Dan Worrall is proof cricket is indeed a funny game.
Two years ago the Victorian paceman was playing third grade at the Melbourne Cricket Club. Life revolved around studying for a commerce and law degree, a game or two on the green and a beer or two afterwards.
Even six months ago Worrall's plans were pretty simple and they didn't involve playing state cricket.
As little as three months ago he thought about heading to England next winter to "play some village cricket and drink beer".
Then Darren Berry came calling.
The South Australian coach was looking to add to the Redbacks' bowling stocks and heard good reports about 21-year-old Worrall and his ability to swing the ball.
Worrall was given a rookie contract after playing less than a dozen first-grade games for Melbourne. After one grade cricket game in Adelaide, he made his debut in the Redbacks colours last weekend.
"It was kind of surreal," Worrall said of the moment when he stood at the top of his run-up, ready to bowl for the first time for South Australia.
"It was like I've won a competition at school where I've got to come out and play with the Redbacks."
He settled in and managed to bowl a maiden over first up.
"I knew that all I had to do was bowl at the top of off," Worrall said.
"It's a simple game really, run in on the angle and hit the top of off and tell the batsman how good he isn't and simple as that really."
Actually, it's the art of the sledge that caught Berry's attention as much as anything. In a squad that has struggled for two years to win a Sheffield Shield match, Berry wanted a bowler with a bit of confidence and the ability to back-up his verbal barbs.
Worrall's first confrontation with Tasmanian captain Tim Paine was clear evidence the young quick was not shy to state his thoughts.
"It depends on the situation of course but I like to go out there and be competitive," he said.
"That's what we're out there to do. We're not out there to make friends, we're out there to compete and beat the guy at the other end at the end of the day.
"It's just a bit of banter out there in the middle, it's part of the game I think and, in my opinion anyway, it's part of the game and come off and have a beer afterwards."
The affable Worrall has worked on another game in the past year - acting.
Former Australian spinner Ray Bright approached him during a game last season and declared "You look like my old mate Mick Malone, would you like to be an actor?"
Worrall was asked to play former Australian swing bowler Mick Malone in the Australian TV mini-series Howzat, which chronicled the formation of World Series Cricket in the late 1970s.
While he had never seen footage of Malone bowling, Worrall not only bore a physical resemblance to the West Australian but his delivery action was similar. It was certainly noticed by television commentators Mark Waugh and Damien Fleming when they first saw him approaching the crease.
"Funnily enough Mark Waugh mentioned that I bowled a bit like Mick Malone and then Damien Fleming brought up the fact I was actually cast as him," Worrall said.
Away from the small screen, his first experience of state cricket left Worrall with figures of 2/68 from 13 overs, a duck when he batted and a Redbacks loss to Tasmania by three runs. Not an outstanding start, but certainly encouraging and one he is determined to build on.
"I think I just need to keep a level head and continue my hard work and dedication and if I happen to get a game, I happen to get a game," he said.
"I'll make sure I firstly get that game and then make an impact when I play."
Given Worrall's story of recent months, there is every chance of a few more interesting chapters as he makes his way through the summer of state cricket.
Tags: cricket, sport, human-interest, sa, adelaide-5000, australia First posted October 16, 2012 09:38:44
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