What did you make of it?

Oh, I think it's a pretty good surface, I'm being honest.

Uh, typical test cricket while it's, uh, this far, um, nice and hard, nice carry, but it did move a little bit, especially the new ball early, early doors.

The feedback coming back into the change room, that was moving a fair bit.

Um, so it was challenging, but you then you can see later in the day it, it seemed to settle down a little bit and, and go through quite nicely.

So I'm really intrigued to see how tomorrow morning comes up.

There's obviously a, there's a lot of moisture in and around the morning y- on the ground, um, so I'm intrigued to see how that plays.

A- and just for you to come back and bowl in a test match for the first time since Adelaide, what did the body feel like? What did it just feel like the ball coming out of your hand?

What did you make of it?

Oh, I think it's a pretty good surface, I'm being honest.

Uh, typical Test cricket.

Well, so this far, um, nice and hard, nice carry, but it did move a little bit, especially with the new ball early, early doors.

The feedback coming back into the change room, that it was moving a fair bit.

Um, so it was challenging, but you, then you can see later in the day it, it seemed to settle down a little bit and, and go through quite nicely.

So I'm really intrigued to see how tomorrow morning comes up.

A- and just for you to come back and bowl in a Test match for the first time since Adelaide, what did the body feel like? What did it just feel like, the ball coming out of your hand?

What's your take on, on, on the modern game and how it's refereed, how it's played, uh, compared to, I guess, what it was like back in your day?

Yeah, it, it, look, uh, things always evolve, you know? And they evolve to, you know, teams get off the line fast, and then there's what we're gonna work in the 10 meters, then there's the wrestling, now there's the speed of the play the ball.

And, and I suppose it, it goes through phases.

I think the game, you know, the game is still a great game to watch.

Lots of points are good to watch.

Uh, I suppose the only concern we're just gonna say, "Well, how much fatigue are these players...

You know, is that okay? What, what are we sort of looking at?" Um, but the s- the skill level and the speed and, uh, of these athletes are, are as good as, as it's ever been, you know? So I think when it's...

Obviously, you've got the nickname The Goat, but, um, you're d- up to a little bit of stuff with, uh, with GOATED as well.

Obviously, you've got the nickname the GOAT, but, um, you're up to a little bit of stuff with, uh, with GOATED as well.

Yeah.

So, uh, I've got a, a guru, a leadership guru who I work with is, uh, David Stewart.

And, uh, we've put together a project with, uh, Westpac's help, um, to really basically build a leadership project, um, or framework or what- whatever way you wanna put it, around my cricket journey and cricket story.

And, uh, we try and hit the ecosystems in, in the regional towns across New South Wales and into Victoria, um, really to hit the, uh, business, sport and life so they thrive and not, uh, not disappear.

So we're doing 12, uh...

What are we doing? 42 events across 12 regional towns.

Was there a moment of leadership that you most vividly recall?

How's the body travelling now?

Yeah, what am I, about 23 weeks post-surgery on a reattached hamstring, so that's been a challenge, but it's been enjoyable in a sense, being able to really focus on a few things to try and get better at, and all things going really well.

I'm really confident, really happy with where things are at.

I'm back pretty well doing everything, bar running at 100% speed, and I doubt that I'll get to 100% capacity anymore anyway, but all things going really well.

feeling really confident and looking forward to the summer, which is starting, basically starts in August the 13th up at Darwin against Bangladesh.

Obviously, you've got the nickname The Goat, but you're up to a little bit of stuff with Goated as well.

Yeah, so I've got a guru, a leadership guru, who I work with is David Stewart, and we've put together a project with Westpac's help to really...

Basically built a leadership project or framework or whatever way you want to put it around my cricket journey and cricket story.

Obviously, you've got the nickname The Goat, but you're up to a little bit of stuff with Goated as well.

Yeah, so I've got a guru, a leadership guru, who I work with is David Stewart, and we've put together a project with Westpac's help to really... basically built a leadership project or framework or whatever way you want to put it around my cricket journey and cricket story and we try and hit the ecosystems in the regional towns across New South Wales and into Victoria really to hit the business sport and life so they thrive and not disappear so we're doing 12 what are we doing 42 events across 12 regional towns so Currently in Dubbo, and we're about to start a cricket clinic with about 60 kids in about 15 minutes' time, but then we do a couple of speaking gigs along the way, which is pretty impactful and bloody enjoyable.

Was there a moment of leadership that you most vividly recall?

Oh, yeah, I'll go back to my 10th Test match where JL...

Justin Langer was our batting coach at the time back in 2012 that he probably showed me leadership in a way that he probably didn't doesn't even know that he had the impact on it and basically told me that the honeymoon's over it's now I'm expected to go win games of cricket for Australia and that really gave me a sliding doors moment where I could sit back and and just hang on for the ride and enjoy the test cricket or I could walk through walk to the challenge and try and get better and improve my role, improve my skill set to play the role of an Australian Test spinner.

Obviously, you've got the nickname The GOAT, but, um, you're u- up to a little bit of stuff with, uh, with GOATED as well.

well.Yeah, so, uh, I've got a, a guru, leadership guru who I work with is, uh, David Stewart, and, uh, we've put together a project with, uh, Westpac's help, um, to really basically build a leadership project, um, or framework or what- whatever way you wanna put it, around my cricket journey and cricket story and, uh, we try and hit the ecosystems in, in the regional towns across New South Wales and into Victoria, um, really to hit the, uh, business, sport, and life so they thrive and not, uh, not disappear.

So we're doing 12...

Uh, what are we doing? 42 events across 12 regional towns.

So currently in Dubbo, and we're about to start a cricket clinic with about 60 kids in about 15 minutes time, but then we do a couple of speaking gigs along the way, which is, uh, pretty, pretty bloody impactful and bloody enjoyable.

Was there a moment of leadership that you most vividly recall?

Uh, oh yeah, I'll go back to my, my tenth test match where, uh, JL, uh, Justin Langer, was our batting coach at the time back in 2012, that he, um, probably showed me leadership in, in a way, um, that he probably didn't, doesn't even know that he had the impact on it, and basically told me that, uh, the honeymoon's over and, uh, it's now ex- I'm expected to go win games of cricket for Australia, and that really gave me a sliding doors moment where I could sit back and, and just hang on for the ride and enjoy the test cricket, or I could walk through, walk through the challenge and try and get better and improve my role, improve my skill set to, uh, play the role of a, of an Australian test spinner.

Like how far out does that really start to take shape for the summer?

I can only really talk from my point of view.

Like I had plans in place for, I could have told you, my field to Harry Brook and even Ben Duckett.

Totally two different players, left hand, right hand, obviously, but two different scoring zones as well.

But I could have told you my fields.

Yeah.

three months prior to getting to the Optus Stadium or Adelaide Oval.

But what's the message you'd say to a young spinner now?