POINT TO PROVE

ANDREW Fergusson had a point to prove.

Dropped to the seconds for disciplinary reasons in Round 3, the North Geelong all-rounder was determined to win back the respect of his peers.

And he did that in the best possible fashion.

Carving out a crucial 68 last round after being promoted back into the firsts, Fergusson went on to claim match-high figures of 6-55 to spearhead the Magpies’ crucial win over Newtown & Chilwell.

It all came after the 37-yearold’s controversial dumping from the first XI, relegated to the seconds for the first time in his career for the Round 3 game against Lara.

Missing training, Fergusson was punished by coach Jack Hall and the match committee and contemplated throwing the game away.

“Leading up to the day, I didn’t want to show up at all,” a brutally honest Fergusson said of the Pies’ second XI clash against Lara three weeks ago.

“I sent a couple of messages to the second XI captain saying ‘Find another player’. I felt that I wasn’t a seconds cricketer.

“Then I spoke to a few people around me and they said ‘It’s happened for a reason, take it on the chin’.”

Not since 1998-99 had Fergusson played in the twos. But he made 19 and claimed 1-8 with the ball against the Cats and then belted 42 in the Geelong Advertiser T20 Cup clash with Grovedale three days later. Immediately he was recalled. Fergusson said while he felt the punishment was not entirely justified, he accepted he needed to pull his socks up.

“There’s a little more behind it, I had a legitimate excuse as to why I wasn’t there, but it wasn’t taken that way by the captain and it was a group decision for me to be put in the seconds,” Fergusson said.

“It really took its toll on me and gave me a different perspective on my attitude. I went to training before the game against Newtown and I trained really well.

“I got a phone call from Sam (captain Sam Hall) telling me to put everything behind me, that I’d done the right things and I was back in the side.”

Fergusson revealed he turned to stalwarts Peter Kenyon and Harvey Stephenson.

“I had a chat to a couple of senior players about the selection at the time,” Fergusson said.

“Harvey told me about a time when he was making runs and he got dropped in similar circumstances and he took it on the chin, didn’t play (in the firsts) the next game and was back the following week.

“Coming into the game against Newtown, I needed to show why I belonged in the side.

“People look to me as a role model, so I needed to step up. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best player or the worst player, you have to set the example.

“I wanted to set some new goals at North Geelong. If you don’t attend training or at least send a text, your position is on the line. There’s plenty of players performing from the seconds down to the fourths and there’s always someone who can take your spot.

“I took that on the chin and I really had a point to prove.

“I just wanted to present myself well and come into the next game and really have an impact. It drove me to perform. I went out there with purpose, I really knuckled down and I had a really good game.”

Despite differences of opinion, Fergusson said he and brothers Jack and Sam Hall were on good terms in the wake of the selection controversy.

“I had a chat to the captain and he said ‘What’s happened is in the past now, come into Saturday and give it your all. Do what we know Andrew Fergusson can do’ and I happened to play the game of my life,” Fergusson said.

“It’s been a long time since I took wickets and made runs. I think it’s been two years since I turned a 50 into a 60 or 70, so that’s driven me to do better for the rest of the season.”