Capturing Agar

The Ashes - I take it you've heard of them? Well the first Ashes Test match begins in (checks Sherlock Holmes style timepiece) roughly 97 hours. It'll be the 10th series that I have attended as a photographer. (I started very very young.) Hey, just what are you sniggering at boy?

I'm quite excited! I expect it'll be hard work for the next, well, the next six months actually but it's what I do and pathetically I look at what I do as more than a job. Speaking of hard work, I've recently covered the Champions Trophy, which meant driving 200 miles most days and shooting long matches. I worked out that I worked 106 hours in one week. But I'm a survivor, a bit like a cockroach is.

I've got to sort out my wardrobe for the first Test at Trent Bridge, get all the equipment sorted and head up the road to my Travelodge outside Leicester for seven days.

So which photo to talk about? Any requests?...

No, okay, I'll choose one …

(Blog goes wonky a bit like an episode of Scooby Doo)

… In fact it is now 85 hours after the Ashes started.

It is hard work but what a Test match it has been. I'm going to talk you through a photograph taken in the last few days.

Now I've covered a lot of cricket and I don't often get really 'drawn in' to what is going on. Let me attempt to explain - I'm there to collect photos. I'm not attending to appreciate a Jonathan Trott shot off his legs or a James Anderson inswinger. I'm there to supply clients, including Reuters, with photographs that look good and represent what has happened in the match. I'm still interested in the cricket but I'm looking for good, clean images to send out straight away from my (usually) trusty laptop.

Anyway, very, occasionally, I get caught up in what is going on and that is what happened on the second day of this Trent Bridge Test.

Ashton Agar - I can honestly say that I'd not heard of him. He came out to bat at No. 11 for Australia and hours later he was still batting. And he was batting majestically - some fantastic shots. So like 18000 people at Trent Bridge I was mesmerized by the achievements on this Test debutant.

Anyhow, he was dismissed on 98 and as he walked back towards the dressing room he kind of shrugged, 15% disappointment and 29% "it doesn't really matter" (2.2% sweaty body odour). I thought it was a nice moment and an interesting photo as did the Times of London. See you around, and remember if you're at a match and see me, for heaven's sake - "leave me alone - I'm busy!"