GARNER V COCHRANE: WHY NOT?

IT’S the epic grudge match no one ever saw coming.

In fact, it’s one that will have sports fans scratching their heads and asking “why did this even take place?”.

In one corner, Tony Cochrane, the head honcho at the Suns and long-time bigwig in sporting circles.

In the other corner, Joel Garner, armed with frame- rattling height and knuckle-shattering bowling pace. Yes, this did in fact happen. The year? Early 1990s. Why? Cochrane was once associated with late Aussie cricketer David Hookes.

When the batsman retired, Cochrane organised a testimonial fixture, inviting stars including West Indies spearhead Garner to play.

Cochrane, ever the niggler and rarely the cricketer, essentially called out the man with more than 250 Test wickets, then aged about 40.

“The players were having a hit in the nets before the game and I was giving him (Garner) a hard time so he said ‘come in here and have a go’,” Cochrane, now 64, recalled.

“So they padded me up.

“He said ‘stay there, man, and you’ll be safe’.

“So I did what I was told and it was all OK when he bowled to me.”

Yet there was no crisp cover drive to end this tale.

“Truth be told I never saw the ball,” Cochrane said.

“I heard it but I never saw it. All I know is that it went past my arm.”