Chris Adams: What I've Learnt This Week

Peter Moores has never been swayed by opinion from the media, or those in the game outside his circle. What he has always done well is to have a plan in his mind how he wants to play the game and then to fit the players to that. The selection of Chris Tremlett is a classic example.

With Matthew Hoggard out, England had to play James Anderson as he mirrors Hoggard. With Steve Harmison out, England needed to replace him with the closest to a like-for-like and that's Tremlett. He has pace and he can hurry batsmen along - not to the same extent as Harmison, but he fits into the same plan.

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Stuart Broad has a huge time ahead of him and I believe Moores is a big fan of his, but he has to learn to be a bit more streetwise. The attention was thrust upon him after his fantastic game for the Lions against India. He became the headline in the build-up to the Test - because of his father he was always going to attract attention. He might have been better served by getting his head down and letting others take the spotlight. The media are always looking for something, so for a young player it is sometimes better to say nothing, get your head down and concentrate on practising for the game.

Having said that, Broad is going to be a Test player. He is an easy-on-the-eye bowler and has plenty of skill - he knows how to bowl to left or right-handers, to swing or seam, use a pitch, use the crease - things that many young bowlers don't these days. Too many don't think enough about the game, they just run up and try to put the ball on the same spot.

Broad will benefit from going back to county cricket and continuing to learn, as the likes of Liam Plunkett should as well. The communication between England coach and players and coach and the counties is one thing that has definitely improved under Moores. Players know now that they are not forgotten about. In the old days, particularly before the Duncan Fletcher era and, in part, during it, a player would be dropped and not know where he was.

Now there is feedback and a player like Plunkett is not abandoned, there is still the desire and effort to turn him into a true international cricketer.

We faced him at Horsham last week and he showed good character - he wasn't successful but he ran into the breeze and kept coming. Our victory over Durham moves us right up there in the Championship and, with victory in the Twenty20 quarter- finals on Wednesday, it was a good week for the club.

Team spirit scores double for me

And not bad for me, either. I'm having a consistent season, but the 193 against Durham was a bit like the old Chris Adams - a big hundred at a run a ball.

We went into the game straight out of the Twenty20 and for the first 30 runs I was struggling, pulling my bat across my body - a spillover from the Twenty20 and all the cross-batted shots you play. So I decided to throw caution to the wind and it worked - until I was stumped! Getting out seven short of a double doesn't bother me so much any more. It was my 48th century and my goal is 50 - I've four doubles and don't have a fifth as a goal. Anyway, we've a saying in the dressing room - the hundred is for yourself, a 150 is for the team. That's what turns me on these days - playing for the team. That and scoring runs when it's difficult, and we've some big challenges coming up - Warne and Hampshire, Murali and Lancashire and the Twenty20 finals day, which has really created a buzz around the county. It's great to get the opportunity to play in something like that before I call it a day.

In the meantime, it's imperative we switch back to the Championship. Sussex teams of old haven't been great at that, but we are now. It's going to be a tight finish and you can't help looking at the rain this week when we're not playing and thinking, "Great rain for us". Hampshire beat Warwickshire thanks to a bit of Warne kidology over the declaration - Darren Maddy will be really kicking himself - so they are right back in it, which really sets up next week.

The race is wide open - Yorkshire are strong and you get the impression that Lancashire want it more than ever this year. And with Murali they will be a real force.

Pietersen caught out by bad timing

One week on from my criticism of Kevin Pietersen and the feedback I've had from people in the game has been 100 per cent positive, although I've not heard from him or England.

The modern player is exposed to more cricket at international level and more stress and pressure to perform - the media spotlight is immense. But KP is one of those who courts the limelight - it's like David Beckham, if you go down that route, then you have to live with it. But what England need is their best batsman to perform in the middle.

KP is a huge figure in the cricketing world and players like him can earn a serious amount of money in the years they are at the top - it can set them up for life. But it's about balance. I've no problem with players doing events for sponsors whenever - and I remain a huge fan of Pietersen - but they have a responsibility, too. If Pietersen had said he was tired at the end of the season, fine. But ahead of a huge series? And after such a comfortable one? He was guilty of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and people I know around the game agree with me.

To walk or not to walk no longer the question

There has been much talk of walking this week. It's a romantic view that batsmen might one day all walk. The lead comes from international cricket and it's not going to happen there.

I always used to walk, then one day we were playing Surrey and the ball bounced off both my thigh pads and ballooned to slip. I stood there. David Shepherd gave me out. I couldn't believe such a great umpire could have made such a decision. "What's the point of walking?" I thought, if even he could give someone with a reputation as a walker out like that.

A few days later we were playing Warwickshire and I edged one off Jonathan Trott. I knew I'd hit it, he knew I'd hit it. But I stayed there and the umpire gave it not out. I've rarely felt so guilty.

The Adams family feels right at home at Lord's

The weather's put paid to Georgia's cricket of late, so as it's the holidays and I didn't have a game either, on Thursday I took her to Lord's - her first Test match, and at the home of cricket.

As we walked through the gates the first person we saw was Ryan Sidebottom, so we had a chat and she got an autograph. She bought herself an England shirt and we had a great day.

Golfing clairvoyants deserve an Open mind

As we were at Lord's on Thursday, I missed day one at Carnoustie and couldn't believe it when I saw the scores yesterday.

Last week I played golf at Royal Ashdown, one of the courses used for Open qualifying, and got chatting to the secretary Douglas Neave. "What about the Open?" I said. "A young Spaniard will win it," he replied.

A mystic Scotsman? I'll be glued to it all weekend to find out.

Great Sledging No 10 in a series

The legendary fast bowler Freddie Trueman was responsible for one vintage comment to an England team-mate. A batsman edges a perspiring Trueman into the slips, the ball flies to Raman Subba Row, slips through his hands, then through his legs and flies to the boundary for four. At the end of the over, Subba Row edges up to Trueman. "Sorry, Fred," he says. "Should have kept my legs shut." Trueman replies: "Aye, lad, and so should your mother."