Adelaide Uni cricketer Tom Robertson plays first A grade match in 2178 days
It has been a fair while between drinks for Adelaide University cricketer Tom Robertson. Since he last played for the Blacks’ A grade he has not only started a medicine degree, he has finished it too.
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It has been a fair while between drinks for Adelaide University cricketer Tom Robertson.
The last time the batsman pulled on the whites for the Blacks’ A grade was 2012.
In that time the 24-year-old has not only started a medicine degree, he has finished it too.
It had been 2178 days between appearances to be exact and Robertson did not see the selection coming.
“It definitely came as a surprise – I didn’t think I was going to play another A-grade game,” Robertson, of Kingswood, says.
Robertson not only had the joy of A-grade selection for last Saturday’s two-day match against Glenelg, but also completed the last day of his degree the Friday before the game.
He puts his drought in between appearances for the top side down to a greater focus on study, niggling injuries and struggling for selection.
But the batting all-rounder’s place in the team was not certain, coming into the match recovering from a broken finger.
He took 1/12 from six overs with the ball and did not bat as the Blacks chased down Glenelg’s 304 to take first-innings points.
“I got a text from the coach asking ‘how bad is the finger and can you field?’,” he says.
“I said I was fine to play.
“But then one of the boys spilt the beans at training and said congrats.
“I thought he just meant about finishing uni but then he said I was playing in the ones.
“I didn’t believe him at first.”
Robertson comes from good stock.
His father, David, made four first-class appearances for SA and his cousin, Alex Gregory, was a former Redbacks-listed all-rounder.
patrick.keam@news.com.au
