Matthew Wade
Young Men in a Hurry
By Ken Piesse
Matthew Wade says he has taken his cricket to another level since his time at the Australian Cricket Academy under the expert tutelage of Tim Nielsen.
The 19-year-old Tasmanian is one of two new interstate recruits in the Bushrangers' senior squad. He comes from Clarence, just outside Hobart. His father Scott played VFL football with Hawthorn and is a leading football administrator in Tasmania.
Wade says timing and opportunity is everything for wicketkeepers. He felt that two were ahead of him in the pecking order in Tassie, making it easier for him to cross Bass Strait.
He is part of the Victorian squad in Caloundra for a pre-season week of practice games. Adam Crosthwaite is also playing, the two sharing the wicketkeeping responsibilities.
Wade had played football up until this year, being a part of the Tassie Mariners team and going to draft camp as well.
He was a rookie with the Tasmanian Tigers last summer before being offered a full contract by the Bushrangers for 2007-08. He is playing at premier level with Camberwell.
He says his time up north, including a trip to India with the Academy helped his batting and also his wicketkeeping.
"Until all the work I did with Tim, my batting was probably ahead of my keeping but I'd like to think they are on par now.
Another young Bushranger Michael Hill was also on the Indian tour.
Wade was a first-grader at Clarence from the age of 14 and played in three national Under 17 carnivals and four Under 19 carnivals, being Tasmania's captain last summer.
Like Crosthwaite, he has also figured in a Youth World Cup, alongside emerging players such as John Holland, Jack McNamara and Moses Henriques.
Last summer he made more than 500 first grade runs with two centuries, a fine effort as the wickets tend to be "sportier" down south than in Melbourne.
Clarence's first team also included Damien Wright, returning from injury, and fellow first-class representatives Scott Kremerskothen and Shannon Tubb.
He says senior Tasmanian officials had urged him to stay, but understood that others like Adam Gilchrist had successfully switched states.
"They understood where I was coming from," he said
Wade is among the 20 per cent of Australia's domestic cricketers who currently have shifted states looking to reignite their careers.
NSW, Tasmania and Western Australia have the most "grasshoppers" on their lists.
Victoria this summer promoted two interstaters straight into their No.1 squad: Wade amd Hawkesbury River allrounder John Hastings, who currently is sidelined wioth ankle ligament problems.
Head coach Greg Shipperd said the Victorians had enjoyed great success with imported players in recent times and both could become important members of the squad.
"We in no way are looking to limit the opportunities of local players," he said.
"But it's a national game now. There are 34-35 players on the lists who are from other states. The cream will rise to the top if they are good enough."
