Australia v India Test series: Victoria’s Chris Tremain gets reward for Shield consistency
Chris Tremain was set to make the touring party to England in June, and could have claimed a baggy green in the UAE last month, but his fitness was so sluggish. Now he’s back and says he’s learned his lesson.
Numbers have proven the making of Chris Tremain, but his performance in a 2km time trial almost marked his cards for good.
Tremain was set to make Justin Langer’s first touring party to England in June, and could have claimed a baggy green in the UAE last month, but his fitness was so sluggish he was asked by the Australian hierarchy how badly he really wanted it.
State cricket’s statistical juggernaut, who has taken 200 first-class wickets at an average of one every 23 runs, overindulged on holiday to the extent he failed the most basic of high performance endurance tests – costing him the opportunity of a lifetime.
However, to Tremain’s immense credit, the penny dropped instantly and within the space of a couple of months he has pounded the pavement to now be on the cusp of debuting for Australia against India in a home Test series this summer.
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Tremain was largely forced to move from NSW to Victoria due to the presence of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins at the Blues, now if one of them breaks down – the 27-year-old appears as though he’s first-cab-off-the-rank to replace them.
“I think it’s good when you see people have some great achievements in the Shield level and be rewarded in the Test team and someone like him he’s not just had a good first few games, he’s been consistent the last few years,” said Cummins.
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“And bowling at the MCG every week, it pretty much doesn’t get harder for any fast bowler around the world, there’s not much on offer there so to see how much success he’s had down there is quite incredible.”
Tremain admits his embarrassing fitness fail cost him badly, and he resolved not to make the same mistake twice.
“I’d come back from a holiday, I was a week into bowling and I got up to Brisbane and was half-cooked,” Tremain told cricket.com.au.
“I tried to train with the Aussies and I was – not shunned – but mollycoddled a bit because I wasn’t ready to train and play with them.
“I never saw myself as a 12-month-a-year player. I saw myself as a seven-month player and then have a breather for six weeks and then go again.
“I got found out.
“It took me that kick in the guts (to realise).
“I don’t believe I’ve missed an opportunity since.”
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