Veteran Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris has credited coach Darren Lehmann's idea of involving the players' wives and girlfriends (WAGs) more closely in the Ashes and credited it as being their 'secret weapon' behind the demolition of England in the five-match series.
Coach Darren Lehmann's personal mission to get the WAGS more involved has bonded Australian Test stars in a way not seen for many years with WAGs such as captain Michael Clarke's wife Kyly, David Warner's partner Candice Falzon, and Harris's wife Cherie having played a big off-field role in taking down England.
According to News.com.au, Harris applauded Lehmann's idea of bringing the players in closer touch with their families even during matches, saying that Lehmann's answer to a good team environment is a 'happy wife, a happy life or a happy family life'.
Stating that Lehmann's wants to make the team environment as normal as possible, Harris also said that Lehmann is a 'people's person' for which ever player puts their heart on their sleeve for him, adding that Lehmann brought the team together when he was playing and he has done it even better since he has been a coach.
Harris also said that Lehmann's goal was to get to know the players and find out what made everyone tick, and the best way to get them in the mood to be where they are now, adding that even when they were losing in England, they still had fun as a group.
Even though Australia was flogged 3-0 in England during the summer Ashes, there were signs of a momentous change in team morale when former Australian batsman Lehmann took over from sacked coach Mickey Arthur, the report added.
