NSW batsman Daniel Hughes on the benefits of thinking small
NSW batsman Daniel Hughes is in the sort of form that could earn him a Test call-up, but his focus is just on being successful with his state.
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You don’t have to be a boy wonder to be an accomplished Test cricketer.
When Mark Taylor made his Test debut back in 1989, he had a solid record, but there certainly wasn’t bells and whistles ringing out around the nation.
There is a similar vibe to understated NSW opener Daniel Hughes.
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A country boy like Taylor, Hughes, 30, could emerge as a serious contender for a mature-aged Test debut with a big score on Saturday against Tasmania at Drummoyne Oval.
Hughes has started the summer with two monster one-day centuries for the Blues and a gutsy Sheffield Shield 66 not out against Queensland, which was worth more than some of the hundreds compiled by other Test candidates, given the innings guided NSW to victory on a lively Gabba wicket.
Respected Fox Cricket analyst Kerry O’Keeffe felt Hughes was Test ready last summer, while the left-hander was rated so heavily by Steve Smith two years back that NSW’s biggest run-scorer Ed Cowan was dropped to make way.
Hughes’ first-class average of 39 presents as strong a case as any of the candidates shooting out for the first Test against Pakistan next month, while at one-day level he averages 60.
The Ashes failings of Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja and Cameron Bancroft and the non-selection of Joe Burns has thrown the opening spot wide open, but Hughes insists the opportunity is not motivating him.
“I wouldn’t say it’s in the forefront of my mind as a motivation. Now I’ve turned 30 and I’ve cemented my spot with NSW … I know I probably don’t have too many years left so I really want to start winning comps for NSW,” said Hughes, who is eyeing a bat on day two, after Tasmania staggered to 6-258 at stumps.
“It’s the old cliché but I’m just looking after my own backyard doing what I can.”
When Hughes left school he was working behind the counter of a service station in Cowra, and unlike many of his peers, never even imagined the prospect of playing for Australia. He only moved to Sydney at his dad’s urging.
He debuted for the Blues as a 24-year-old, but really only cracked a spot permanently aged 27 – and believes his late arrival and modest goal of just wanting to make it as a state cricketer has relieved the pressure valve and improved him as a cricketer.
“As soon as you start putting expectations on yourself you just put too much pressure on yourself,” said Hughes.
“I just keep things simple and think small.
“I literally moved to Sydney just to see how far I could make it in cricket and it was to play state cricket. It’s always a dream to play cricket for Australia when you’re growing up … but it hasn’t really eaten away at me that I haven’t played for Australia yet because I know it’ll happen if it’s going to happen. It really was just a main focus of mine to play state cricket.”
Others might have called it quits having not cracked it for NSW heading into their late 20s, but Hughes was driven by a desire to prove people wrong who didn’t think he was good enough.
A self-confessed “chubby kid”, former Test star Brad Haddin pushed Hughes to lose weight and train harder.
Meanwhile, NSW fast bowler Mitchell Starc found some form on a dry, slow wicket, getting the ball to reverse in a devastating spell late in the day to finish with 2-36.
Tasmania dropped the ball after a 100-run opening stand, with a run of wickets after lunch which included Test incumbent Matthew Wade throwing his wicket away.
Originally published as NSW batsman Daniel Hughes on the benefits of thinking small