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What people failed to understand about our decision at Headingley was that plenty quick ones have to be taken during the course of a match and we thought what we decided was what was best for the team.
I really didn’t think we deserved the amount of flak that flew in our direction and, to put the lid on that particular issue, I can honestly say that if I was in the same situation again I would do the same again.
I copped a lot of grief for it, but now it’s done and dusted and we move on. Fortunately I moved on to The Oval and what was to become my finest hour. A double ton to help square the series was all that I could have asked for, particularly as things had not been going too well for me throughout the summer.
A knock of 219, my highest in first class cricket, was simply fantastic. It wasn’t until after the game that I realised only one other batsman has scored a double century and a half century in the same Test. To have my name bracketed alongside that of Sir Don Bradman is a great honour.
Knowing that I played so well the last time I was at the crease gives me a great boost as I head towards Bangladesh and the winter tour there and Sri Lanka.
Hopefully my form will have accompanied me because it will not be easy. Hopefully my experience of Bangladesh will be of some use to those who have not been there before. It will be hot humid and the living conditions won’t be terribly easy to cope with, but we will have to.
Written by Martin Hardy on behalf of ISM
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