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Last Updated: Wednesday, 17 August 2005, 15:08 GMT 16:08 UK
Simon Jones' exclusive column
Simon Jones' column appears exclusively on the BBC Sport website
By Simon Jones
England fast bowler

The last fortnight has definitely been the toughest I've ever been through while playing cricket.

Jones appeals
Jones took 6-53, and passed his father's Test career best
It has been draining both physically and mentally and I'm really grateful for a few days to be at home, recover physically and relax my brain.

The pressure never seems to stop during this series. Even when we're batting I feel I have to keep watching and as the wickets fall I get more and more nervous.

Of course we would have liked to have won both back-to-back Tests but we know we have done incredibly well to achieve what we have done so far.

I can't imagine Australia celebrating a draw against any other team in the world so to see them so pleased was quite something.

Michael Vaughan did really well to come out after a few poor scores and make a big century.

He has been saying all along that he was only an innings away from finding form and he proved that.

What really felt good was to have Vaughany tossing me the ball in crucial situations and showing he really has confidence in me
Fred Flintoff had another great match with the bat and the ball, which is a reward for all the hard work he put in to come back from injury.

And Ian Bell was outstanding, really starting to show the potential everyone knows he has for the future.

I was delighted to take six wickets in the first innings, a career best against the best side in the world.

It also meant I beat my Dad Jeff's best performance in Tests - 6-118 in Adelaide 39 years ago.

In this series so far, I've already passed his career wicket total and made more Test appearances. His golf handicap is safe, though, because I'm terrible!

What really felt good at Old Trafford, though, was to have Vaughany tossing me the ball in crucial situations and showing he really has confidence in me.

Of course it was frustrating to cramp up towards the end - it was right across my thigh and there was nothing I could do.

But there's no point thinking too much about what could have been and Steve Harmison bowled very well towards the end.

Ricky Ponting
Ponting showed how dangerous Australia's batsmen can be
Matthew Hoggard also bowled a good spell late on, which was good to see.

Reverse swing seems to be the hot topic at the moment, and it has certainly helped us pick up wickets with the older ball.

I first started doing it when I was with the England Academy in Adelaide four years ago.

I just roughed a ball up on one side and messed about trying different things but I realised I could move it in both directions which not many bowlers are able to do.

I didn't change anything in particular with my action to make it happen. Fred is the other bowler we have who really gets reverse and we have very different actions.

As a team we are unlikely to change too much about our preparations for the next game at Trent Bridge.

We will probably have one big session on Tuesday and a light one on Wednesday to switch back on.

Everyone is talking about Australia's team selection at the moment but we had the same sort of criticism after losing at Lord's.

Ricky Ponting - who I was really pleased to dismiss in the first innings - proved that Australia have some world-class batsmen, and they can bounce back at any time.

We will certainly not be resting on our laurels next week but we know if we keep doing what we have been doing we will be well-placed.




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