READER BLOG: THE ASHES BACKPACKER

An England fan's account of the Ashes Down Under

G’day, I’m Laurence, a 21-year old pom with a love for cricket and travelling. So why not combine both? In this series I’ll be summarising the key points, mood and backpacker quirks after each Ashes Test. I’ll be sharing my experiences and views of an alternative, backpacker’s Ashes tour through hostels, people and copious amounts of goon (a rather disgusting yet cheap bag of wine).

Back home I’m an average cricketer for Sandbach Cricket Club who play in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire Cricket League – I bowl medium pace, swinging it like Jimmy on a good day – or trying to. I’m a bit of a cricket fanatic and am a solo traveller Down Under with tickets to four of the Ashes Tests – missing out on Perth unfortunately.

Whereas normal English fans down under will be on overpriced ale, hotel rooms and tours, I’ll be on under-priced goon, couch surfing and hitchhiking my way around Australia in pursuit of the urn. Of course, I’ll still be joining the Barmy Army in its chanting, drinking and sunburn, whatever the result.

_{The North Sydney Oval}

It’s fair to say my experience of Oz has been better than England’s preparations so far. Having travelled the east coast from Cairns to Sydney in September, Australia has been incredible. Scuba diving, sailing and surfing my way down the coast left me with little money so I had to endure the working part of my working holiday visa with an events company. I’ve also lived in a shared eight-bed room for the past month in Sydney, rooming with the most diverse characters; travelling is so much about the people you meet.

Having worked with Australians for the last month in Sydney, the pommie bashing is hotting up with eight days to go. The first thing to learn from the Aussies is that insults are never really insults – but their cockiness in cricket should see Root’s men and the Barmy Army give it back! I’ve been assisting with events from the Australian Golf Open to the Women’s Ashes Test at the North Sydney Oval.

_{Batting tips from Justin Langer}

It’s fair to say their teas were a slight improvement on those in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire Cricket League I get back home – I am missing cheese oatcakes though it must be said. They’re not good, however, when bowling after tea – even if I bowl military medium at best.

I managed to get to the Hurstville Oval on a day off to watch New South Wales play against Western Australia in Mitchell Starc’s double hat-trick match. Free entry to see most of Australia’s Test team – county cricket could learn something. The Aussie quicks are looking sharp but their batting candidates including Shaun and Mitch Marsh looked frail – the cloud England are under following the Stokes saga might even help them – England will prefer the title of underdogs because it both reduces expectations and massages Australia’s over-confidence. I genuinely think the Australian batting order is flawed and their so-feted pace attack is injury-ridden. As I write, Woakes has just taken six-for and Stoneman has scored a ton in Townsville – I have hope in Root’s men.

Finally, the poll for the referendum on gay marriage has just come in – good on Australia for belatedly joining the equality party. A vote for progression and against discrimination. The celebrations in my hostel have already begun.

Armed with an array of new chants and a sea of fans travelling out here, I’m looking forward to joining England’s 12^th man as a backpacker down under. As with the gay marriage vote, here’s to England overcoming past inequalities in Australia. With Root our captain, we'll take the urn home...

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