New Aussie Bigham sticks it to old mates
AUSTRALIA were just one series win away from claiming a clean sweep against New Zealand in the transTasman masters hockey but they needed the help of a Kiwi to do so.
After growing up in New Zealand and representing his birth country in the past, Labrador Tigerstix player Craig Bigham last week swapped his native colours for the green and gold as Australia claimed their seventh straight trans-Tasman crown on Saturday at Labrador.
After moving to the Gold Coast in 2006, Bigham said it was a strange feeling to go up against his countrymen, many of whom he’d known since his childhood.
“It was a really strange experience,” he said.
“It has always been a natural thing for me to make myself available for New Zealand and play for them so it took a bit of adjustment.
“I ran into a lot of mates this week and had a lot of banter with people telling me I was in the wrong colours but
it was all fun and games.”
When it came to picking a highlight from the competition, the 35-year-old was quick to reminisce on Australia’s second game which saw them down New Zealand 5-2.
“The goalie for New Zealand
I’ve known since I was 12 and I played against him a lot in juniors and then I scored a goal against him in our second game,” Bigham said.
“There was a lot of banter flying around because I was always trying to score against him as a kid and now all these years on I’m still trying to.”
Bigham’s Australian debut couldn’t have gone much better with his 35+ side remaining undefeated all week, culminating in Australia’s overall series win.
“It’s a fantastic achievement for our boys and to secure the series as well, was pretty great,” he said. “It was an honour to wear the Australian colours this time.”
Other teams to win their series include the 35+ women, 40+ men and women, 45+ men and women, 50+ men and women, 55+ men, 60+ men and women and 65+ men and women.