Peter Siddle is back with Essex Eagles and on a mission to kick-start the team’s Vitality Blast campaign. The 33-year-old has returned for a second stint after making a huge impact during his opening Specsavers County Championship spell in the spring.
Siddle has been in the country for a fortnight and when speaking on the 3 Eagles games he’s seen, he said: “There have been a couple of close ones, the boys have been playing some good cricket, but falling a bit short. Hopefully, the back-end of this tournament will be a lot more successful for us.
“We’ve got to try not to worry about the weather, or other games and results, and just go out and try and win as many matches as we can. It’s going to be tight, but if we can scrape into the quarters, anything can happen from there.
“It’s going to be a big month, but on the positive side, the boys haven’t been too far off. We probably need to be a bit better in all aspects – bat, ball and field – and the results will come.”
Speaking on the Eagle’s remaining 8 fixtures, which are squashed in a 16-day period, Peter said: “It’s pretty much a game every second day, and it can look daunting, but if you do get on a roll you can fly through these games because they are so close.
“If you can get some confidence and momentum going you can pick up a couple of wins real quick. If we can start that tomorrow, and with back-to-back games and pick up 2 wins in 2 days that really does kick-start us for the rest of the competition.”
The former Australian Test bowler is itching to get started for the Eagles, after playing for Montreal Tigers in the inaugural Global T20 tournament in Canada at the start of last month.
“It gave me a little refresher before coming back here. It definitely helped, I learnt a few new tricks and played alongside some gun international players” he said.
Siddle took 11 wickets in his 5 games at an average of 15.45 each, though his economy rate of 9.44 was noticeably higher than his career T20 6.96.
“It was always going to be hard for a bowler out there, what with it being pretty much a 50-metre ground, one of the smallest anywhere in the world.
“The ground and facilities probably weren’t as good as the organisations would have liked, but considering they only had 6 weeks to get it up and running, it was a great success and is only going to go from strength to strength.”
Siddle would be available for the Vitality Blast quarter-finals, should Essex sneak through, but probably not finals day. His contract is due to end after the home Championship match against Surrey on September 7, and his duties with Victoria begin 9 days later.
“Hopefully it’s not the last time I’ll be over here playing for Essex, I’ve played cricket for a long time, 15 years now at the professional level, and to be able to walk into a group like Essex’s and have the most fun I’ve had in my whole career, it’s a testament to the club and how they welcomed me in” he concluded.
