Cricket: Ben Hilfenhaus keeps one eye on Ashes

AFTER a series of English domination to date, Australia seamer Ben Hilfenhaus is hoping for a belated chance to shine at Chester-le-Street today. But he also has his eye on the 2013 Ashes series and says the Aussies have “unfinished business”.

Having been on the losing side in England in 2009 and again in Australia in 2010-11, Hilfenhaus is already talking about a desire to avoid a third successive Ashes defeat when Michael Clarke’s men return next year.

“I definitely think we’ve got unfinished business,” Hilfenhaus said. “I’ve lost two Ashes series now. I definitely don’t want to be a part of a third losing one, that’s for sure, and I think there are a lot of blokes who feel exactly the same way. I’m not looking too far ahead at this stage, but it will be a pretty big series for us.

“You always love to beat the Poms. We didn’t have the ideal start to the one-day series and I think in the last two games of the series we’re definitely going to show them what we are made of, that we are the No 1 team in the world.

“It’s nice to be playing in these conditions and get a feel for them again, and just have a little reminder of the things we need to work on.”

The promise of overcast skies today, after the welter of rain still falling in the north-east, is encouraging him.

“It does swing a bit here, especially when you have two new white balls,” the Tasmanian added. “My skill is swinging the ball up front; that is something I have always done. When it stops swinging I try to keep it tight for as long as I can, while the others are probably more ‘impact’.”

A valued part of Australia’s Test side, but still on the fringes in the ODI game, Hilfenhaus added: “I still have a few things to prove in the shorter form of the game. I’ll keep chipping away and hopefully my skills can get to the stage where I’m 
a permanent member.”