I have been trying to lose weight for the last two-three months and it has gone really well. In the last 6-12 months I have been in the best form in quite a while.
I suppose my look, the way I play - you combine all that sort of stuff and that makes people interested in what I actually do. So then, when off-the-field stuff happens... I suppose it's one of those cocktail mixes.
I think we have got the wood on South Africa, but that does not mean they are not a good team. They intimidate a lot of teams but we intimidate them. There is no disrespect for South Africa; they are a very good team.
I think when two people get together, their past is their past. Their reputations are reputations. You can only take someone the way you find them... on face value. I think that was how we were both, the way we were.
I've slept with a couple of people and made some poor choices and put things in jeopardy with... what I was happy with, and that's my own fault. I've got no one else to blame about that stuff.
My life was falling apart and then to come out and play and have my best ever - 40 wickets, 250 runs... But the only reason I could do that was because of the way I thought and I think I'm pretty strong mentally. I think I am anyway, pretty strong to get over whatever it is.
My only problem is the fear that opposition bowlers might go for my fingers and that's why I was scared of the short ball. Now I am struggling with the ball pitching up and swinging away. I just keep nicking that one.
The first thing is to be patient, which is probably the hardest thing to do. Don't worry if blokes are whacking you out of the park because you still have the opportunity to get him out next ball, even if it's not the same ball.
The reason why I have lost weight is that I looked at the international schedule and thought that I wanted to play for another two years. It is a very hectic schedule and if I want to get through that then I have to be in the best shape that I can.
With just about every player in Australia, his whole goal and ambition is to play for Australia. That's why they're playing first class cricket. It's just a different attitude.
