Happy holidays
A peek into the Australian team's diaries during their little off season this December
24-Nov-2007
December really is Christmas for the Australians, who have a five-week break between Test series. It is usually one of the busiest months for on-field action, but this year India arrive late, delayed by their contest with Pakistan, and Australia's only official engagement until then is the Chappell-Hadlee Series. Peter English wondered what the diaries of the players would look like in the lead-up to Boxing Day.
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December 1 Email Interpol to widen the search for the ball stolen from Adam Gilchrist when he struck his 100th six. Gilly wants it back, but nobody can find the man in the red fluro jacket. Still no sign of it on eBay.
December 2 Check in on Stuart MacGill's fitness regime. His knee was pretty bad in the second Test and he knows he's been struggling. Only three weeks until the Boxing Day squad is picked, so he's got lots of work to do.
December 3 We're growing tired of the expanding list of critics who say Australia are winning too easily and ruining Test cricket. That's not the view of the team or any of our families. Only two more wins till we level Steve Waugh's sweet 16.
December 4 MacGill says he's managed to do extra exercise during New South Wales' game with Victoria and is waiting to see how the injury responds to a day of rest. All the other guys are fine, especially Andrew "Roy" Symonds, who proved his ankle was better while collecting rock oysters for Matthew Hayden.
December 5 It's so good to spend quality time with the family during the cricket season. The kids were still awake when I got back from golf and they loved hearing how I managed to fit in 36 holes.
December 6 Receive batch of text messages from Shane Warne. He's on two of his favourite topics: Gilly's keeping and Murali's action. Murali just broke Warney's record in Kandy so he's a bit upset.
December 7 "MacGilla, how's the knee?" Oh dear. "Hi, is this Brad Hogg's number?"
December 8 Flick through John Buchanan's new book to refresh my understanding of processes and outcomes. It's been so different having Tim Nielsen as coach. He's doing pretty well, too. Nobody has fallen asleep in one of his team talks yet.
December 9 It's always a sad time, leaving your family. They wave me off at the airport. Fly to Perth to join the boys.
December 10 Justin Langer hosts a barbecue in Perth and the only person who doesn't turn up is Phil Jaques. JL swears Jaquesy was invited. A guy who looks a bit familiar and calls himself Brad wants to chat about spin bowling.
December 11 The day our bowlers have been waiting for - the Twenty20 International against New Zealand at the WACA. With the way the Kiwis have been doing in South Africa, the game might be a few overs too long for them.
December 12 It's Hayden's turn to cook and he's really into fusion food at the moment. We have Indonesian monkfish on a bed of masala daal with a Mediterranean salad dripped in homemade tomato sauce. He still scares me a bit so I tell him it's delicious.
December 13 It's always great to be back in Adelaide, but I don't know why we always stay in the same hotel in that really seedy part of the city. Warney doesn't even like one-dayers, but he's flown over to say hi.
December 14-20 Time for the Chappell-Hadlee Inconvenience, as the smart guys in the team call it. There'll be no excuses or fatigue this year, so we might even have Gilly and Punter available. It should be wonderful preparation for the Test series.
December 21 One of the disasters - I mean benefits - of a quiet December is we get to do our own Christmas shopping this year. Pick up Buchanan's book for Warney, who has been sending updates of India's tour game with Victoria.
December 22 There will be no team Christmas carols in Perth this year, which is a real shame. Punter's favourite is "Good King Wenceslas" while Roy can never stop humming "Silent Night".
December 23 The squad has been named and MacGill and Hogg are set for another bowl-off. MacGill arrives at the hotel in a wheelchair but tells the group he'll be fine after a few sips of whatever Wolf Blass is in the mini-bar. Hogg spends the day doing sit-ups and phantom bowling in the gym.
December 24 Hogg out with a stomach strain so MacGill holds his spot. His only problem is a slight headache.
December 25 None of my family likes their presents. Spend the day trying to calm down our new coach Tim Nielsen. Before the first Test in Brisbane Tim was so pumped up his wife had to sit him down and give him a lecture. Can't wait to play some real cricket.
Peter English is the Australasian editor of Cricinfo