Hughes eager for Ashes

Australia batsman Phillip Hughes says it will be the realisation of a childhood dream if he plays against England in the Ashes this year.

The 20-year-old left-hander is in possession of one of the two opening spots after a blistering start to his Test career during Australia’s recent 2-1 Test series win in South Africa

In only his second match at this level the New South Welshman became the youngest player in history to score two hundreds in the same Test with scores of 115 and 160 against the Proteas in Durban.

With England hosting the Ashes this year, Hughes is doing his best to acclimatise to local conditions with a six-week stint playing for Lord’s-based Middlesex, the county side of England captain Andrew Strauss.

“I’m at Middlesex for six weeks and I’m thoroughly looking forward to it and obviously the Ashes will be here not long after that,” Hughes said here on Monday. “Hopefully I’ll be there and that will be a massive thing.

LONDON, AFP