Dear Jamie: an exchange of letters with his Mother, Bernadette.

Peter Kettle | 1:13am GMT 20 December 2025

I had a dream…a surreal one.

And after I wakened I felt it was actual, so sound have been the cricketing info.

Mom: So glad that you just’re now having a recreation in Adelaide in opposition to Australia’s full power First Eleven – despite the fact that it’s unbearably scorching there and also you departed the crease within the first innings in controversial circumstances when properly set to inflict everlasting injury on the outdated enemy.

Jamie: Truly, Mum, the Aussies are with out two of their largest stars – Steve Smith who takes our Jofra Archer with mocking ease and gobbles the whole lot within the slips, plus Josh Hazlewood who is 2 grades forward of that metronome Scott Boland who, unfairly, delivers on a handkerchief repeatedly.

Mom: Oh…Nicely, I did admire the hand that Usman Khawaja performed, even when batting at quantity 4, out of his common place. Now has a mean I discover of 43.6 I see…spectacular certainly. A key member of the group.

Jamie: Err…he’d been dropped after the Brisbane Check (which he missed as a result of again soreness) however, after recovering, got here into the Adelaide match as a result of Steve Smith was struggling dizziness and never balancing too good on his ft. Maybe a consequence of an excessive amount of celebrating after the preliminary match in Perth. He’s getting on, Khawaja…simply had his thirty ninth birthday. 

Mom: Nonetheless…not that outdated, your cricket-loving uncle Terry was nonetheless scoring centuries regularly properly into his forties. 

And that Pat Cummins is continuous on relentlessly, match after match…have to be a little bit of a nightmare for all of the England boys!

Jamie: A nightmare all proper, Mum. Although he hasn’t despatched down a ball in any form of match for a very long time…cos of bone stress in his decrease again…hasn’t featured since taking part in in opposition to the West Indies again in July.

Mom: I see…however I count on you should have a match in opposition to the Aussies’ first alternative group within the hallowed Boxing Day match in Melbourne.

Jamie: Almost proper, Mum. Josh Hazlewood shall be lacking although – he’s been dominated out for the remainder of the sequence with hamstring and Achilles tendon points.

Mom: That’s a blow…in a double sense, then. Hoped to obtain a photograph of each groups at full power on Boxing Day!

I’ll should console myself this shall be one thing to sit up for in the course of the subsequent Ashes sequence…at house in a few years’ time. I’ll deliver my digicam for the Lord’s Check. That’s a promise!

Jamie: Be good, Mum…although Captain Stokes has informed me I’m no certainty for that sequence until I get loads of “canine” into my batting.

Mom: Some canine, eh…that shouldn’t be a fear. Our Golden Retriever shall be pleased to retrieve the balls you hit on the seaside at Polzeath when holidaying there in late-March. And you may ask Mr Boycott to come back down and provide you with some teaching.

Jamie: Oh…Boys, sure…most positively. That might be nice…an excellent coach, by all accounts.

Mom: Nicely, Jamie, I have to be getting on…do ship me a publish card from Melbourne. One in all Luna Park can be good.

Jamie: Certain factor, Mum. I’ll pose with Brendon and Ben, consuming a melting chocolate ice cream. My favorite deal with!