Former Test quick Andy Bichel backs Gold Coast Dolphins star Michael Neser for Ashes call up
MICHAEL Neser’s Ashes aspirations have been backed by the man whose footsteps he has begun to follow, former Test quick Andy Bichel.
Local sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MICHAEL Neser’s Ashes aspirations have been backed by the man whose footsteps he has begun to follow, former Test quick Andy Bichel.
Called into the Test squad for the first time for Australia’s two-match series against Pakistan late last year, Gold Coast Dolphins veteran Neser has seemingly fallen down the pecking order as selectors cast an eye to August’s Ashes tour of England.
After returning from the UAE unused, the 29-year-old struggled for form in the opening rounds of this season’s Sheffield Shield, prompting his omission from the Test squads to take on India and Sri Lanka.
However, he bounced back in the final two games before the Big Bash, collecting 10 wickets at 17.6 and posting a matchwinning 76 not out in Queensland’s record-breaking win over Tasmania in Hobart.
With a career bowling average of 30.15 and batting average of 26.45 – boosted by 312 runs at 52 this season - the lion-hearted paceman has drawn comparisons with 19-Test swing bowler Bichel, who finished 769 first class wickets at 25.98 to go with 5860 runs at 26.51.
Now 48 and a former Test selector, Bichel has worked closely with Neser since joining the Bulls as an assistant in 2016 and urged Australian selectors not to forget about his 39-wicket campaign with the English Dukes ball last season.
TWIN TRIUMPHS BOOK DOLPHINS’ T20 SEMI FINAL SPOT
“He’s got to be a contender (for the Ashes), as someone who swings the ball and can bat in those (English) conditions. We’d be silly not to look at him, someone who’s been a consistent performer in Australian cricket over the last three or four years,” Bichel said.
“(With) the ability to use the Dukes ball, you’d like to think the Australian selectors are having a good, honest look at him and the way he bowled with the Dukes ball after the Big Bash last year. I think he came back from the UAE a little bit frustrated and probably tried a bit too hard in the first couple of Shield games and he’s now been able to get back into his work.
DOLPHINS MEN CRASH OUT OF T20 FINALS RACE
“Obviously they looked at him last season with the Dukes and I think that got him selected in those off-season tours overseas and hopefully they still remember what he was doing in those games because he was a real star for Queensland and a big reason why Queensland went on to win the Shield.
“Now we’re faced potentially with five Shield games to finish the season off after the Big Bash so there’s some real scope there as far as them looking at him with the Dukes ball.”
Bichel said his protégé’s batting, which was highlighted by an 81-ball 122 in the JLT One-Day Cup against Western Australia last season, was “more than a bonus”.
“We would see a lot more from Michael if he got more of an opportunity with the bat. I think he’s someone who can go up the order and really tear a game apart as well.
“He’s got that power hitting that we haven’t really discovered yet. I’ve seen it from time to time and hopefully as his career goes on we’ll see more of it because he’s got some real benefits there being such a clean striker of the ball.
“The way he batted in that Shield game in Hobart (when he made 76 not out), it was high quality. He’s just got to put those innings together a bit more consistently.”
Sitting sixth on the two-day ladder, Neser’s Dolphins teammates will return to long-form fixtures for the first time since December 1-2 when they host Toombul in Round 19 of Queensland Premier Cricket on Saturday.
A place in the Katherine Raymont Shield’s Twenty20 final will be up for grabs for the Dolphins’ women when they host Ipswich-Logan at Bill Pippen Oval on Sunday.
Coming off back-to-back victories against Wests and University of Queensland last Sunday, the Dolphins will tackle the Hornets at 2.15pm for the right to meet Valleys in the January 27 decider.
The hosts will enter the semi final full of confidence after winning seven of their 10 T20 fixtures so far, and may be boosted by the return of Georgia Redmayne from Women’s BBL duties with Hobart.
However, they will again be without Brisbane Heat duo Delissa Kimmince and Sammy-Jo Johnson, who will play the Sydney Thunder in the WBBL semi finals on Saturday.
BY THE NUMBERS
Michael Neser
■ First class wickets: 112 @30.15
■ Best bowling: 6-57
■ Five-wicket hauls: 1
■ First class runs: 1402 @26.45
■ Highest score: 77
Andy Bichel
■ First class wickets: 769 @25.98
■ Best bowling: 9-93
■ Five-wicket hauls: 36
■ First class runs: 5860 @26.51
■ Centuries: 9
■ Highest score: 148
Four codes, 100+ future stars: The top SEQ footy schoolgirls we saw in ‘24
Four code schoolgirl footy special: Here’s the top 100 cream of the crop schoolgirls we saw this season across SEQ rugby league, rugby union, the football and Aussie rules matches. FULL LIST
Gout Gout fires and a star is born as it rains records at the All Schools
Gout Gout fired and a jumps’ Star was Born as records tumbled left, right and centre during an explosive day 3 at the Queensland All Schools track and field championships. All you need to know here.