Australia's 12th youngest Test debutant has come a long way from a hat-trick for Henley two months ago, becoming the 12th spinner to try and replace Shane Warne
Todd Ferguson was enjoying the Oxfordshire sunshine in his weekday role as a landscape gardener when he received a text from the secretary at Henley CC informing him that the gangly teenager who took a hat-trick against North Mymms in the Home Counties Premier League in late May had just been presented with his Baggy Green cap by Glenn McGrath at Trent Bridge, and would be making one of the more unlikely Ashes debuts.
But as an old sparring partner of Darren Lehmann in South Australia, Ferguson was not wholly surprised by the startling rise of Ashton Agar. "As soon as we saw Ashton down at Henley, I said to a few of the guys that I wasn't sure how long he'd be with us, because I thought he had something that Boof [Lehmann] would like," said Ferguson, who first came to England in 2006 and now doubles as coach and wicketkeeper at the Brakspear Ground.
"I played cricket against Boof for many years in Adelaide, he's a great character and he likes a certain type of player. It's not been great news for Henley, because we were supposed to be getting Ashton for the whole season, then it went down to five games, then four and in the end he only played three. But it's worked out pretty well for him. I'm delighted for him, because he's always got a big smile on his face – a very easygoing lad. If you don't get on well with him there's something wrong. It's just a shame we couldn't have had him for a little bit longer."
Agar was sent to England in the spring by Cricket Australia as one of the first batch of six "Hampshire Scholars"– the south coast county having volunteered, rather unpatriotically, to aid the development of talent for the old enemy. "He was living down in Southampton with a couple of the other guys who have come over, and driving up to Henley to play at the weekends," Ferguson explained. "It was a good deal for us – Giles White [the Hampshire cricket manager] is a friend of our captain Bjorn Mordt, and he got in touch during the winter and asked if we wanted an overseas player for nothing.
"We knew he was going to be heading off with the Australia A team some time in June for some games in Scotland and Ireland. But coming off the ground after he took his hat-trick – all lbws, and all arm balls, funnily enough – he told the boys he didn't want to go home, he was enjoying it so much."
Henley's ground may be named after the town's brewer, but Agar was not tempted to taste the product, even after taking the first hat-trick of his career. "We stayed in the dressing room chatting for a long while and a few of us went across to the pub later on," Ferguson said. "But not Ashton – he does drink, I think, but he didn't touch a drop in all the time he was with us. He's fully committed to his cricket." That attitude seems to be paying off.
Agar was born in Melbourne and has a Sri Lankan mother, but had never played first-class cricket until January, after moving from his native Victoria to Western Australia. Yet within a couple of months he was fast-tracked into the senior Australia squad for the tour of India that will long be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
"His rise has been phenomenal since he was given an opportunity," said Justin Langer, the former Australia opener who now coaches WA. "What I love about Ashton is not only is he a very good cricketer who can bowl, bat and field, but he's an excellent person, so from that point of view we're very thrilled."
After being handed his cap by McGrath, Agar looked back at the pavilion after taking the field with the Australia team, as if he still could not believe what was happening. Michael Clarke gave him an early bowl, a tidy enough three-over spell from the Radcliffe Road end in which he induced a couple of false shots from Jonathan Trott, and he returned for a second spell after lunch.
"He was a pleasure to keep to," said Ferguson. "Watching his variation, and his hand placements and what he does with the ball, and his control is exquisite. You don't see that often, especially in such a young spinner. And he's also a brilliant fielder, and a very decent bat – it's like he's not really trying, with a beautiful fluent backlift and all very smooth."
Agar has now become Australia's 12th youngest Test debutant and the 12th specialist spinner selected since the retirement of Shane Warne. His rapid progress from the Thames to the Trent is already a great story, whatever happens next. Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 hours ago.
Todd Ferguson was enjoying the Oxfordshire sunshine in his weekday role as a landscape gardener when he received a text from the secretary at Henley CC informing him that the gangly teenager who took a hat-trick against North Mymms in the Home Counties Premier League in late May had just been presented with his Baggy Green cap by Glenn McGrath at Trent Bridge, and would be making one of the more unlikely Ashes debuts.
But as an old sparring partner of Darren Lehmann in South Australia, Ferguson was not wholly surprised by the startling rise of Ashton Agar. "As soon as we saw Ashton down at Henley, I said to a few of the guys that I wasn't sure how long he'd be with us, because I thought he had something that Boof [Lehmann] would like," said Ferguson, who first came to England in 2006 and now doubles as coach and wicketkeeper at the Brakspear Ground.
"I played cricket against Boof for many years in Adelaide, he's a great character and he likes a certain type of player. It's not been great news for Henley, because we were supposed to be getting Ashton for the whole season, then it went down to five games, then four and in the end he only played three. But it's worked out pretty well for him. I'm delighted for him, because he's always got a big smile on his face – a very easygoing lad. If you don't get on well with him there's something wrong. It's just a shame we couldn't have had him for a little bit longer."
Agar was sent to England in the spring by Cricket Australia as one of the first batch of six "Hampshire Scholars"– the south coast county having volunteered, rather unpatriotically, to aid the development of talent for the old enemy. "He was living down in Southampton with a couple of the other guys who have come over, and driving up to Henley to play at the weekends," Ferguson explained. "It was a good deal for us – Giles White [the Hampshire cricket manager] is a friend of our captain Bjorn Mordt, and he got in touch during the winter and asked if we wanted an overseas player for nothing.
"We knew he was going to be heading off with the Australia A team some time in June for some games in Scotland and Ireland. But coming off the ground after he took his hat-trick – all lbws, and all arm balls, funnily enough – he told the boys he didn't want to go home, he was enjoying it so much."
Henley's ground may be named after the town's brewer, but Agar was not tempted to taste the product, even after taking the first hat-trick of his career. "We stayed in the dressing room chatting for a long while and a few of us went across to the pub later on," Ferguson said. "But not Ashton – he does drink, I think, but he didn't touch a drop in all the time he was with us. He's fully committed to his cricket." That attitude seems to be paying off.
Agar was born in Melbourne and has a Sri Lankan mother, but had never played first-class cricket until January, after moving from his native Victoria to Western Australia. Yet within a couple of months he was fast-tracked into the senior Australia squad for the tour of India that will long be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
"His rise has been phenomenal since he was given an opportunity," said Justin Langer, the former Australia opener who now coaches WA. "What I love about Ashton is not only is he a very good cricketer who can bowl, bat and field, but he's an excellent person, so from that point of view we're very thrilled."
After being handed his cap by McGrath, Agar looked back at the pavilion after taking the field with the Australia team, as if he still could not believe what was happening. Michael Clarke gave him an early bowl, a tidy enough three-over spell from the Radcliffe Road end in which he induced a couple of false shots from Jonathan Trott, and he returned for a second spell after lunch.
"He was a pleasure to keep to," said Ferguson. "Watching his variation, and his hand placements and what he does with the ball, and his control is exquisite. You don't see that often, especially in such a young spinner. And he's also a brilliant fielder, and a very decent bat – it's like he's not really trying, with a beautiful fluent backlift and all very smooth."
Agar has now become Australia's 12th youngest Test debutant and the 12th specialist spinner selected since the retirement of Shane Warne. His rapid progress from the Thames to the Trent is already a great story, whatever happens next. Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 hours ago.
