Close up to Mr Cricket

The players’ viewing balcony is right next to the press box at Headingley and it was fascinating to watch Michael Hussey’s high-energy pre-batting routine. It can’t be much fun sitting next to him because just when everything goes quiet he springs up and runs on the spot, crunching his spikes on the cement.

After a burst of callisthenics and stretching he would sit back down and watch for a while until his mind told him he had been still for long enough. Cue more jumping, body twisting and focusing, a noisy set of exercises which continued until he was called to bat. Hussey is an intense player and his adrenal glands must work overtime with the stress shooting through his body.

He has been dismissed early a couple of times in this series and his desire to be alert for the first ball was clear. When Shane Watson was out he crackled down the steps and defended his opening delivery, appearing in control until he was lbw to a Stuart Broad inswinger from around the wicket. The dressing room is on the level below the balcony and once Hussey entered it there were no more trips upstairs.