If Matthew Wade can continue his recent form and play another key innings with the third Ashes Test that begins tonight at Headingley, Australia will owe as much to his wife Julia as the batsman himself.
Wade scored a rousing second-innings century in the opening Test at Edgbaston on his recall to the Australian Test team and will get the chance to add to that as the series shifts to its northernmost point in Leeds.
Some 17,500km away in Hobart, Julia will be tuning in having tucked in the couple's two daughters, Winter and the newborn Golide.
Wade has been one of the most in-form Australian batsmen over the past year, piling on runs at the domestic level to earn selection as a specialist batsman on the Australia A tour that was to serve as an Ashes selection trial.
But Wade nearly didn't go. He has made no secret of the fact that he was ready to forgo the Australia A tour with Goldie's arrival expected in the midst of the tour.
But – at Julia's insistence – the birth was induced early so Wade could be present, spending a precious few days with his newborn daughter before jetting out to join the Australia A tour.
Image Id: D669C7DA704245C28FF603CDFBEFF66D Image Caption: Matthew Wade with his newborn daughter Goldie // Instagram"I spoke to 'Cracker' (national selector Trevor Hohns) at the last Sheffield Shield (game) when there was a bit of talk around players of interest, and I knew the dates were getting quite tight," Wade told cricket.com.au in June.
"I rang Julia and basically told her I was a chance to get picked in that Australia A tour, and she told me to go.
"We ended up inducing Julia, which is never ideal but it's a sacrifice that she was willing to make for me to come on this tour.
"I was probably going to pass on the Australia A tour because we were going to have the baby.
"She wanted me to go and felt like it was a good opportunity and I deserved the chance to come over here and play some cricket after a big 18 months.
"(I’m) very lucky that Julia's let me do it. So all credit to her to be honest, otherwise I wouldn't be here.
"I have complete admiration for Jules. She's a strong woman who I definitely couldn't do life without.
"She's held our family together and is a huge support to me and the girls! And not just over the past few months either."
Image Id: 4D8131C075E14BEC97DFF5F1922ADB43 Image Caption: Winter Wade is regular at Hobart Hurricanes games // SuppliedIt has paid off for the Wade family – in a big way – as he hit 110 at Edgbaston en route to Australia winning the first Test by 251 runs.
While Wade will be focused on the job at hand against England, time away from the family "always will be hard".
"Thankfully though, we have awesome support and a great family back home that do a fantastic job of helping Julia out while I'm on the road. Something I’m extremely grateful for," Wade said.
Wade says his favourite things to do with three-year-old Winter are to take her fishing and to Bunnings – perhaps unsurprising for the man who spent his off-season from cricket working as an apprentice carpenter just 12 months ago.
Fans can vote for Wade to win the 2019 Sports Dad of the Year prize HERE, with the winner to be announced on Father's Day, September 1.
2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England
Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.
England squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
First Test: Australia beat England by 251 runs at Edgbaston
Second Test: August 14-18,Lord's
Third Test: August 22-26, Headingley
Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31
Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford
Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval