WTC Final: Wodonga's Bob Jackson called in to help Australian players prepare

The Wodonga stalwart was in England as part of Essex's coaching set-up for the T20 Blast when he was invited to help fine-tune preparations for this week's World Test Championship final in London.

Australia's clash with India at The Oval starts on Wednesday ahead of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston next Friday.

"I'm friends with the assistant coach of the Australian side, Andre Borovec, and I know Andrew McDonald as well," Jackson explained.

"They knew I was over here with Essex, they had a massive day planned on Saturday and needed a few more hands on deck.

"When I got the phone call, I was on the treadmill, punching out some miles so I had to quickly stop and take the call.

"It's fair to say my second half of that run was pretty quick because I was high on adrenaline and pretty excited.

"The training was amazing.

"Once I got over the initial introductions and the enormity of being involved with the best cricket team in the world, I got down to business and did what I had to do to get these boys ready.

"I provided feedback when they wanted it and held them accountable for what they were trying to do.

"It was pretty good to sit back and watch them go about it."

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The intensity at Australia's base in Beckenham, Kent, was sky-high with so much at stake over the next two months.

"The boys are fit and firing and ready to go," Jackson said.

"The bowlers are right on their game, there wasn't an inch given and the batsmen had to survive.

"You've got Cummins and Hazlewood bowling at Smith and Warner and it was full-on.

"The bowlers were looking to snick them out, bouncing them, trying to take wickets and it was great to watch how they compete against each other in that situation.

"If that's any sign of things to come, they're definitely ready to roll."

Australia's players made Jackson feel at home.

"Nathan Lyon, being a country boy, found it refreshing to talk to someone else from the bush so we got on well," Jackson said.

"The rest of the guys knew I was there to help them get better and be ready.

"There were no egos, it was good fun and something you want to be involved in whether you're a player, coach or picking up the cones."

Jackson knows all about the anticipation ahead of an Ashes series but now he's experiencing the other side of the coin as the English sporting spotlight turns firmly to cricket.

"It helps when a lot of their players have roles in the media," he said.

"Stuart Broad knows how to tickle the Australians quite well and Jimmy Anderson's another one who likes to poke and prod.

"The anticipation is building but it's fair to say the Ireland Test was a focus (for England) and the World Test Championship has taken centre stage for us.

"Both camps are using those Tests as preparation for the Ashes, let's not muck around with that, but the Australians are hell-bent on winning this Test Match against India."

Jackson got to know Essex head coach Anthony McGrath when the pair worked together with the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash.

"We formed a good relationship," Jackson said.

"He said, one day, 'if you're ever interested in coming across to be part of Essex for our Blast season, let me know' and I told him I was keen.

"It's more of an education and development role in regards to my coaching.

"I basically do the same as what I do everywhere else, I work with the batsmen and fielders to get them ready for a game of cricket and provide them feedback when they need it.

"Players at this level just need accountability to what they're trying to achieve and you provide that as a coach, particularly in these short-term gigs. You can't come in and make a lot of changes in regards to technique, you've just got to hold them accountable to what they want to achieve.

"If you're going through a good patch, you keep it rolling and if they're going through a bad patch, you provide insight into how they may be able to turn it around.

"I'm learning the English way of life in regards to cricket and it's fair to say it's a little bit different to what I'm used to."

The long-haul flight via Bangkok was as big a challenge as any for the energetic Jackson but having dispatched the jet lag like a rank long-hop, he set himself to the gig he's wanted for some time: coaching professional cricketers overseas.

"It meant a lot," Jackson said.

"You work your bum off for so long and you're not sure what the rewards are going to be when you're done so to get a phone call to say 'come in and help', that meant a lot because it meant I'm probably on the right track with where I'm going with my coaching.

"I work hard and I provide a good service with what I'm trying to do.

"You get some doubts, don't worry, you doubt yourself every second day whether this is really what you want to do, how I'm going to get there, and all that sort of stuff, but to get phone calls saying 'we think you've got something to add', that starts to make the sacrifices a bit more worthwhile, the time away from your family.

"I thought something like this may have happened if I worked hard enough and if opportunities presented themselves, I knew I would have taken them but whether the opportunities came was another thing.

"I've been fortunate that a few things have fallen my way and a few people have trusted me and backed me in and I'd like to think I've never let them down.

"I've got some really good people in my corner at home, providing support in so many different ways, and they know who they are, and also people at the next level who have seen me go about my business and said 'yep, he's worth a crack.'

"I call it dream-chasing and I'm chasing pretty hard, getting myself into positions where things are starting to fall into place for me.

"I've just got to keep working really hard, putting my case forward every time I go out to do things, present a professional and hard-working front as someone who wants to help and be part of something bigger and more successful.

"I don't like saying 'hope' but I thought if I worked hard enough and took the opportunities that came, these sort of things would happen.

"It's been 18 months, maybe two years, and it's going to be a long, slow burn but I'd love to be in a position where, in 10 years time, I can say 'I've ticked every box.'"

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