by Chris Rogers
Sums up my Thunder Big Bash League experience. I hit the ground after missing a catching chance during a BBL match between Sydney Thunder and the Adelaide Strikers in December 2012. (GETTY IMAGES)
At Lord’s Cricket Ground the day the Ashes squad was announced, and I was included, in April 2013. (GETTY IMAGES)
50 in the second innings at Trent Bridge. Facing James Anderson of England on day 4 of the first Ashes Test match in July 2013. (GETTY IMAGES)
A ton and a tear or two. Raising my bat as I leave the ground on 101 not out as bad light stopped play in the fourth Ashes Test match in August 2013. (GETTY IMAGES)
Blood spilled on a difficult day after being struck on the head by a delivery from Stuart Broad during day 2 of the fourth Ashes Test in December 2013. (GETTY IMAGES)
More enjoyable times two days later, a match-sealing 100 and a hug from Watto. (GETTY IMAGES)
At 5–0 the Ashes had been won. Celebrations with Davey before the team song on 5 January 2014. (GETTY IMAGES)
Not much chance of positive press in the United Arab Emirites, and no runs either.
Pakistani bowler Imran Khan celebrates my dismissal on the second day of the second Test match in October 2014. (GETTY IMAGES)
Missing 100 against India at the SCG, amid 7 consecutive Test 50s as I’m dismissed by Mohammed Shami on day 1 of the fourth Test match against India in January 2015. (GETTY IMAGES)
Michael Clarke, Darren Lehmann, team doctor Peter Brukner and I discuss ruling me out of the Dominica Test due to concussion in June 2015. (GETTY IMAGES)
Arriving in the UK, Steve Smith feeds me a snag at the welcome BBQ in London in June 2015. A bit of fun before the Ashes. (GETTY IMAGES)
Hit on the helmet first ball of the morning by England’s James Anderson on day 2 of the second Ashes Test in July 2015. (GETTY IMAGES)
The pavilion was moving as Brad Haddin and David Warner checked I was OK during day 4 of the second Ashes Test. (GETTY IMAGES)
My last stand with Davey, walking from the ground at lunch, on day 1 of the fifth Ashes Test. (GETTY IMAGES)
The presentation of my award for Australia’s man of the series in August 2015. (GETTY IMAGES)
Mum and Dad are my two greatest supporters.
Captaining Somerset, during the County Championship Division One match between Somerset and Warwickshire in September 2016. (GETTY IMAGES)
CHRIS ROGERS
Born: 31 August 1977
Height: 1.77m
Left hand batsman
Was one of five Wisden Cricketers of the year 2014
Won the Keith Miller Medal as Australia’s player of the series in 2015 Ashes
BATTING
Chris Rogers First Class Centuries (74)
Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank my family first and foremost.
Dad pushed me, but always in a good way. His motto ‘if you’re not doing the work, Chris, someone else is’ stuck with me. He was my biggest supporter, even when things seemed hopeless, and I can’t imagine how I would’ve developed if not for him. Mum was always there providing balance to my often impulsive ways. The fact that she finds it too nerve-racking to watch me bat has always made me smile. She taught me the value of sticking at it; without that I would never have realised the highs I experienced.
My elder sister, Gillian, and my brother, David, often joked I was the favourite – no doubt it might have seemed that way, but they never begrudged me, even when I had to miss their weddings for cricket – something I’ll always regret. To their spouses, Simon and Nikki, and to my nephews, Tom, Orson and Gulliver, and niece Bailey: I look forward to spending more time with you.
I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive family, including the extended one: the children of Dad’s late brother, Derek – Matt, Sally and Cathy; Dad’s sister’s family, the Giffords – Aunty Jude, Giffo, Helen, Bronwyn and Alison; and the family of Mum’s brother, Rod Horn – wife Toni and children Peta, John and Ebony.
Huge thanks to so many I’ve been lucky enough to be coached by and to have played with.
Darren Wates, Phil Watkinson, Mike Paine, Chas Keogh, Charlie Burke, Toby Adams and Hugh Brown from Perth left big impressions on me and will always remain close friends.
Thanks to my best mate Shaun Doherty for everything. Being asked to be his best man was a very proud moment – I was slightly emotional at 2 am in Shaka Zulu in Camden, London.
John Morris, Angus Fraser, Greg Shipperd and Matt Maynard all took punts on me as a player and now their friendships mean a lot to me. Simon Helmot threw thousands of balls to me when I came to Melbourne and never complained once. His limitless enthusiasm is infectious.
Thanks to all the amateur clubs I played at in England, in particular North Devon, Exeter and Wellington, where I had fantastic times and made lifelong friends. Colin Payne at North Devon was like another father, while Frank Biederman and Lee Hart have been like brothers. Terry and Sharon O’Connor from Wellington have travelled the world to watch me play.
Melville, South Perth and University of WA clubs in Perth all gave me strong support, as did Essendon and Prahran in Melbourne. I’d very much like to thank Prahran, whose players made me feel so welcome, making Melbourne one of the best places on the planet for me.
The Warriors, such as Steve Magoffin, Ben Edmondson, Adam Voges, Marcus North, Ryan Campbell, Kade Harvey and Jo Angel, all made a difference. While I had to work for it, they gave me great support.
The Bushrangers were fantastic. I can’t speak highly enough of Dave Hussey, Andrew McDonald, Brad Hodge, Cam White, Damien Wright, Pete Handscomb, Aaron Finch, Dirk Nannes, Matty Wade and Bob Quiney. Those years winning titles with these guys were as good as any.
To all the guys who spoke in this book – Angus, Sam Robson, Graeme Swann, Steven Sylvester, Shane Watson, Peter Brukner and Paul Sealey – thank you for your time and kind words. Also Shippy for the foreword. Without your support, I’d have never played more than one game for Australia.
As for the Aussies, Darren Lehmann told me one of the best moments he’s had in coaching was telling me I was to play in the First Ashes Test in 2013. I’ll never forget that. Boof pushed me and supported me in equal measure, embracing my boisterous and fun-loving outlook. For that I am grateful, as it’s the only way I could have succeeded.
To Michael Clarke, I was a little wary to begin with, but you had nothing but support for me and laughed at my (bad) jokes and made me feel at home. Hadds, Watto and Smudger all looked out for me, as did the support staff, in particular Peter Brukner, Alex Kountouris, Damian Mednis, Michael Di Venuto, Michael Lloyd and Dene Hills, whose use of my look-alike in team meetings always brought the house down. Davey Warner took a while to get used to, but he’s got a heart of gold and always keeps in touch. Peter Siddle was the best to me, always there to put an arm around me when things were bad or when I’d done well. I have nothing but respect for him and his partner, Anna, and their passion for life.
I have deliberately not mentioned too much about my personal life in these pages, but to Kate, Kerry, Emma, Lucy and Sandra – I know I’m not perfect, but you all changed me for the better.
As for this book, I never really considered writing one, but my old agent, Rick Olarenshaw, was a believer, so thank you for your support and friendship. Also thanks to Pam Brewster and Michael Epis at Hardie Grant Publishing, who surprised me with their enthusiasm.
Lastly to Dan, my co-author … I’ve been fortunate enough to meet many fine journalists through cricket and had no hesitation asking Dan to help me. Apart from being a very skilled writer and award-winning author, he perhaps has a few similarities to me. While not always a natural fit with the players, he is a genuine guy who cares. Our friendship has been tested, but the more I got to know Dan, the more I saw those similarities – a little self-conscious and eager for approval, but also unwilling to back down and prepared to call a spade a spade. For that I have a lot of respect.
No doubt I’ve forgotten a few. I’ve b
een very fortunate to have an enjoyable career and, as so many past cricketers have said, it’s all about the friendships you’ve made. In that sense I’ve been even more fortunate.
Chris Rogers,
Taunton, August 2016
I was very glad to get the call from Chris to help tell the story of his career and at the same time look into some of the areas of Australian cricket I’d not been able to get at when writing Whitewash to Whitewash.
Spending time with Chris as he played for Somerset was vital, which would not have been possible without the generosity of many, not least Brendan Cowell and Steve Cannane, a pair of tremendously giving hosts.
Thanks also to Clare Skinner and Neil Robinson at the MCC, who kindly let me use the Lord’s library as a writing and researching base camp, while also offering good counsel and companionship. So too Sam Collins, Jon Hotten, Will Macpherson, Vithusan Ehantharajah, Melinda Farrell, Jonathan Liew, Joe Barton, Isabelle Westbury, Scyld Berry, Wayne Palmer, Mark Gallagher, Rob Wynn Jones, Jonny O’Hara, Sara-Jane Stone and the indefatigable Adam Collins.
At Hardie Grant, Pam Brewster has been an excellent and attentive publisher, keeping her composure even as the manuscript was a little slow to arrive. Michael Epis provided a high-quality editing job and lively email correspondence.
John and Ros Rogers opened up their cricket ground home, The Village Green, for an enjoyable visit and book-shaping discussion, while their photos, clippings and memories added just the right amount of anecdotal pepper.
At once subject and co-author, Chris has been unfailingly helpful, energetic and insightful. The care and attention to detail he has shown mirrors the fastidious nature of his batting, while he has also offered up the sort of frankness so rare in the airbrushed sporting world. His memory is better than he thought it was!
Daniel Brettig,
Melbourne, August 2016
Published in 2016 by Hardie Grant Books, an imprint of Hardie Grant Publishing
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Copyright text © Chris Rogers 2016
A Cataloguing-in-Publication entry is available from the catalogue of the National Library of Australia at www.nla.gov.au
Bucking the Trend
eISBN 978 1 74358 460 6
Cover design by Luke Causby/Blue Cork
Cover images courtesy of Getty Images
Statistics by Lawrie Colliver