Middlesex stint will give Hughes confidence ahead of Ashes

Sydney, June 12 (IANS) Australian opener Phillip Hughes feels that his quick stint with Middlesex will help him to adjust well to the English conditions for the Ashes series starting next month.

“It was different, but not overly different,” Hughes was quoted as saying by The Australian.

“The big thing was the wickets were slower than here and also the ball swinging late – they were the two most notable factors. There were a couple of things that I took away from the trip and a few things I had to work on before this series coming up, but I like to be who I am,” he said.

His stint at Middlesex caused a lot of angst among the senior England administrators, who thought it was mad to give him such an opportunity to the batsman.

“I got to play at Edgbaston, the Oval and Lord’s. That’s a good thing, you know, we’ve got five Tests over there and now I have played on three of the grounds. It just gives you a feel for it and it’s boosted my confidence a bit,” he said.