Humble start to Ashes glory

IT is arguably Tasmania’s most famous strip of backyard lawn — the quiet suburban location that produced Australia’s Test captain and centurymaker in the first Ashes Test victory.

Lisa Matthews still lives in the Lauderdale residence where her sons, Andrew and Bradley, her nephew Matthew Wade and Andrew’s close mate Tim Paine spent every summer holiday and weekend battling it out for backyard glory.

She looks back on the small part she played in Australian cricket with fondness.

“They spent all school holidays and most weekends in the backyard playing non-stop cricket,” said Ms Matthews, the sister of Wade’s father, former Hawthorn rover Scott.

“They were done up in their proper kits and the creases were painted on the lawn, they had trophies for their own Ashes series and all sorts of things.”

She said apart from a messy kitchen from when the boys broke for lunch, the damage was minimal, even if the competition was high.

“They were pretty good, there was only one broken window and that was a mate who threw the stump and it accidentally went through the loungeroom window,” she said.

“I’ve got a tin shed out the back that has got dents in it from where the ball would continually hit.

“There was the odd argument or two because they were never out when they were out, especially Matthew and Tim of course.

“Those two batted most of the time in every match.”

The two were always destined for sporting greatness.

Both excelled at cricket and football, but Tim was forced into an early decision.

At 16, Paine became Australian domestic cricket’s young

They were done up in their proper kits and the creases were painted on the lawn, they had trophies for their own Ashes series and all sorts of things LISA MATTHEWS

est ever contracted player when he received a basic $10,000 rookie contract with Tasmania.

But he could have followed his family bloodlines down the Aussie rules path.

Tim was a talented junior footballer. His elder brother Nick would go on to play for the Devils in the VFL and be a multiple TSL premiership captain with Clarence.

His uncle Robert Shaw played with Essendon and coached Fitzroy, Adelaide and the Tasmanian State of Origin team to a win over Victoria in 1990, while current North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw and his younger brother, GWS Giant Heath Shaw, are cousins.

The path could equally have been different for Wade.

He represented Tasmania in football at under-18s level and still claims to be the Lauderdale Football Club’s best ever product, despite it also producing 187-game Brisbane Lion veteran Mitch Robinson.

His father, Scott, played 12 games in the ultra-strong Hawthorn teams of the early 1980s and played in the 1990 Tasmanian team under Robert Shaw that defeated Victoria.

Wade is also first cousin to Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe.

But it has not always been wins and celebrations for either. Paine’s career looked over more than once after badly breaking his finger in a charity game, while Wade was rocked when diagnosed with testicular cancer at just 16 — not long after battling it out in the backyard against Paine.

Now Paine and Wade are leading Australia’s charge to hopefully retaining the Ashes, and Ms Matthews has to pinch herself that the two backyard cricketers are now national stars. “I do boast I produced two Australian cricketers in my backyard, I have said that to family,” she said.

“I’m very proud, especially with Matt, with all the hard work he’s done. He went through a tough time as a young kid (with testicular cancer), so I’m very, very proud.”