Sunday 18th August, 2013

Jackson Bird's mum Jenny was on the Ashes tour for the second and third Test matches, but sadly returned back in Australia just before Jackson was picked to play in the fourth Test at Durham. I'm thrilled that Jenny has agreed to write today's blog about her time on the tour: a mother's perspective.

"Being woken up at midnight with, "Mum! Jackson is on his way back from India!" is something no mother wants to hear. We (Jacksons brother Ian and I) were meant to be flying to India the following week - TRIP CANCELLED!

Jackson has been injury free for years so this was not an easy few months for anyone, especially Jack. Thankfully, three months later after many scans and tests, Jackson was injury free and flying to England with the Australian Cricket team about to embark on the Ashes tour.

We, his family were like the Griswalds on tour - grandmother, mum, dad, brother, uncle, partners and friends, all lucky enough to follow Jackson in July and to be a part of the second Test at Lords, something special indeed as the whole ground just oozes cricket history. It was another tick off the Bird's bucket list!

Just great to see so many families there supporting their boys - it's a long way to travel for a game of cricket. It was just a pity the game didn't last the distance... but as they say "that's cricket". We took off for Ireland for a couple of days which was brilliant. Back to the UK and a road trip down to Sussex to watch the tour match which was great as Jackson got a run, it was fantastic to see him bowl again after such a long spell on the side lines.

We were expecting a lovely seaside village in Brighton but found 'Bondi-on-steriods'! A great county club Sussex, much more relaxed at the ground compared to what was going on down on the Brighton coast. It was great being able just to sit with Jackson and chat, which at the Tests you don't even get close to them other than looking through a chain wire fence when they are in the nets.

Something I just love about cricket, sitting on the side lines and chatting to all the people you meet along the way.. you can spend a whole day with someone and yet you may never see them again, but you never seem to forget the characters you meet along the way.

At the end of the match there was a BBQ for the team and families, it was special to meet some of the other players, support staff, and their partners.

The next day we took off on our road trip to Manchester! Staying at a great B & B, visiting a couple of great country pubs on the way, thank you very much! We were lucky enough to stay in the same hotel as the boys so it was so nice seeing them just hanging around the hotel, a little more relaxed.

Day one of Old Trafford was again very exciting, the sun shining, not a spare seat in sight. Unfortunately Jackson didn't get a run, the rollercoaster ride of sport. Exhausting to say the least, but as a mum it's just as important to be there even when they aren't playing... just being there for each other no matter what is a very important part of our family.

After the Lord's Test, most families had left the tour apart from Chris Rogers' parents, Ryan Harris' brother and niece and Usman Khawaja's brother Arslan, so the support family group had shrunk considerably but we did manage to cheer them on with great enthusiasm. It was a great Test, every session, luck was going either way and at the end of day 4 we seemed to have it in our favour until the English heavens opened up the morning of day 5 and play was abandoned. Such a dissapointement for the team as they deserved to win.

Back at the hotel it was a little bit of an anti climax for everyone, but upwards and on to Durham for their next battle. We were homeward bound from Manchester, so it will be late nights watching the rest of the series from the lounge!

Everyone always asks, "How is Jackson? Did you get to see lots of him?" and unfortunately the answer is usually "No, not enough". It seems, I am always watching him from afar these days, but really what a great thing to be watching from any distance. 
I am one of the lucky mums indeed." - JB


Jackson Bird with his proud mum Jenny Miles-Bird