James Tredwell blogs from Australia

Read the personal thoughts of Kent all-rounder James Tredwell who is in Australia with the England Performance Party.

I’m writing this piece, having just arrived in Perth. We got here yesterday and are just under halfway through the performance programme trip here. We spent about a fortnight in Brisbane, where the first few days were getting over the long flight. During this time we did a fair bit of fitness work and some light cricket before having a period of preparing for our first match, which coincided with the first four days of the opening test match at the Gabba.

We played against a Queensland Academy of Sport XI, effectively a state second eleven, on a very flat pitch not dissimilar to that in the test, looking at it. Fortunately we played some good cricket through the four days. After looking a bit rusty with the ball early on, we came good to bowl them out on the last day. James Hildreth, of Somerset, made a double hundred in the first innings while Yorkshire“s Adam Lyth made a hundred in the second innings; two shining lights of last season continuing their fine form. All the seamers chipped in with good spells, throughout the game, after adjusting to different conditions to what we face at home. All of them picked up a few wickets and I was pleased to get a few overs under my belt too.

Having played two-and-a-half seasons of grade cricket in Brisbane for the Redlands Tigers Club, where Adam Riley, our young off spinner, is playing this off season, it was great to go back. In our little off time I was able to catch-up with a few of the people I played with and the other members of the club that became good friends. It was an added bonus of the trip.

Having arrived in Perth, we now head into a few more days of training before taking on Western Australia in a one-day fixture. This will be followed by another four-day game, just a few days later. The weather is one area which takes a bit of dealing with. Brisbane is very humid, although it wasn’t as hot as it can be. Perth is a much drier heat but is noticeably hotter. Both create hydration issues and we have been very conscious of that on the trip.

On these trips in the past, I have been guilty of trying to add too much to my game in one hit so, this time, I have been particularly focussed on making sure I am doing the things I do well. The best I can do is to maybe impress and push for higher honours again, whilst staying in the best shape possible to start next season really well.

In our first session today Matthew Coles was here to bowl in the nets at our batsmen. He seems to be enjoying his trip, looked in good shape and was bowling well. This was good to see. I can honestly say that my trips to Australia were hugely beneficial to me and hope this can be the same for Colesy as he looks to continue his improvement, going into next year.

Speak soon,

Tredders.

Picture:Getty Images