INTERVIEW - Hughes ready for Lord's challenge

By Richard Sydenham

LONDON (Reuters) - Australia opener Phillip Hughes will play his first Lord's test on Thursday fully prepared for anything the England bowlers may hurl at him.

Hughes was dismissed cheaply in both innings by Steve Harmison in a warmup game before the drawn first test in Cardiff. Harmison has been added to the England squad for the Lord's match.

Hughes will take the confidence of a winning duel with the most potent new ball attack in the world in South Africa this year when he tamed Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.

"They were the second best team in the world coming in hard at me and their tails were up after winning the series in Australia," Hughes told Reuters. "They also came at me hard with the verbals but I said a bit back and enjoyed that contest.

"Morkel and Steyn are two that stand out and I loved that (verbal) contest but ultimately I play the ball not the bowler, whoever is in front of me I will be ready and raring to go."

It is quite a show of bravado from the 20-year-old who has played just four tests but one that is justified after he beat George Headley's 79-year-old record by becoming the youngest man to score hundreds in both innings of a test. Hughes made 115 and 160 at Durban.

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