WE’RE all incredibly excited to be facing Australia in a four day game at Chelmsford this week.

Once we’re getting ready to bat or bowl I’m sure there will be a few nerves but it’s fantastic for us to be taking on one of the best teams in the world.

It’s going to be a huge challenge for us all and it will be a real test coming up against a bowling unit who are all capable of bowling at least 85mph.

There are a few quick guys in the county game but you don’t normally get a group of them together at the same time so it will be good to face, as long as I don’t keep on getting hit by them!

I won’t pick out a particular bowler I’m looking forward to coming up against because he might end up reading it before I get to face him.

But it’s a huge opportunity for us all and we’re all very aware of how doing well for Essex against Australia in 2005 helped Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara in their international careers.

We now have a group of players looking to impress and that includes me because we would all love to go on and represent our country.

It would also be nice to have some good memories from playing against Australia. Unfortunately, the only one I have at the moment is seeing my off stump fly 12 yards back after being bowled by Pat Cummins and it would be great if that could change.

LANCS CLASH IS THE BIG ONE

THE Australian game is a very momentous one for us but the County Championship match at Lancashire which starts on Sunday is actually far more important.

We’ve won our last two games in the competition but we need more victories if we are to close the gap on Lancs, who are currently top, and second placed Surrey.THE Australian game is a very momentous one for us but the County Championship match at Lancashire which starts on Sunday is actually far more important.

We’ve won our last two games in the competition but we need more victories if we are to close the gap on Lancs, who are currently top, and second placed Surrey.

JESSE BLEW THEM AWAY

IT WAS great to keep the good run we’re on going with an excellent Twenty20 win against Hampshire last Friday.

Jesse Ryder produced a brilliant innings and blew them away with the bat before our bowlers also impressed.

I didn’t really have much to do in the game and ended up coming in at number seven which was a little bit different.

I was originally due to come in at number three but with Mark Pettini and Jesse doing so well when opening the big hitters jumped above me in the order and I went down a slippery slope to seventh.

Hopefully I don’t end up batting there again but as long as we keep on winning I don’t really mind.

Hampshire are also a very strong side so beating them like we did showed we’re a real force to be reckoned with in Twenty20 when we’re hitting our straps.