In his most recent Sky Sports column, Jason Roy discusses England’s Ashes disappointment, striving to improve and the team’s decision to level the series at The Oval…
I am unashamedly, to be honest. I went to bed the night before day five Manchester understanding that I had a lot and wanting to do that. I batted for an hour and a halfwas feeling nice and starting to believe so it was unbelievably disappointing to escape out we would draw the Test.
Was so incredible then let’s hold on so long as we did. We have lost the opportunity but we revealed struggle that was so much on the previous day and we have a chance to draw the set. If Australia leave having attracted the show, instead of won it, then which would be a plus to us given the place.
We talked after the match and there was a lot of emotion, people were down, throughout the summer we have worked and to be in this situation, naturally we’re down.
The reply was that we must turn it around and make sure they leave with a draw, that is all that is on our heads, it’s certainly what’s in my head. We want to draw on the sequence. If we can do this, contrary to a Australia facet, of winning the World Cup on the back, it may not be exactly what we needed but it is still a fairly good summer.
Batting in the middle-order I had more of an understanding of the way I needed to really go about my innings. Opening I didn’t really know the right mindset to have, I’d not done it earlier in red-ball cricket.
At No 4 I could be somewhat more open minded and play, even though in the second innings the strategy was to bat daily and the amount of runs scored wasn’t important, it was balls faced. Even then, I was still at the very first over.
I’m the first to criticise myself and I understand that I have got a great deal of work to perform. It is an optional coaching session now since I know what I want to do to improve as a Test cricketer but I am going in and now I must work on those matters.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re opening the batting order or batting lower down the order, you have to be a good deal tighter.
I think I got out at Old Trafford the one to balls that were great I have in next innings out of Pat Cummins. There has been a lot of talk about my bat being a long way away in my pad however if the ball hadn’t have seamed up to it did it would have hit my bat so it’s irrelevant in my front foot would be.
I am only putting my head around exactly what I want to operate on, perhaps not being too hard while being honest with myself. I have got a Terrific connection with Graham Thorpe as a trainer, and outside the field for a friend.
He is ready to be honest with me and I am able to be honest with him I’ll put some work in today and find out where I wind up. I got a lot of work to do although I was a little more comfy at No 4.
In some such as the Ashes you are currently playing. It was the time that I have had to go in at the end of the day and face seven or so overs.
I am proud of the way I have dealt with that situation and it is a case of getting some big runs on the board. Without that it counts for nothing, I’ve got to set some huge scores on the plank because, although I can handle that pressure and that environment.
Nobody is shying away from the simple fact that the Australian group are incredible, players such as Steve Smith and Cummins are at the top of the rankings for a reason. Individuals might say’Jason Roy is unworthy’ but what about the bowlers I am facing? Because I understand the bowlers we are currently facing at the moment are as good as any you will confront in Test cricket, I really don’t wish to have too downhearted.
But if you are a batsman for England, mediocre isn’t good enough, then you have to be the best that you can be, the finest about, that’s what we most want. That’s because everybody wishes to better themselves as well as the finest in the world the reason exactly why we have been powerful, no one wishes to settle and be pleased with just an OK series.
Rory Burns has been a wonderful illustration of that at the Test side. He’s remained level for the time so far and he has worked extremely hard, nothing appears to faze him. For him to come into a series such as this and perform and he’s, when a handful people aren’t doing as well as we should do, is very gratifying to view, especially as he’s someone I’ve known for so many years.
Rory will want to go large in this game that is final and prove a point. He deserves it and I know he will be working because of this.
Eventually, I said I wanted a Spurs top in my last column and they have been generous and mailed to me! I am now a fully-fledged Tottenham fan and the tiny one has been in her top this afternoon, so that she was happy. This is a cool surprise to receive them but I will wait to find a win and some runs then I can ask for a few more treats!
See day one of the fifth Test between Australia and England from 10am, Thursday The Ashes.

Read more: http://www.iteamstudio.com/no-return-timeline-for-a-j-green-but-hes-making-progress/