren Lehmann to combat spin in the upcoming Ashes series against England.
“I’ll be talking to him day in and day out because he really dominated spin bowling through his whole career so it’s something we can all keep working on,” Hughes was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald after making 76 not out and 50 in the warm-up match against at Tauton.
“The one day [in England for the Champions Trophy] were quite dry and reversed and did turn a little bit, too. It turned here so it’s about working behind the scenes in the nets and facing the spinning ball. There’s things we’ve all been working on and I know there’s a couple for myself but I won’t go into them,’ he added.
Hughes had a tough time playing spin when Australia toured India earlier in the year. However, Hughes showed more application against spin bowling while playing the pre-Ashes warm-up match against Somerset. He managed to rotate the strike and also hit Somerset spinner George Dockrell for two huge sixes.
“It’s nice to get off strike, doesn’t matter who you’re facing especially at the start of your innings. But they kept changing the field and you want to try and manipulate that as much as possible. I thought he [Dockrell] bowled quite well and there was a fair bit of rough outside off stump so it was nice to get to the other end today against a spinner and on a dry pitch,” Hughes concluded.
