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Stunning secret hidden in photo of Australia's Ashes success

sam goodwin
Sports Editor

Peter Siddle has revealed he played through the pain of a broken thumb to help Australia retain the Ashes in England last year.

According to cricket.com, Siddle broke the thumb on his left hand in the first Test at Edgbaston when he tried to field a Joe Root drive off his own bowling.

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However he played through the pain for his country, also featuring in the second and fifth Tests as the Aussies secured a 2-2 series draw.

"I broke my thumb on my left hand in the first Ashes Test," Siddle told cricket.com on Thursday.

"That's just part of the game, you always have injuries and things that happen throughout.

Peter Siddle, pictured here celebrating a wicket during the fifth Ashes Test.
Peter Siddle celebrates a wicket during the fifth Test. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

"I'm only getting older, there's not a lot of cricket left and I want to play as much as I can. So as long as I'm still useful for the team out in the middle, I'll stay out there."

The 34-year-old Siddle had been recalled to the Australian Test squad after almost one year for the 2019 Ashes.

His selection came under fire after going wicketless in the first innings at Edgbaston, but he had a pretty good excuse.

Aussie captain Tim Paine previously revealed how Siddle also tore a hip flexor in the first Test.

Paine also played through the pain

Paine, who also broke his thumb in the series finale but kept playing, revealed Siddle’s injury after the series concluded in September.

"Peter Siddle tore a hip flexor bowling on the first morning," Paine said.

"He has copped a bit of criticism for not bowling as well as he we know he can, but the team knows just how heroic he was.

“A lot of other people wouldn’t have bowled again in the match, but he pushed on because he didn’t want to leave Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins to do extra work.”

Australian players, pictured here celebrating with the Ashes urn.
The Australian players celebrate with the Ashes urn. (Photo by Tom Jenkins)

Paine’s batting performances have come under fire throughout his time in charge of the national side, but he had a pretty painful excuse in the fifth Ashes Test.

"My thumb was broken towards the end of that Test but it is not displaced, so I should be right to get back into training early," Paine wrote in a column for The Australian late last year.

It’s unclear when he suffered the injury or whether it was the same thumb Paine has had multiple surgeries on throughout his career.