Oh Duckett. I was fearing for Crawley when I should have been worrying about Ben | Max Rushden

The Ashes are back, and so is the anxiety that comes with watching England's top batsmen struggle against Australia's pace attack. For me, it's all about Ben Duckett – a man who has slipped under my radar until now.

As I sit in my Melbourne home, surrounded by family chaos, with Mrs Rushden yelling from the garden and 10-month-old Willie following through in his paddling pool, my attention turns back to the Gabba. Ben Duckett walks out to join Joe Root at the crease. What should we be worried about? The Aussie bowlers, or poor old Zak Crawley who's already on 27?

Starc is on a mission, leaving Duckett a meaty length ball that swings in sharply – a beautiful ball. But Duckett's not having it. He plays a defensive shot and lets it go outside the off stump for four. The tension is palpable. I'm more worried about Ben than I should be.

The game continues with the ebb and flow of Australian quicks, and England's batsmen showing glimpses of hope but ultimately succumbing to the pressure. But let's focus on that Duckett guy. What was going through his mind as he watched Starc deliver a wicket ball?

It wasn't easy – the stress, the worry – but we can never fully understand what goes through a cricketer's mind during those intense moments. All we can do is watch and offer support from afar. Maybe one day I'll be sitting in the stands with Willie, his half-Australian baby, cheering on Zak Crawley as he takes on the Aussies.

The hour has passed – maybe it feels like longer for us England fans. We know that cricket isn't always easy to follow. But sometimes, all we need is a little hope and a 50-ball partnership to make everything seem possible again.

omg i'm feelin ben duckett tho he's got some serious game cant believe how good starc is tho!!! but anyway i think england's batsmen r gettin a lil too much pressure from australia they need 2 chill out and just play their natural game or watever u say anyway its defo intrestin watchin these guys clash on the field and i'm curious about ben duckett's mndset 2 maybe he'll be england's next hero

Ugh I'm literally stressing out about this Ashes thing rn my partner just got a job offer in Melbourne so we're gonna have to move our fam ASAP I mean I love the thought of watching Ben Duckett play but what if we miss all the England matches?! and omg 10-month-old Willie is already getting into paddling pools my kid is literally too old for that anyway back to cricket, it's just so hard to watch the pros struggle against those Aussie bowlers

omg ben duckett tho i had no idea he was the new cricketer everyone's been talking about but seriously how can u not like a guy who's got more swag in his one bad shot than most ppl have in their entire lives? and starc is on a roll lol what's next? ben duckett saving england from the aussie bowlers with his sick batting skills can't wait to see if he lives up to the hype

I think this is a perfect example of how our economy is really struggling . These cricketers have families just like me, with bills to pay and kids to feed. The pressure on them is immense! And you know who's not feeling the heat? The sponsors, of course . They're raking it in while these athletes are putting their bodies on the line. I mean, what's fair about that? Can we say it's a matter of class struggle here? Poor Ben Duckett vs. the Aussie bowlers and our benevolent sponsor overlords

lol I feel ya fam! Ben Duckett might be the dark horse of this Ashes series but let's be real, Joe Root is still a liability at 3 and 4 . He's always going to be the one holding England back. And what's up with these English batsmen thinking they can take on Australia's pace attack? Newsflash: they're not the Aussies!

Dude, I feel you... The Ashes are back, and it's like old times, but the anxiety is real! Ben Duckett might not be the most high-profile player, but he's definitely got me intrigued now. His defensive shot against Starc was so tense to watch, and I can only imagine how his mind was racing during that moment. It's one thing to know the players are human, too, with their own fears and worries... but watching them in action is a whole different story.

I think what's so captivating about these games is not just the cricket itself, but the drama and uncertainty that comes with it. We get to see our favorite players trying to navigate high-pressure situations, and it's almost like we're right there with them. As an England fan, it's great to have a new player to watch and root for, even if he's not Zak Crawley... Will Duckett be the one who brings some hope back to our team? Only time will tell!

I think what's interesting about Ben Duckett right now is that he's not just struggling against Australia's pace attack, but also the pressure of being part of the English team that's been inconsistent in recent years. It's a tough spot for him to be in .

On one hand, you'd expect England's top batsmen to step up and lead by example, but on the other hand, Duckett is doing his best with the limited opportunities he gets. I'm curious to see how he'll bounce back from this period of formlessness .

It's also worth noting that as a fan, it can be easy to get caught up in the anxiety of watching England struggle, but maybe we should try to focus on supporting our players instead of just worrying about them . After all, cricket is a game of ups and downs – and with a bit of hope and some good form, anything seems possible again .

I feel so bad for Ben Duckett, he's gotta be put under a lot of pressure playing alongside Joe Root... his defensive shot was really solid tho . I wish England could've built on that 27 from Zak Crawley, but those Aussie quicks are just on fire . It's defo tough to predict what goes through cricketers' minds in those intense moments, might need a few drinks with the family after this match . Maybe we'll see more of Ben Duckett and get a sense of his game soon?

[Duckett's reaction GIF] : Ben Duckett: *looks at ball* "Is this thing on? "

[Starc's menacing stare GIF]

["Why do we always fall for it?" meme]

[Crawley's "I don't know what's going on" GIF]

[Clock ticking, as if the clock is running out for England]

OMG I totally feel you about Ben Duckett! Like I've been watching the game too but I had no idea he was that important I mean Zak Crawley's been struggling for ages so it's nice to see someone stepping up But what's really got me thinking is how mental pressure affects players like Duckett Do you think he'll be able to cope with the Aussie bowlers again?

just watched the England vs Australia Ashes match and I gotta say, Ben Duckett's got game! He's calm under pressure, which is more than I can say for some of their other batsmen . Love how he stays focused even when Starc is ripping it at him.

ooh i love watching these ashes matches they're so intense!! i feel u about ben duckett tho, he seems like an underdog but at the same time, it's also kinda cute that you're worried about him his defensive shot was a good one! starc is such a beast on the field though, can't believe he got that wicket hope zack crawley gets back in form soon tho and awww willie paddling pool? what's it like watching cricket with your family during match times? do u have a fave england player?

I don’t usually comment but I was actually thinking the same thing about Ben Duckett... the way he played that defensive shot was so intense ! You can tell he's got a lot of pressure on him, especially with England struggling in this series. It's like you said, we can't fully understand what goes through their minds when it's all happening so fast . But you know what? I think it's awesome that he's giving it his all and showing some determination . Maybe he'll surprise us all with a big score soon?!

I'm so anxious watching these Ashes matches I mean, what's going on with the English batsmen? Ben Duckett seems like a dark horse – never heard of him before but he's got skills! Starc's bowling is insane though I felt my heart sinking when that wicket ball came in. And poor Zak Crawley at least he's trying, right? The thing about watching cricket from home with the fam chaos around me it makes everything feel more real, you know? But still... sometimes a 50-ball partnership is just what we need to turn things around again

I'm really loving this new team dynamic in the Ashes ! I think Zak Crawley's been struggling lately, but he needs to step up his game. Poor Ben Duckett has slipped under everyone's radar, that's a shame ...

Starc is on fire and it's gonna be tough for the English batsmen. I'm worried about how they'll bounce back from this . Maybe we can focus on some of those underrated players like... wait nope, let's not worry about them yet !

OMG , I'm actually loving this commentary ! There's something so relatable about the writer's anxiety while watching Ben Duckett play - I mean, who hasn't felt that pressure? The way they describe the tension and stress is so spot on . And I love how they compare watching cricket to having a 10-month-old in tow... totally resonates with me !

But what's really cool about this article is how it humanizes cricketers - we often forget that these guys are people too, and not just athletes . The writer's willingness to poke fun at their own England team's struggles (hello Zak Crawley, 27 and struggling? ) makes the piece feel so approachable and funny .

One thing I'd love to see more of in this type of commentary is some actual analysis of Ben Duckett's game plan - maybe some expert insight on what made that defensive shot such a mistake? Just saying!

I THINK BEN DUCKETT IS GOING TO BE THE X FACTOR FOR ENGLAND IN THIS ASHES SERIES!!! HE LOOKED SO CALM UNDER PRESSURE AGAINST STARC AND I LOVE HOW HE PLAYED THAT DEFENSIVE SHOT . YOU'RE RIGHT, WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT GOES THROUGH A CRICKETER'S MIND WHEN THEY'RE ON THE FIELD, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT DUCKETT IS READY FOR THIS. Fingers crossed he can keep his cool and lead England to some big scores!

omg u think ben duckett is the real hero of this ashes series? lol he's had like 3 shots in the whole article btw and its actually zack crawley who's on 27, not him anyway, i love how you're trying to give duckett a spotlight but really its just starc being his usual awesome self

man this england vs australia ashes series is already giving me anxiety just thinking about it lol i swear the aussie bowlers are like a bad habit you can't shake off starc is on fire this season and the english batsmen are struggling to cope with his pace ben duckett's skills are actually quite impressive, but we need more players like him to balance out the team it's not all doom and gloom though, i mean who wouldn't want to see z zak crawley in action?