As you might imagine, the families of the Australian Cricket Team and staff all get to know each other fairly well as we socialise and have an opportunity to travel together. I'm always asked if everybody gets along or if there are any rivalries, and perhaps to some people's disappointment my honest reply is that we do all get along. We are blessed to be surrounded by such a great group of people with whom we share similar interests and lifestyles. It's not always easy being the partner or child of someone who is constantly away for work, so it's a treat for us to get together and go away with our boys from time to time. Let me introduce you to my tour 'family' whom I affectionately call 'the travelling circus'!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This is Mel. She's Nathan Lyon's girlfriend. Mel and Nath first met when they both lived in Canberra and like many young Canberrans, they hit it off straight away on the dancefloor at Mooseheads.
Mel's a great chick who also happens to be a highly competent and experienced Nanny. Her child-rearing skills will soon be put to the ultimate test when she gives birth to Baby Lyon shortly after the Ashes. It takes a determined lady to travel overseas when heavily pregnant, so we'll all be taking special care of our precious mama-to-be and her bouncing little off-spinner!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Keira is the girlfriend of one of the busiest guys on tour - Cricket Australia's Media Manager Matt Cenin - and my goodness she's a patient angel! When the other guys arrive back at the hotel after a long day of training or game time, 'Ceno' is tied up until the early hours liaising with journalists, managing player interviews and setting up for the next day.
Kizz is a very smart cookie herself and keeps busy. She has almost finished her double degree in Arts and Secondary Education and in her spare time coaches at the Peninsula Waves Netball club.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Anna is an Albury girl who loves living in Melbourne and is Peter Siddle's better half. Anna pays the bills by working in advertising and journalism but her real passion is for animal rights and protection.
Anna practises what she preaches by doing stacks of voluntary work in animal shelters and she and Sids are both strict vegetarians. Those that follow Anna on Instagram may have even seen her beloved chooks running around inside their beautiful home.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tessa and Grant are both qualified Myotherapists (they met in class seven years ago) and Tessa (a self-titled crazy cat lady) is also a totes amazing Ballet Teacher. With a few of those yummy looking drinks under her belt, we've been privy to some of her incredible kicks and twirls on tour before!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The girls in our group all have some degree of cricket knowledge, mostly what they've learnt from their partners. Alyssa is the exception - she may well argue that she teaches her boyfriend about cricket (at least, there'd likely be some cheeky debate)!
Alyssa and Mitchell Starc are an amazing, super talented couple. Alyssa also plays cricket for Australia, in fact, the Southern Stars are also touring England for the Women's Ashes, ODI and T20 Tour in August. Keira and I are hoping to divert our tour bus in the direction of their matches sometimes too.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Renae will have the two mini-DiVenuto's with her on tour which makes it more fun when there's kids around. Ed and I became good friends with the 'Divas' during our time in Tassie - we live right near each other in Hobart. A lady who loves her bubbles, it's going to be a blast having Mrs Diva and the Diva kids around.
I got to know Kayla fairly well during our time together in Chandigarh, India, on the last Australian Cricket tour. She and James Pattinson have been dating for a year or so but have known each other since they were in high school together.
Kayla works for her Dad's family business and me thinks there's no better girl to keep Jimmy's feet planted firmly on the ground, particularly when it comes to his singing in the shower (I heard it first hand through the wall in our room next door).. "it's 3am I must be lonely". Rob Thomas eat your heart out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Few know that Carly and Gav got together over a bet on the 2006/07 Ashes series. Gav bet her the Aussies would win 5-0 and she bet the Poms wouldn't get white-washed. Needless to say, Carly lost the bet, paid for Gav's drinks all night.. and the rest is history!!
Julia is the tour's most recent newlywed. She and Matthew Wade were married in beautiful country Victoria earlier this year after a decade-long courtship that spanned the globe.
Both Jules and Matt grew up in Hobart and were high-school sweethearts! Jules is one of our resident fitness gurus and puts the rest of us to shame with her gym workouts and clean eating. On the home front, Julia has two beautiful dogs and has recently become an ambassador for KX Pilates.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Few of the others on tour know that Anna is actually an I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E cook and has whipped up some of the most amazing dishes I have ever experienced in my life. When word of this gets out, we may end up begging her to become our resident tour chef.
Not with us on this trip but deserving of a mention is Karina Haddin - our Vice Captain Brad's superwife. Karina and Brad have three awesome kids which (as you might imagine) has made it a tad difficult for Karina to make it to England this year.
Ever a positive and completely inspirational woman, Karina assures me that she carries with her some cracking memories of the last Ashes tour in 2009 so we'll have plenty of notes to compare when we arrive home. Karina, I hereby dedicate this blog to YOU.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The attendance of wives, partners and families on tour is of indescribable importance and our attendance could not happen without the tireless efforts of Erin and Sarah who represent their organisations, Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association respectively.
The families are incredibly grateful for the contributions that both of these organisations make in supporting the team in this way and many others. It's fair to say that without them our travelling circus would be an absolute shambles!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Michael Clarke's wife Kyly is a very private and reserved person who brings effortless glamour to our tour group. Among other things, Kyly is a model, a designer, a businesswoman and like all of the other girls we're travelling with, she is one of the most humble and kind-hearted people I know.
It's highly likely you've seen Kyly around before - she is the face of Harris Scarfe's Boutique@HS range and recently Kyly become the female face of Rebel Sport - a great fit because the woman is always off training!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For the first time on an international tour, we warmly welcome Steve Smith's girlfriend Dani to our group. Like most of the ladies in our team, Dani is a very smart little cookie - she currently studys Commerce and Law at Macquarie University and in her spare time kicks butt at water polo.
A Sydney girl all of her life, Dani has quickly fitted into our group and at a recent players and partners trivia night also demonstrated why we desperately need her on the 'girls table'. Like every one of our tour buddies, she's great fun and we love having her around.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Madi is the newest member to our tour group - her gorgeous boyfriend Ashton Agar having only just joined the Test team in recent days. Most excitingly, this is her first EVER trip overseas - she booked the flight on the morning she found out Ashton was in the team and left for London later that day!
Madi has lived in Perth all of her life and currently studies commerce at the University of Western Australia (she hopes to go on to study law after that). In her down time, she plays and coaches netball and like the rest of us, loves watching her beau play cricket.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For those of you who don't know where I fit in, I'm Ed Cowan's wife. Quite humorously we met on a blind date at The Clock Hotel in Surry Hills when Ed was playing cricket for Sydney Uni and I had just scored a job hosting a music television show.
I was absolutely clueless about cricket when I first met Ed - I didn't even know how many players were in a team. Needless to say, the last five years have been a swift and shrill cricket-learning curve. We love our transient lifestyle and we love travelling with our little girl Romy who will turn one during the tour in August.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Melissa Waring |
Mel's a great chick who also happens to be a highly competent and experienced Nanny. Her child-rearing skills will soon be put to the ultimate test when she gives birth to Baby Lyon shortly after the Ashes. It takes a determined lady to travel overseas when heavily pregnant, so we'll all be taking special care of our precious mama-to-be and her bouncing little off-spinner!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Keira Wills |
Kizz is a very smart cookie herself and keeps busy. She has almost finished her double degree in Arts and Secondary Education and in her spare time coaches at the Peninsula Waves Netball club.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Anna Weatherlake |
Anna practises what she preaches by doing stacks of voluntary work in animal shelters and she and Sids are both strict vegetarians. Those that follow Anna on Instagram may have even seen her beloved chooks running around inside their beautiful home.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
Tessa Morley
|
The Australian Cricket Team have a Logistics Co-ordinator/Massage Therapist on tour with them (sadly, he's only available to the players and not their wives) and his name is Grant Baldwin. Grant's better half is the lovely Tessa!
Tessa and Grant are both qualified Myotherapists (they met in class seven years ago) and Tessa (a self-titled crazy cat lady) is also a totes amazing Ballet Teacher. With a few of those yummy looking drinks under her belt, we've been privy to some of her incredible kicks and twirls on tour before!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Alyssa Healy |
Alyssa and Mitchell Starc are an amazing, super talented couple. Alyssa also plays cricket for Australia, in fact, the Southern Stars are also touring England for the Women's Ashes, ODI and T20 Tour in August. Keira and I are hoping to divert our tour bus in the direction of their matches sometimes too.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
Renae DiVenuto
|
The gorgeous Renae is no stranger to touring around the UK for cricket - she and husband Mike, the team's batting coach, have spent every English summer here for the last thirteen years while Mike played for Durham CCC.
Renae will have the two mini-DiVenuto's with her on tour which makes it more fun when there's kids around. Ed and I became good friends with the 'Divas' during our time in Tassie - we live right near each other in Hobart. A lady who loves her bubbles, it's going to be a blast having Mrs Diva and the Diva kids around.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Cherie is one of the girls I am especially looking forward to seeing on this tour. The last time I spent time with Cherie was in Barbados on the Australia v West Indies tour, well over a year ago. She was only newly engaged to Ryan Harris then and I was 20 weeks pregnant - but now they're MARRIED and I have a one-year-old ankle-biter so we have much to catch up on.
An Adelaide girl born and bred, Cherie followed her man to Brisbane four years ago and currently works in finance for a Brissie advertising agency.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Cherie Harris |
An Adelaide girl born and bred, Cherie followed her man to Brisbane four years ago and currently works in finance for a Brissie advertising agency.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Kayla Dickson |
Kayla works for her Dad's family business and me thinks there's no better girl to keep Jimmy's feet planted firmly on the ground, particularly when it comes to his singing in the shower (I heard it first hand through the wall in our room next door).. "it's 3am I must be lonely". Rob Thomas eat your heart out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
Carly Jackson
|
Carly is the resident Pom in our group (though she now lives in Sydney). She even grew up in Nottingham, home of the first Ashes Test. Should we be suspicious? Carly met fiance Gavin Dovey, the Australian Cricket Team Manager when they worked together for the English Rugby Football Union.
Few know that Carly and Gav got together over a bet on the 2006/07 Ashes series. Gav bet her the Aussies would win 5-0 and she bet the Poms wouldn't get white-washed. Needless to say, Carly lost the bet, paid for Gav's drinks all night.. and the rest is history!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Julia Wade |
Both Jules and Matt grew up in Hobart and were high-school sweethearts! Jules is one of our resident fitness gurus and puts the rest of us to shame with her gym workouts and clean eating. On the home front, Julia has two beautiful dogs and has recently become an ambassador for KX Pilates.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
Anna DeWinter
|
Anna DeWinter, another good friend of mine from the Apple Isle, is the wife of Australian Bowling Coach Ali DeWinter. Ed and I have been friends with Ali and Anna since we first moved to Tasmania four years ago and have spent many a fun day, evening and weekend away with them over the years.
Few of the others on tour know that Anna is actually an I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E cook and has whipped up some of the most amazing dishes I have ever experienced in my life. When word of this gets out, we may end up begging her to become our resident tour chef.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Karina Haddin |
Ever a positive and completely inspirational woman, Karina assures me that she carries with her some cracking memories of the last Ashes tour in 2009 so we'll have plenty of notes to compare when we arrive home. Karina, I hereby dedicate this blog to YOU.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Sarah Mitchell & Erin Kelsey |
The families are incredibly grateful for the contributions that both of these organisations make in supporting the team in this way and many others. It's fair to say that without them our travelling circus would be an absolute shambles!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Kyly Clarke |
It's highly likely you've seen Kyly around before - she is the face of Harris Scarfe's Boutique@HS range and recently Kyly become the female face of Rebel Sport - a great fit because the woman is always off training!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Danielle Willis |
A Sydney girl all of her life, Dani has quickly fitted into our group and at a recent players and partners trivia night also demonstrated why we desperately need her on the 'girls table'. Like every one of our tour buddies, she's great fun and we love having her around.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Madeleine Hay |
Madi has lived in Perth all of her life and currently studies commerce at the University of Western Australia (she hopes to go on to study law after that). In her down time, she plays and coaches netball and like the rest of us, loves watching her beau play cricket.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 |
| Virginia Lette |
I was absolutely clueless about cricket when I first met Ed - I didn't even know how many players were in a team. Needless to say, the last five years have been a swift and shrill cricket-learning curve. We love our transient lifestyle and we love travelling with our little girl Romy who will turn one during the tour in August.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Any other members of our tour group who have not been referenced on this website, were omitted at their request.
