‘Pretty surreal’: The students, sales reps, council staff and managers set to face Steve Smith
Rodgie is likely to bowl at first change on Saturday. Photo: Instagram/@mosmancricketclub
Running in, ball in hand, facing the best batsman in the world. A big crowd watching on. A good delivery that does a little in the air and a little off the surface. And that unmistakable sound of leather crashing into the stumps and the celebrations that follow. It is every bowler’s dream.
Scott Rodgie has a chance to live out that dream on Saturday as Steve Smith plays his first cricket match in Australia since the ball-tampering scandal that rocked the nation.
Smith’s return comes in Sydney grade cricket as his Sutherland side comes up against Rodgie’s Mosman.
And the 31-year-old business development manager is brimming with enthusiasm.
“It’s the start of the season and that always brings a fair bit of excitement as it is,” Rodgie told The New Daily.
“But that’s obviously heightened a bit more this year. It’s definitely going to be a pretty exciting day.
“There’s a real mix in our side. We’ve got some experienced guys who played against him [Smith] when he was a young kid and have gone full 360 and gone and watched him dominate [at international level].
“We’ve also got young kids in our team, 17, 18, 19-year-olds, who have been watching him bat on TV for 10 years. I imagine it will be pretty surreal for those guys.”
If a Mosman player does dismiss Smith, all-rounder Rodgie is sure it will lead to a lifetime of bragging rights, and rightly so.
But getting the newly married 29-year-old out is much, much easier said than done.
So where exactly do you bowl to a batsman who has made a career out of punishing wide deliveries and shuffling across the stumps and whipping anything straight through the leg side?
“We probably won’t overcomplicate things too much,” Rodgie said.
“He is obviously quite unique in the way he plays. For me, I’ll be at the stumps and just outside off stump.
“I’ll be trying to stick to my strengths and bowl the ball in a good area. I probably need to adapt a bit more than I would to a normal player on a Saturday, that’s for sure.”
As captain, Rodgie is particularly keen to ensure his side – comprising sales reps, personal trainers, school students, council staff and cricket coaches – does not overthink the task at hand.
Smith last played for Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League. Photo: Getty
A big crowd is expected at the Glenn McGrath Oval in a match that has received so much attention Sportsbet are even offering odds around Smith’s performance.
“In grade cricket, you do get these opportunities from time to time, but he’s an opponent,” he said.
“Once you cross that line, you do your best to compete with the opposition, whoever they involve.
“It’s our job to get him out as cheaply as we can – whoever that may be.”
Smith has only recently dropped to No.2 in the ICC batting rankings – one point behind India star Virat Kohli – after nearly six months of inactivity on the international scene.
Rodgie is hopeful the experience his teammates gained in clashes against Michael Clarke, in 2016, and three battles last year with Shane Watson – who will also play for Sutherland on Saturday – holds them in good stead.
And while Clarke and Watson have enjoyed good success against Mosman, he has warned Smith not to expect any favours.
“The nature of the cricket that we play is pretty competitive … there’s always going to be a bit of banter on the field,” he said.
“I’m sure once we get into the competitive environment, a few things might come out.”
That will not include any references to the ball-tampering saga, though, with the Mosman skipper insistent that topic was “probably still a bit fresh”.
Rodgie will also hope to impress with the bat on Saturday.
He compiled more than 1000 runs last season, breaking a 76-year-old Mosman record held by great Australian batsman Stan McCabe, and could even face the leg-spin of Smith.
He was also quick to praise the fact that Smith and David Warner, for Randwick-Petersham, are eligible to play grade cricket in New South Wales despite their ongoing suspensions.
“I think it’s unreal,” he said.
“Probably everyone wishes it was under better circumstances but the impact they can have in the competition … it’s going to be fantastic.
“We’re one club that is going to go up against them but several guys are going to see them up close and hopefully take lessons from the world’s best.
“They can put that into their own cricket, which only makes the competition stronger.
“Our younger guys have the opportunity to stand up close and watch him [Smith] go about his business. That’s something they can take a lot out of.”