D’Arcy lets runs flow
Hurricane’s unconventional path to Big Bash glory and bright future
THERE has never been an Australian cricket story quite like D’Arcy Short’s. And the most vivid chapters are yet to be written.
The fact he is indigenous means so much because in 140 years of Test cricket, Australia has only had one male indigenous player pull on a baggy green cap – Jason Gillespie. But it is more than that. It is also the fact that he was born in Katherine in the Northern Territory and came through a junior system far removed from the traditional pathways before he left at age 19 to become the batsman who has rocked the Big Bash with scores of 96, 97 and 122 for the Hurricanes – the last a match- winner against the Brisbane Heat.
But it is more than that as well. It is the fact that he was once going nowhere as a cricketer and had to lose a whopping 15kg to make something of himself, disappearing from view for several years.
Short was a contender to replace Chris Lynn in the national 50-over squad for the series against England and is a shooin for the national Twenty20 squad.
All this from a player who batted No.9 for Western Australia in his last Sheffield Shield match in December after being selected primarily for his left-armed wrist spin.
Twenty20 selector Mark Waugh has already compared his potential trajectory to that of David Warner, who started as a Twenty20 star before blossoming in the Test scene.
Short is not lacking mentors – his state coach Justin Langer and his Hurricanes coach Gary Kirsten are, like him, lefthanded opening batsmen.
Both were outstanding Test match performers who have taught him different things.
Langer has urged him to be more professional.
“Be disciplined, be smart at what you’re doing and watch the ball,” was Langer’s advice to Short and he has taken it – finally.
“I’ve been more professional, watching what I eat,” Short said, “trained a bit harder and put a bit more intent into what I do. I lost 15kg.
“Gary just wanted me to try and bat longer in the innings and try and get us to a higher total.”