Since making his debut, Phil Hughes has played 5 tests; 3 against South Africa and 2 against England in the on going Ashes series.

I landed in London this morning and as I stepped out of Heathrow, I was greeted by rain.

The Australians cannot be serious!

The Australian squad for the Ashes is going to be announced tomorrow and apparently the Australians are nervous.

Really?

What is there to be nervous about?

For one, I'm not even sure if they are nervous. Cricinfo claims they are with the headline, "Australians face nervous wait".

So who exactly is waiting nervously?

Again, Cricinfo's sub-headlines are:

"Watson closes in on Ashes call-up"

"Ponting backs Symonds"

"Nervy Hughes awaits call-up"

"McDonald sweats"

They have got to be kidding me. I mean seriously.

Shane Watson closed in on his Ashes call-up as soon as he hit that 40 odd in his 1st hit against Pakistan.

Don't tell me the Aussie selectors had not shoed him in right then - the sight of Watson scoring gets them off, we all know that by now. And that century in the final hit would have sealed his spot.

Ricky Ponting doesn't need to back Symonds. Its quite obvious the selectors are going to pick him as well.

The 50 against Pakistan in the 2nd ODI and the subsequent appearance at the press conference with Micheal Clarke to sort of seek redemption at the hands of the media and talk up an Ashes spot made it quicte obvious that Symonds had one foot on the plane.

The oddest one is about Phil Hughes.

Why in the world is he nervy?

Does he, or Cricinfo, actually think that after scoring centuries and 150s in his debut test series against South Africa, and then knocking ton after ton at Middlesex is going to keep him out of the Australian test team?

Even the one about McDonald amused me.

He has no reason to sweat. He should just chill out and a book a summer holiday to some part of the world.

Obviously with Symonds and Watson on that plane to England, McDonald is not going anywhere.

So who is nervous? and why are they?

The Australian fans surely aren't. They're pretty sure the Ashes are coming home.

So are the English for that matter.

When I started batting I used to hold my bat high trying to emulate Amir Sohail. The only thing was that my bat used to be facing somewhere around 3rd slip, which my coach corrected so that it points towards the wicket keeper.

Face down ofcourse.

Phil Hughes' bat not only points towards first slip, the face of his bat points towards the point-cover region.

No wonder his cut shot is so fierce.

His stance and the way he holds hit bat would embarass Ijaz Ahmed!

After the shit he played on the 4th ball of his test career, I thought he would have to work really hard to make it at test level.

Three innings later, with scores of 75, 115, and 136*, he has out done the likes of Sir Don Bradman and George Headley.

In a matter of a few innings, Hughes has ensured that Australia don't even think about a certain Matthew Hayden.

Moreover, all his knocks have come in pressure situations and have been match winning ones. Not meaningless scores notched up in high scoring draws.

Hughes has been the batting mainstay for Australia in this series, which has allowed Johnson, Hilfenhaus, and Siddle to attack the South Africans.

All this at 20!

After that 4th ball, I did not think he would make it. He has and how!

If he manages to avoid the axe, something Ponting and Clarke could not early in their careers, then Hughes has a good decade and half of a career opening the innings for Australia.

His start against the best pace attack in the world indicates that bowlers around the world are in for some tough times ahead.

With the way Hughes bats, it seems the bowlers always have a chance against him.

But somehow he survives. I don't know how he's done it but he has.

Australia have unearthed one hell of a batsman!

His attacking strokeplay suggests that he could be great for ODIs as well.

Imagine a top order consisting of Hughes, Marsh, and Warner.

Those 3 can serve Australia for a good ten plus years.

Doesn't look like Australia's time is up. They're going to retain their number 1 ranking in tests, and in the ODIs too, and it looks like they'll remain there for some time to come.

I guess I was too early in calling "how times change". It took a couple of days for an Aussie debutant to get a ton; and for the Aussie debutant opener to become the top scorer among the 3 openers that made their debuts during the week.

I have not been this delighted at an Australian victory since they beat the West Indies in 1992 to ensure Pakistan a semi-final spot at the world cup.

On the 1st day of this test, I tried explaining my support for Australia, whom I have not supported during their 15 year reign of invincibility, by arguing the case of the underdog and talking of my dislike for South Africa.

After their victory, I have more reasons.

There is no arrogant 6 foot plus bully at the top of the order trying to intimidate and decimate a bowling attack. Instead there is a 5 and half feet determined, innocent looking kid trying to make a mark in international cricket.

There is no pigeon legged pacer irritating the crap out of me by sticking to one line and length and dismissing batsman after batsman. Instead there is a sturdy looking swing bowler who moves it both ways and bowls with a smile that was rarely visible on the pigeon.

There is no drunkard brawler who was more of a slogger than a test batsman and annoyed me by scoring runs so easily. Instead there is a correct batsman who works hard for his runs.

There is no wannabe rockstar who bowled beamers and smiled for the cameras and started the lawn mower after every wicket. Instead there is a young pacer who hops like a one legged kangaroo and looks better while batting than the former.

There is no spinner who turns it a mile, or one that had a larger than life image, or one that bowled with his tongue out that made me feel like pulling it out and chopping it off. Instead there is a medium pacer, who does not even have a permanent test spot.

There is no pigeon wannabe who bowls the same nagging length and looks more like an office clerk than a test cricketer. Instead there is real hard working test bowler who shows a lot of passion in his effort on the field.

There is no wicketkeeper who used to change the course of tests in the matter of a session and pretty much changed the role of the keeper in todays times. Instead there is someone trying to make his own presence felt, both in front and behind (no pun intended) the stumps.

Matthew Hayden, Glenn Mcgrath, Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Stuart McGill, Stuart Clark, and Adam Gilchrist won many tests for Australia during their decade and a half of dominance.

They intimidated the opposition, completely dominated the matches, and made winning so easy that it made it impossible for me to support them.

Great cricketers they were no doubt, but for them it didn't seem like hard work.

For them it was more like winning was their job.

They rarely failed, which is why I wanted them to.

Phil Hughes, Ben Hilfenhaus, Marcus North, Mitchell Johnson, Andrew McDonald, Peter Siddle, and Brad Haddin are no where near the stature of the players they have replaced.

Not yet anyway.

Nor do they seem to be as naturally gifted as their predecessors.

Which is why supporting them is all the more easier.

While the former group seemed to win it all without breaking a sweat, the latter one worked hard for their win at the Wanderers.

Hughes, Hilfenhaus, and North were playing their 1st test. McDonald his 2nd. Siddle his 5th. Johnson and Haddin their 20th or thereabouts.

For the first time in probably 2 decades have I seen an Australian side this inexperienced, for whom winning was not as easy as it has been for Australia over the years.

More than that, these players are still trying to make a permanent place for themselves in the line up.

It felt good to see the Australians work so hard for their runs and wickets.

It felt good to see the Australians pushed and intimidated.

And it felt good to see them come out of that on top.

It always feels good to see new cricketers, trying to establish themselves at the international level, ending on the winning side against a top team.

Despite the ugly face of Ponting still lingering around the team, I like the look of the new Australia.

Somehow, I hope they remain the new Australia and not turn into the old invincible Australia.

Elsewhere, NC has said something similar.

I was surprised to find myself upset at the fall of Phil Hughes' wicket in the first over.

Over the last 15 years, I have never been upset at the fall of an Australian wicket. However, today, I am shocked at how upset I was while watching Hughes, Katich, and Hussey walk back to the pavilion.

Despite the fact that I have admired how the Australians have played cricket over the last decade and a half, I have never left it a secret that I've hardly ever supported them - only to see someone spring up an upset.

There is something about the underdog, isn't there?

I was firmly behind South Africa, despite my hatred for them, when they toured Australia. I was delighted to see South Africa win the first 2 tests and wanted to see them dislodge the Aussies from the number 1 spot in tests.

Coming into this series, Australia are definitely the underdogs. South Africa the firm favorites.

And strangely, I find myself supporting Australia.

I don't want to see them lose.

I smiled and sighed with relief when Ponting pulled Ntini for four in the 2nd over.

Hughes didn't have a memorable debut, but I'm hoping North will.

Not since Australia had to beat the West Indies in 1992 to ensure Pakistan get a spot in the World Cup Semi Finals, have I supported Australia.

Till yesterday I was looking forward to witnessing Australia's continuous fall from the top.

This morning, however, all that changed.

I don't know what it was - a hapless 20 year old failing on debut, a vulnerable captain walking out in the 1st over to save a sinking ship, McKenzie pulling of an Australiaesque catch at gully, or the mortalization of Mike Hussey - but something triggered this change of heart.

Here's hoping the Aussies beat the South Africans.

Related post by me - Debutant Openers & Jo'burg is like Karachi.