Casson emotional ahead of debut
2008-06-12 15:06
Barbados - Uncapped Australian left-arm wrist spinner Beau Casson admitted that he was overcome by emotion when he was told he would make his Test debut in the third and final Test against West Indies, starting on Thursday at Kensington Oval.
The 25-year-old Casson will be the only change to the Australian line-up, and he replaces leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, after he surprisingly retired from international cricket during the second Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
"You're trying to be all macho and manly," he told reporters. "It still brings a tear to my eye. I'm not ashamed to admit that.
"It's going to be a pretty tough time to try and keep myself together, knowing that I'm going to get that "Baggy Green".
"The excitement about something that you've always wanted to do had the better of me for a couple of minutes."
Casson learnt about his selection, when Australia captain Ricky Ponting made the announcement during the team's training session on Tuesday at the World famous ground.
"I was trying to look at the captain and I was very pumped and excited about the moment, and I had to look at the ground to give myself a second to pull myself together for training because it was a bit of a nightmare trying to get myself around being 401."
'I'm a cricket tragic'
With MacGill expected to feature as the first-choice spinner, Casson was not expected to take any part in the Test series. But he has used his time on the sidelines in the first two Tests wisely.
"I'm a cricket tragic, so I don't miss too many balls," he said. "I'm making sure that I am watching every ball out there.
"I have brief notes in my head, nothing sort of written down on paper. We have team meetings. We will go through that and talk about the plans we want to execute.
"I've gotten a fair bit of a hassle from the boys in the team about [my love for cricket]. I am watching DVDs in my room or not whether I am playing or not. I love the game of cricket. You will have some bad days, and the good days make it that much better."
Casson acknowledges it's been overwhelming being in the Australian team, let alone being in the same dressing room as some of his cricket heroes like his captain Ricky Ponting.
"They have all been fantastic, and Ricky has told me to enjoy the moment," he said. "They have made me feel so relaxed and welcomed which has made my journey a lot easier coming into this great side and to ply my trade, and try to fit in.
"I don't think I would be human if I was not nervous for the first few overs, but this is the difference between the good players and not so good players," he said.
Disappointing start
"You have to try and deal with it. I don't know how it will go, but I am pretty comfortable with my bowling at the moment - they are coming out already."
After a disappointing start to his career for Western Australia, Casson switched to New South Wales and has enjoyed a transformation in his fortunes.
In 40 first-class matches, he has taken 107 wickets at 40.36 apiece, including 29 wickets in the 2007-08 season, when he became New South Wales' first-choice spinner in the absence of MacGill.
"I am just the standard leg-spin bowler," he said. "I just have your four main deliveries, but I guess that's why Shane Warne was so good. He had so many different deliveries.
"But I am trying to concentrate on getting the basics right, and who knows, when I am a little bit older and more experienced, I'll make a few of my own up."