Marcus Harris said "it's about trusting what I do" after going some way to silencing his doubters on day two of the third Ashes Test against England.
The opening batsman went into the contest at the MCG with a best effort of 23 from four innings, but top scored with 76 – the only Australian to make more than 40 in the first innings.
It proved a particularly good knock in the context of a day that saw Australia restricted to 267 having bowled England out for 185 on day one, before dominating the final hour to have the tourists 31-4 and still 51 runs in arrears.
Harris was thrilled to play his part on his home ground and prove a few people wrong in the process.
"It was good to spend a bit of time in the middle today. I had a bit of a battle in the first couple of Tests but it was good to be home and play on a familiar wicket," he told ABC Radio.
"There's a lot of media around but the support I've had from within and my close circle of people has been unbelievable. It's about trusting what I do."
James Anderson had starred with the ball for England, taking 4-33 to give the visitors an opportunity to get back into the game.
But Mitchell Starc (2-11) and Scott Boland (2-1) combined to have Zak Crawley (5), Dawid Malan (0), Haseeb Hameed (7) and nightwatchman Jack Leach (0) dismissed in a devastating final hour, much to the delight of the Melbourne crowd.
Harris added: "The way the wicket is, the amount of grass, there's always something in it for the bowlers.
"Jimmy Anderson bowled unbelievably, as did our bowlers in the end."
Sammy says coaching style will mirror captaincy style from playing days- “Leave the ego at home”
New Head Coach of the West Indies Men’s ODI and T20I teams, Daren Sammy, gave some insight in the coaching style he wants to implement going forward with the regional outfit.
Sammy, 39, was hired as West Indies coach in May, with his first assignments coming very soon when the West Indies tackle the UAE in three ODIs from June 4-9 before attempting to secure a spot in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup set for India from October 5-November 19 when they contest the ICC World Cup Qualifiers from June 18-July 9 in Zimbabwe.
The St. Lucian former West Indies captain has previously coached the likes of Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League and the St. Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League.
The former all-rounder says his coaching style will be similar to his leadership style during his playing days.
“My coaching style is similar to my leadership/captaincy style. The first thing I said when I spoke to my staff is that when we pack our bags, just leave the ego at home. Pack everything else but leave the ego at home. That’s how I’ve lived my life,” Sammy said.
“Yes. I’m the head coach, but it takes a team effort in order to move things forward. I believe myself and the captain must be in sync with the way we want to play. Also, the selection panel, everybody must understand what the plan and the vision is for the team and it will take all of us to make it happen” Sammy added.
He also outlined that delegation will not be a big part of his philosophy as head coach, instead promoting a more inclusive approach to preparing the team.
“On the ground, I have to be a part of the system. I will not be true to myself if I said ‘hey, you take on this now.’ I have the head coach role by name but it doesn’t mean I’m going to designate; I’ve never been that type of leader. I’ve always incorporated everyone into the world and the job that has to be done. That’s why it’s a team. It’s not Tennis or Golf.”
With his inexperience in the role of head coach in mind, Sammy said he plans to use methods learned from the large number of head coaches he played under during his career to develop his own coaching style and methods.
He did, however, single out two coaches he reached out to for guidance, namely former West Indies coaches Otis Gibson and Phil Simmons.
“The number of coaches I’ve worked through throughout my career, whether it be through franchise cricket, the West Indies team or different teams I’ve played for, I’ve gathered so much knowledge. I see the good things they do that I can implement for myself,” he said.
“Otis Gibson and I are quite close. We’ve always been in contact from way before he came into the setup. We had a very good relationship in terms of planning the cricket and how we presented to the guys. I also worked with Phil (Simmons) and we won a Championship together so everybody has their own styles,” Sammy added.
England declare with victory in sight after Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett heroics
Ben Stokes declared after Ollie Pope registered a first double century for England to raise the possibility of victory being achieved against Ireland inside two days at Lord’s.
Pope reached 200 at the start of tea to back up Ben Duckett’s record-breaking innings earlier on the second day but his dismissal the next ball saw Stokes call in England, who had scorched 524 for four from 82.4 overs.
With a lead of 352 and virtually a whole session left, Ireland now face an uphill battle to force this one-off Test into a third day let alone make England bat for a second time at the ‘Home of Cricket’.
Duckett’s lavish display dominated the morning session, with the opener scoring a hundred in his first Test innings on home soil and showing why he is the perfect fit for Brendon McCullum and Stokes’ aggressive ‘Bazball’ style as he achieved 150 off the same number of balls.
It saw Duckett snatch the record for quickest Test 150 at Lord’s off Australian great Don Bradman but even his dismissal for 182 failed to stem a run rate that was consistently over six.
Pope picked up the baton and tucked into some poor Irish bowling to walk off for tea on 197 not out before a glorious skip down the wicket saw him hit Andy McBrine for a maximum to reach 200, but when he was stumped next ball, Stokes called in the troops to try and force a win inside two days.
After an “almost perfect” start to summer, according to Stuart Broad after his five-wicket haul, England quickly moved beyond the tourists’ total on day two.
Duckett had been watchful following Zak Crawley’s dismissal on Thursday night, but was in sumptuous form straight away, cutting away the first ball for four before further drives took him within sight of a second century at Lord’s this season after he posted 177 here for Nottinghamshire in April.
With Mark Adair struggling, Duckett raced onto 99 with a cover drive and flick off his pads down to the fine leg boundary in a 35th over that also brought up the hundred partnership between Pope.
The next over produced further milestones, with Duckett able to celebrate three figures for England for only a second time after he nudged into the leg side for a single to short midwicket.
Duckett held his arms aloft after he made it to a hundred from 106 deliveries following a chanceless innings.
England’s number three Pope was more frenetic during the first hour, with the occasional play-and-miss married up with the odd boundary down to third man that did not always look completely controlled.
Despite that, England were still rattling along at more than six runs an over with Ireland lacking the X-factor of rested seamer Josh Little following his Indian Premier League exploits.
Pope survived a review for an lbw against debutant Fionn Hand before lunch to walk off three short of a century, but the session belonged to Duckett, who swept his way into the history books.
Two off Hand ensured Duckett reach 150 off the same amount of balls to set a new quickest 150 in Test cricket at Lord’s, beating Bradman’s previous record of 150 off 163 deliveries during the 1930 Ashes.
Duckett picked up where he left off after lunch and crunched 14 from one Andy McBrine over with a slog sweep for the first maximum of the Test and a reverse sweep for four.
Another drive to the boundary saw Duckett move onto 182 and bring up the 250-run partnership, but Hume got movement from a replacement ball later in the over and England’s centurion edged onto his own stumps.
The Lord’s crowd acknowledged Duckett’s superb innings with widespread applause and now all eyes were on Pope.
Pope reached his hundred with a single in the second over of the afternoon session and it settled him down.
England’s vice-captain freed up to pull and cut away for four with greater conviction before a reverse paddle scoop brought another boundary.
The drive was the next shot used with a six off McBrine followed by a crunch down the ground against Campher to reach 150 off 166 balls.
More landmarks followed, with a single for Pope taking him past 2,000 Test runs and the hundred partnership achieved with Joe Root, who paddle scooped his way to fifty and scored his 11,000 run in Test cricket in another crushing session for red-ball novices Ireland.
A maximum straight after tea clinched Pope’s maiden Test double hundred off 207 balls, the quickest by anyone in England, but when McBrine dismissed him after bowling Root, Stokes declared.
Ben Duckett breaks Lord’s record as Ollie Pope piles on runs for bullish England
Ollie Pope backed up Ben Duckett’s record-breaking innings with a century of his own to raise the possibility of victory being achieved against Ireland inside two days at Lord’s.
Duckett’s lavish batting dominated the morning session on day two of this one-off Test, with the opener scoring a hundred in his first Test innings on home soil and showing why he is the perfect fit for Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes’ aggressive ‘Bazball’ style as 150 were achieved off the same number of balls.
It saw Duckett snatch the record for quickest Test 150 at Lord’s off Australian great Don Bradman but even his dismissal for 182 failed to stem a run rate that was consistently over six.
Pope picked up the baton and tucked into some poor Irish bowling to walk off for tea on 197 not out to leave England on 503 for two off 80 overs with a lead of 331.
After an “almost perfect” start to summer, according to Stuart Broad after his five-wicket haul, England quickly moved beyond the tourists’ total on day two.
Duckett had been watchful following Zak Crawley’s dismissal on Thursday night, but was in sumptuous form straight away, cutting away the first ball for four before further drives took him within sight of a second century at Lord’s this season after he posted 177 here for Nottinghamshire in April.
With Mark Adair struggling, Duckett raced onto 99 with a cover drive and flick off his pads down to the fine leg boundary in a 35th over that also brought up the hundred partnership between Pope.
The next over produced further milestones with Duckett able to celebrate three figures for England for only a second time after he nudged into the leg side for a single to short midwicket.
Duckett held his arms aloft after he made it to a hundred from 106 deliveries following a chanceless innings.
With Duckett’s name on the Lord’s honours board, Pope set about joining him and reached fifty in the same over.
England’s number three was more frenetic during the first hour, with the occasional play-and-miss married up with the odd boundary down to third man that did not always look completely controlled.
Despite that, England were still rattling along at more than six runs an over with Ireland lacking the X-factor of rested seamer Josh Little following his Indian Premier League exploits.
Pope survived a review for an lbw against debutant Fionn Hand before lunch to walk off three short of a century, but the session belonged to Duckett, who swept his way into the history books.
Two off Hand ensured Duckett reach 150 off the same amount of balls to set a new quickest 150 in Test cricket at Lord’s, beating Bradman’s previous record of 150 off 163 deliveries during the 1930 Ashes.
Duckett picked up where he left off after lunch and crunched 14 from one Andy McBrine over with a slog sweep for the first maximum of the Test and a reverse sweep for four.
Another drive to the boundary saw Duckett move onto 182 and bring up the 250-run partnership, but Hume got movement from a replacement ball later in the over and England’s centurion edged onto his own stumps.
The Lord’s crowd acknowledged Duckett’s superb innings with widespread applause and now all eyes were on Pope.
England’s number three had reached his own hundred with a single in the second over of the afternoon session and it settled him down.
With runs behind him, Pope freed up to pull and cut away for four with greater conviction before a reverse paddle scoop brought another boundary.
The drive was the next shot used with a six off McBrine followed by a crunch down the ground against Campher to reach 150 off 166 balls.
More landmarks followed, with a single for Pope taking him past 2,000 Test runs and the hundred partnership achieved with Joe Root, who paddle scooped his way to fifty and scored his 11,000 run in Test cricket in another crushing session for red-ball novices Ireland.
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