For the first six years of my career with the Tasmanian Tigers the Awards night has been somewhat uneventful. The one year I had a chance of winning an award was 04/05 when I took 20 wickets in the One Day season as a 21 year old. Still eligible for the Young Player of the Year I entered the night full of confidence. What I didn’t know was that the age eligibility of the award was extended out to 34 and Adam Griffith took home the biscuits. I went to all the trouble of buying a new suit, preparing a speech and didn’t drink a beer until the award was announced.. I was seething… then very drunk!!
Things have certainly changed in the past two years. Last Friday night I was named the Ricky Ponting Medallist for the second year in a row. At the end of the 06/07 Season I was giving serious thought to giving the game away. I was nowhere near playing in the Pura Cup Final and fair enough – my form was horrible! My passion for the game was gone and I struggled to see myself coming back from the place I was at. I attended the Awards night of 06/07 and the fire in my rather large belly started to rumble.. I could see the elation on the faces of the players who played in that historic final. The togetherness that winning a Final or even a game brings. The laughter, the beer, the feeling over pure elation that you have been able to achieve something pretty special with 12 of your mates.. I wanted a piece of that. There were some people who lost faith in what I was capable of achieving and that was understandable. But to those of you who didn’t I can’t thank you enough. You guys are the reason I write this blog from my hotel room in Cape Town.
The Test Series in South Africa is now over, with the overall result going Australia’s way. I would like to say that I contributed to this in some way, but I can’t lie to you – I didn’t. Yeah, I serviced the batters with some of my military medium pace in the nets, I serviced the bowlers with energade, towels, a selection of mixed lollies and sunscreens ranging from 15+ for the darker skinned players and 80+ for the fairer skinned boys i.e., Fanta Pants Macdonald (why is it that if your last name is Macdonald you’re an easy target?) I contributed to the team meetings in my usual manner – not at all, and drank a record amount of Coke in a 10 day period. I even offered umpire Billy Bowden some muffin that I had in my pocket from lunch time.. He kindly rejected my offer. It doesn’t matter what the players and coaching staff say about the importance of the 12th mans role.. It’s rubbish. You sit around waiting for someone to want something.. a glorified lacky!! Ha, it could be worse.. I could be at home mowing the lawns or watching Buttsy attempt to play a chip shot…. Now that’s ugly.
I must admit I was a little worried about coming into this squad and carrying out the duties of 12th man. The last time I performed this role for Tasmania it ended in disaster..
We had won the 04/05 ING Cup on the Sunday and were set to play the Vics in a Four Day game starting on the Wednesday. The morning of the match I had taken ill, truly very sick. Of course this raised eye brows that I was suffering an ING Cup hangover.. I can assure you, that was not the case. I managed to get through Day 1 unscathed, we bowled and I sat in the Air Conditioned comfort of the MCG “fielders rooms”. Day 2 came and went without too many dramas and I thought I was performing my role of 12th man admirably. Day 3 was when things started to head down hill for me. I made myself a chicken wrap just before Tea and left it out to be toasted. I poured myself a Coke and sat down with a magazine to enjoy my afternoon snack. 1st bite mmmm good, 2nd bite, even better than first.. 3rd bite… minty? Why is it minty… sip of coke – better. 4th bite, very minty and a little chewier than the first three bites.. After close examination I discovered someone had put a whole packet of PK in my wrap and the whole team was watching me attempt to eat it. It was one of those moments that if it wasn’t you, it would have been hilarious.
The result of the match didn’t go our way, I think we were beaten by an innings and a whole heap of runs. One positive to being 12th man is that when your team gets a smacking, it’s not your fault. How could you possibly place any portion of blame on the guy whose one job is to stir the Powerade? Well it turns out that in this match it was partly the 12th mans fault. According to the Bevster I was the worst performed 12th man ever!! He was putting some of the blame onto my shoulders.. I didn’t know the 12th man wasn’t allowed to sleep during the Lunch and Tea breaks and had to be on call in the middle of the night to read players bed time stories and keep the monsters under their beds!! But, it was clearly my fault the Vics made 785 and bowled us out twice for 65. I think Bev was still holding a grudge from when I hit him in the head on national TV in a Mercantile Mutual Cup game back in 2000. Yes, I was 18 and obviously way too quick for the Bevster!!
I was fortunate enough to make my International Twenty20 debut last week in Jo’berg. I know what your about to say; “Didn’t this fat nuffy already play for Australia in a Twenty20?” I said the same thing when I was presented my cap. Apparently if you go for more than 60 runs in 4 overs, it doesn’t count as a fixture for your Country. Of course I’m talking about the ACA All Stars vs Australia Twenty20 EXHIBITION Match where I was hammered by Michael “I smash cans” Dighton.
It’s ok with me I made my debut because Tasmania’s favourite ever cricket player “Bulidahouse” is being rested from all forms of cricket – The TCA Members aren’t happy about it though – They are fuming!! When Hilf is playing for Tassie we get a few of the members out on the balcony cheering for Ben after he finishes every over. The team feels loved and wanted.. I took two wickets in an over in the last Shield game. As I’m walking down towards the members I’m thinking to myself, this is going to be awesome, they are gonna go mental when I get down there!! How wrong was I?.. Not one solitary clap... No streamers.. No banner to run through.. Donuts, Agent Zero!! Why is that? What about the rest of the squad? Even up the love members!
Dan Marsh has stood down as captain of the Tigers. At the age of 36 he has decided to spend his last year in the team mentoring the new captain in the role. This is a noble act from a guy who has been the rock, well, rather large rock (Ayres ROCK, ROCKy Road Ice Cream from Cold ROCK, Dwayne LevROCK) of Tasmanian Cricket for the last 5 years.
Not having the big C next Dan’s name doesn’t mean his leadership is lost to us. Without Dan's leadership both on and off the ground our team wouldn’t be where it is today. We are a squad that now has no divisions, everyone is accepted for who they are and what they bring. Gone are the days where you have to change your behaviour to attempt to fit in. Dan needs to take a lot of credit for that. So Dan, a new chapter begins in your book of cricket and I hope the next year brings you as much joy as the past decade.
In brief, don’t watch scary movies on your own, I had to sleep with the night light on last night. The kid out of “The Omen” is still haunting me – Quick shout out to Mr Park’s class. Footy’s back and Triple M are keeping me in the game. Listening to the Hawks v Cats game was very humourous. If you haven’t listened to Gary Lyon, James Brayshaw, Chief and Brissle Taylor, do yourself a favour.. hilarious!! The return of Josh Howard will see the Mavericks lift a cog coming into the Playoffs.. Unfortunately they have Erica Dampier guarding the paint – Seriously, my mum wouldn’t let Paul Gasol make all 11 of his shots in the first half.. And she is known for her ability to hit the open man for the corner 3..Man up Dampier!