Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Ellis in Wonderland - 'I have to pinch myself sometimes when I wear the Australia colours'

Written by 
Published in Cricket
Tuesday, 21 March 2023 08:04
Nathan Ellis wasn't originally in Australia's ODI squad for the India tour. An injury to Jhye Richardson opened up a spot for him, and now he is relishing every moment of being with the Australia side on tour. Like pinning Virat Kohli lbw in a ten-wicket victory in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam. Like smashing the net bowlers for fun with the bat at the MA Chidambaram B Stadium, which is adjacent to the main ground, on a hot afternoon. Like answering every question at a press conference with a big smile.

With Pat Cummins and the injured Josh Hazlewood also absent for the ODIs, Ellis could get another crack at the Indians at Chepauk as Australia look to seal a rare bilateral series victory in India.

"Yeah, 100% [enjoying it]. I sort of have to pinch myself sometimes when I am wearing the Australia colours," Ellis said on Tuesday. "It is obviously a dream come true. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Josh and Pat… all the guys in the squad, it is helping my game and it is helping me as a cricketer and as a person. So, having blokes like that around the squad and being able to have coffee with in the morning or dinner with in the evening is huge. Really thankful [for the experience]."

Ellis expressed his excitement at bowling in tandem with fellow New South Wales native and leader of the attack Mitchell Starc. "Starcy has been huge for me," Ellis said. "For me, personally, he is someone I looked up to for a lot of time. He presented me my first Australia cap too. He is a big part of my Australia journey. Even up to the other day, speaking to him pre-game and post-game... He is a calming influence; he is also someone who has been there and done almost everything the game has to offer, whether it is the ups or downs. Being able to rub shoulders with someone like Starcy and sort of bounce ideas off [him] and debrief games, it is something that I've cherished. It is invaluable, I think."

On Sunday, in the second ODI, Ellis bagged the prized wicket of Kohli for 31 with a fuller ball that seamed into the batter, and he then extracted extra bounce from a length to have Ravindra Jadeja nicking off for 16. With the Chepauk track likely to be on the slower side, Ellis is prepared to adapt and dip into his back-of-the-hand slower balls - his variations have given Hobart Hurricanes a potent point of difference in the BBL.

"For me, I am not necessarily a bouncy bowler as it is," Ellis said. "As I said before, it is a matter of assessing the wicket on the day and adapting my sets of skills to the wicket. Whether it is adjusting my line, being a bit straighter… if it is not as bouncy, slower balls if needed and changing my lengths. The scores haven't dictated or gone as we thought the wickets might have played. Tomorrow is another case of not going with pre-conceived ideas and taking it as it comes.

"Obviously, it's known to spin here [in Chennai]. For me, if I was to get the opportunity, the slower balls might come into play. I think it will be a matter of assessing the wicket if we are bowling first. You get a bit more information for the batters who will come out in the second innings and vice-versa for batting first… relaying the message back on what the wicket is doing and adapting as the game sort of progresses. It has not been a high-scoring series so far, so we will have to adapt to the wicket and what is presented to us on the day."

Victory on Wednesday will hand Australia their second bilateral ODI series win in three recent attempts in India. Barring Australia, no other team has toppled India in a bilateral ODI series since 2016. Ellis' future opportunities after the Chennai ODI remains uncertain, but he feels playing in potential World Cup venues like the Wankhede and Chepauk will serve as a dry run for the main squad members for the tournament in October-November later this year.

"I mean, it's obviously a great opportunity for us as a squad to play one-day cricket in the place where we will be playing the World Cup at the end of the year," Ellis said. "It will be silly not to take out as much as we can… try and sort of emulate maybe the set-up or squad we are going to have for the World Cup. For me, I was not part of this squad initially. I was a late call-up, I am just stoked to be here. I imagine that the guys who were named in the initial squad are taking it as a dress rehearsal. Absolutely!"

Read 146 times

Soccer

Sources: Van Nistelrooy set for Leicester job

Sources: Van Nistelrooy set for Leicester job

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy is in line to...

Bale backs stuttering Mbappé: Still world's best

Bale backs stuttering Mbappé: Still world's best

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Real Madrid star Gareth Bale defended Kylian Mbappé after th...

Carlo: Pen miss shows Mbappé 'lack of confidence'

Carlo: Pen miss shows Mbappé 'lack of confidence'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCarlo Ancelotti said Kylian Mbappé is suffering from "a lack of con...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Injury-plagued Beal hobbles off in loss to Nets

Injury-plagued Beal hobbles off in loss to Nets

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPHOENIX -- Suns guard Bradley Beal limped off the court in the four...

OKC wins but sees Jalen Williams (eye) exit early

OKC wins but sees Jalen Williams (eye) exit early

EmailPrintSAN FRANCISCO -- Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams exited Wednesday's 105-101 win...

Baseball

Dodgers minor leaguer suspended for doping

Dodgers minor leaguer suspended for doping

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Jose D. Hernandez was sus...

Crawford, 2-time WS champ with Giants, retires

Crawford, 2-time WS champ with Giants, retires

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSAN FRANCISCO -- Brandon Crawford is retiring after 14 major league...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated