Durbridge driven to win by past losses
VETERAN Queens skipper Michael Durbridge has consistently proved to be the man for the big occasions in his time on the Gold Coast.
And he credits a frustrating run of losses in finals matches as a youngster back in Bendigo for steeling his mental psyche and lifting his ability to handle pressure situations.
Durbridge, 37, will lead Queens in their quest for backto-back Kookaburra Cup cricket premierships in the grand final against Surfers Paradise at Arthur Angove Park this weekend.
And if history repeats, the lean swing machine will have a big say in where the Cup heads after end of play on Sunday.
Ever since Durbridge made the move to the Gold Coast from the South Brisbane club in 2005, he has had a habit of producing the goods in pressure matches.
For instance, in the 2005-06 grand final playing for Palm Beach-Currumbin against Broadbeach-Robina at Kerrydale, Durbridge was man of the match with a haul of 6-27 from 20 overs.
Durbridge then made the switch back to the Brisbane Premier Grade when he joined the Gold Coast Dolphins.
In the 2009-10 grand final, Durbridge took 2-62 and scored a second-innings 47 as the Dolphins took the title.
A few seasons later and Durbridge was back in the Gold Coast competition, this time with Queens, a club he joined in the season they were relegated to second grade.
Queens lost the 2014-15 grand final after rain washed out the second day and Coomera-Hope Island were awarded the title.
But last year Durbridge and Queens triumphed.
Durbridge’s 5-37 off 17 overs against Southport-Labrador was a match-winner and he was awarded the Greg Markwell Medal.
Ask Durbridge what drives him on in the big clashes and he goes back to his days with the Kangaroo Flat Cricket Club in the Bendigo competition in Victoria.
“It would be the five consecutive semi-finals I lost with Kangaroo Flat,” he said.
“It sort of produced a will of not wanting it to happen again, to dig in and get a victory.
“Actually the year I had with Palmy it was the first semi-final I’d ever won in cricket. I was 26 then.”