World T20 Tour Diaries - Day 8 Alex Cusack
September 14th 2012 by Alex Cusack | International
The heat and humidity was intense © INPHO/Barry Chambers
Clontarf All-Rounder Alex Cusack is the latest man from the camp to give us his account of life in Sri Lanka, he reports upon a comfortable win for Ireland over Zimbabwe and how he copes with being away from his newborn twins.
Day 8 - Thursday 13th September
We’re all still feeling the after effects of yesterday’s 9.30am match against Zimbabwe. It was an early start and we left the hotel at 8am after breakfast and monitoring. We definitely faced the hottest conditions we’ve played in since arriving in Colombo and were pretty much dripping in sweat from the get go.
We batted first and Porty (Porterfield) got us off to a good start, hitting 17 from the first over. Ed and Niall then had a good partnership of 80-odd and Kev came in at the end and smacked it around to help boost us up to a formidable total of 181 for five. This was a really good total in the circumstances and we really backed ourselves that we’d defend that.
Hamilton Masakadza was knocking it around well for them early on, but when Dockers (George Dockrell) got him out and TJ (Trent Johnston) got Brendan Taylor - another of their danger men - things were looking good.
They fell away in the middle order with Dockers getting another two wickets while I got three. The only negative was that we had a few missed chances in the field so that’s something we need to keep working on in the next few days. I felt good about my own performance. I changed the pace well and all of my wickets were from slower balls. The wickets over here seem to suit the pace off the ball, to pick up three for was a nice bonus.
I’ve had a good few injuries and niggles in the past 18 months but the body feels good right now. I had a steroid injection in my back before we came away and I think the heat and humidity over here helps me to stay loose compared to Ireland where the cold can make you stiffen up.
Staying loose is important for me because I’m mostly in the team as a bowler at the moment, that’s where I fit in right now but that could change. Basically I just try to fill the role that’s there for me at any one time. I’m comfortable to adapt to whatever role I’m asked to perform and at the moment the team has a good balance.
We were all shattered after the game yesterday so no-one got up to much, people talk about a T20 match being more tiring then a One-Dayer because of the intensity, when you add this intensity to the heat and humidity your body is very tired. I went for a sleep when we got back to the hotel and then just took it easy in my room and ordered room service. I go on skype a lot to my wife, Celine, and kids which is great because I get to see them and talk to them, but we had twin babies a few months ago and it’s hard to see them and know I could be there.
So after a bit of a chat with the family yesterday, I just chilled out and watched Terminator 3, Rise of the Machines - not the worst movie but it wouldn’t be my number one recommendation if you’re thinking of renting a DVD tonight!
Tweet of the Day
The day of heat and humidity leaves Paul Stirling in feeling the cramp
@Stirlo90 ‘I’m refusing to put the 4.5 kg’s I lost today back on. Sorry @BrendanConnor1 #itsonlywater #cramp’
To follow Paul on Twitter Click Here
Ireland beat Zimbabwe gallery
September 13th 2012
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Great performance Alex ... keep rolling them over for the next few weeks!
15/09/2012
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