As those of you who have been reading these columns for a few years will know, I love my cricket too, so I was rapt to score an invite to ‘Warnie’s Wing’ during the one-dayer at the Gabba.
I know Greg Phillips and a few of the Foster’s guys and they asked if I wanted to go along. I think they wanted a bit of a promo for the first game, as Blacky, Gordy Tallis and Matty Johns went as well.
Talk about comfortable! It was so good up there in the lounge that it almost felt like a step down going into a corporate box.
The only disappointing part was that the weather wound up ruining what looked like being a good game halfway through.
There was a bonus for us at the end though.
I was walking through the back of the corporate/media area when I got to meet my cricket idol Wasim Akram.
He was a fast left-arm bowler like me, and I have always rated him as the best left arm quickie of alltime.
Michael Kasprowicz, the great Queensland Bulls bowler, introduced me to Wasim and we had a good old chat for 10 minutes or so.
You might not think a Pakistani would have hard about our game, but he had seen a bit of it on TV.
Actually, I read where Trevor Barsby, the former Queensland opener, had watched a grand final on telly in some far flung part of Pakistan when touring with an Australian junior team late last year, so it was probably the same channel.
Anyway, I was just rapt to meet Wasim. He’s still got those broad shoulders and he is a big man when you see him up close – he was in real good shape and looked like he could still send down the odd thunderbolt or two.
It has been interesting reading about the debate over the new Indian Cricket League Twenty20 comp and how the ICC won’t make space to fit it into the calendar.
They have got to allow it, otherwise we could see a few of the older guys who have had a fair crack at the ‘baggy green’ retiring early.
You can’t blame the players for wanting to set themselves up for life.
The ICC can have the best of both worlds if they play their cards right.
Outside of watching some of the cricket and our regular commitments to the club during summer, I’ve taken on an ambassador role for Good Sports Home Services.
My cousin ‘Mugsy’ set up a lawnmowing business last year Good Sports Home Services has grown from that.
It’s a franchise that provides waterless car washing, gardening and mowing, and home handyman services.
A percentage from the sale of each franchise goes to the sporting club of the franchisee’s choice, which is helping sport at the grass roots level.
It’s still in its infancy, but about five franchises are operating at the moment and they should be successful because a lot of homework was done beforehand.
On the footy side of things, I’m really happy with where I’m at. It’s been a good preparation and I’m really excited about where the team is at.
My motivation couldn’t be higher and I just can’t wait to play. I’ve got an important fortnight coming up to get some footy match practice under my belt and hopefully I’ll be cherry ripe for Round 1.
