Driving Ambition - My Autobiography by Strauss Andrew

Author:Strauss, Andrew [Strauss, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Published: 2013-10-09T23:00:00+00:00

Earlier in 2008, all those involved with the England cricket team had been through a difficult summer. It had started uneventfully with a relatively straightforward 2–0 series victory over New Zealand, with us chasing down a challenging 294 in the second Test at Old Trafford. I was once again at peace with myself and my game. All the worries, soul-searching and distractions had gone, to be replaced with a Zenlike state in the middle. I was relishing my return to form and determined to make the most of it. Two fifties and a century in the series were enough for me to take home the Man of the Series award, less than two months after being convinced that I was playing my last game for my country.

Behind the scenes, though, things were becoming increasingly fraught. An ODI series defeat against the same opposition brought with it the spotlight of media interest and some searching questions for Peter Moores and Paul Collingwood, the ODI captain. There was a growing feeling, both inside and outside the squad, that something wasn’t quite right. With the arrival of South Africa’s extremely talented squad just around the corner, the omens were not good.

One player who was finding himself under increasing pressure was our Test captain, Michael Vaughan. The consistency he had shown en route to becoming the number-one player in the world in 2003 had deserted him, and although he was still getting the odd big score, they were coming along less frequently. Also, with hindsight, it was apparent that he was beginning to suffer from the effects of being England captain for a long period of time.

I remember the gaunt expression on Nasser Hussain’s face when he resigned from the England captaincy in 2003. He had the exhausted look of a man who had simply run out of steam, worn down by the constant demands of players, administrators, media and, of course, his own worries and expectations. Although Michael Vaughan was still very much in control of himself and the team, the fault lines were beginning to appear. He desperately needed a strong series against South Africa in order to release the pressure that was simmering below the surface.

The final two months of his career must have been, by some distance, the most painful. The four-match series against South Africa proved to be a stark reminder to our team that we were some way behind the best in the world. To some extent, we all struggled with the potent combination of sheer pace demonstrated by Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn and the nagging accuracy of Makhaya Ntini and André Nel. Their batsmen, meanwhile, demonstrated huge reserves of patience and discipline that our bowlers were unable to match. Even though we took the series by the scruff of the neck in the early skirmishes at Lord’s, they were able to bat out the last two days of the game to secure a draw and in doing so wrest the initiative away from us permanently.

A shocking

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