Fishing for wickets
MICHAEL Neser was planning to go fishing this week but the next baited hooks he delivers will now be outside off- stump in England.
South African- born Neser, 28, has been called into the Australia 50- over team to play five matches in England after Josh Hazlewood was ruled out with a back complaint just hours before the plane departed Brisbane on Monday.
Neser spent Tuesday rushing around Brisbane – and mowing his lawn – as he prepared for a night flight to London.
His selection is a just reward for a memorable season, in which he won the Big Bash with the Adelaide Strikers and the Sheffield Shield with Queensland, becoming the Bulls’ Duke of Hazard when the competition reverted to using the lively English Dukes balls after Christmas.
Neser’s summer tally of 39 Shield wickets ( at 21 apiece) with his wily swingers and seamers was bettered only by Victoria’s Chris Remain.
“I was planning on going fishing but now I have better things to do,’’ Neser said. “I am ecstatic. It was my girlfriend Olivia’s birthday yesterday, so I have had two great things happen in the one day.
“I think England will suit my style of bowling and I am hoping down the track they may look at me for red ball cricket. I feel ready because the last few years I have learnt a lot about my game. I have put a lot of consistent games together and been very fortunate to have some great coaches around me who have given me a lot of good advice.”
Neser has much to strive for given the World Cup and Ashes will be held in England next year. Australia has kicked itself for not taking more genuine swing bowlers on the four Ashes series it has lost in a row in England, so someone of Neser’s ilk may be a beneficiary of a revised plan.
Neser’s mother was in tears as the family celebrated a surprise selection, which was the culmination of a move from South Africa to the Gold Coast when Michael was 10. “I thought I was coming to Australia for a holiday,” he said.
“Just by chance I was surrounded by a lot of good people on the Gold Coast and it really helped me and my family, so it was not that hard to fit into Australian culture. Australia is the best country in the world.’’