Surfers bringing in the really big guns
FORMER Brisbane Heat player Nathan Reardon remains hopeful he may return to the Big Bash as he prepares to return to grassroots cricket with Surfers Paradise.
Today’s Cricket Gold Coast first grade Round 2 game between Surfers Paradise and reigning back-toback premiers Queens will be Reardon’s first game of the 2017/18 season.
The 32-year-old largely forged his career in the short formats of the game, playing 88 one-day games for the Queensland Bulls while also spending time at Big Bash clubs Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat and the Melbourne Renegades.
Reardon wasn’t offered a new contract with the Bulls or Heat for the coming season but he said he was still open to any T20 opportunities.
“I’m committed to try and still play Big Bash and I still want to but I guess it makes it a little bit harder when you’re out of the system,” he said.
“That’s the reality of it unfortunately. I’m still hopeful and hopefully something gets over the line in the next couple of weeks so that it gives
me time to get myself ready for the Bash.”
In the meantime Reardon said he was excited to link up with good friend, former Bulls teammate and Surfers Paradise captain Chris Swan.
Fellow former Queensland representative Ryan Harris has also agreed to play at various points of the season for Surfers Paradise.
“I wanted to stay involved in cricket and I wanted to still get that team camaraderie and I didn’t have the time to put into playing grade cricket in Brisbane,” Reardon said.
“I’m looking forward to getting involved with Surfers and hopefully I can have an impact,” Reardon said.
“I want to go well. I still have that competitive edge but I get more pleasure in helping out the younger players now.
“If I can teach the young players and they can learn from me, Ryan and Chris who have all played professional cricket then that’d be great.”
Since his move away from professional cricket Reardon has increased his efforts to build a tour company he owns that specialises in fishing charters.
The company has packages stretching from the Sunshine Coast to north Queensland as well as Darwin, New Zealand and PNG.
“It’s not a bad life to go from cricket to fishing,” he said.