England trip gives Hughes clues

In the Australian, Peter Lalor chats to Phillip Hughes about his recent stint with Middlesex and how it has helped prepare him for the Ashes.

"I got to play at Edgbaston, the Oval and Lord's. That's a good thing, you know, we've got five Tests over there and now I have played on three of the grounds. It just gives you a feel for it and it's boosted my confidence a bit."

County cricket makes for some strange bedfellows and stranger encounters. Hughes didn't get to face South Africa's enfant irritable, Andre Nel, during his first Test series, but he clashed with the erratic bowler during one match between Middlesex and Surrey. Nel bounced him repeatedly; Hughes responded by slashing the South African for three fours in a row before copping a full toss at the throat for his trouble.

The Australian was a little taken aback, but loved the contest. Nel was clearly impressed and noted that it will be England's bowlers dealing with the young opener and not the other way around. "It is easy to see why he gets so many runs, because he has so many different areas he can score in," the South African said. "He has been by far the most difficult opponent I have faced this year.

Christian Nicolussi in the Daily Telegraph discovers just how deep Hughes' love of his baggy green cap runs.

"I keep it locked away in a pouch in the top left-hand corner of my wardrobe," Hughes said yesterday. "Every day I make sure it's there. I'll have a peek. It might be in the morning, at night, or even if I'm having a coffee, I'll walk upstairs and look at it. I'll smell it sometimes. It smells like alcohol because of the couple of wins we had in the first Tests in South Africa."