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In 2006 he was brashly saying he wanted a baggy green Test cap within three years but on Wednesday there was just stunned silence from NSW all-rounder Moises Henriques after his first international call-up.
As a highly-touted 19-year-old playing his debut season of first class cricket in 2006, Henriques confidently said he was aiming to break into the Test team within three years.
That goal is yet to be realised but the 22-year-old Portuguese-born all-rounder has made a big step by being named in the 13-man Australian squad for Sunday’s Twenty20 match against New Zealand at the SCG.
He will join South Australia’s Callum Ferguson as one of two possible debutants in the team while David Warner will also be alongside the 187cm Henriques.
But Henriques, currently playing a second XI match for NSW in Victoria, said breaking into the international set-up had been the furthest thing on his mind.
“I probably haven’t had the year that I wanted personally and been a bit inconsistent with the bat and ball and to have this opportunity now, it’s amazing,” Henriques said.
“I was expecting to have the call-up for the Shield side on Sunday and then got an even bigger call-up.
“It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it’s fantastic and as I said before I was properly speechless for 20 minutes.”
Henriques has long been touted as a future international player after he starred as a 16-year-old for Australia at the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh.
His 5-17 against Queensland in just his second match in 2006 made him the youngest NSW player to take five wickets in a first class innings since Doug Walters.
He is also the youngest player to take 10 wickets in a first-grade Sydney club match.
Three years on from that debut first-class season and expectations have dampened somewhat, even from the man himself, who isn’t seeing his call-up a free pass to a one-day or Test call-up.
“Obviously I’d love to get a baggy green,” he said.
“But at the moment and the way I’ve been playing I’m just trying to focus on keeping my baggy blue and playing well for NSW.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity and to have that opportunity, I consider myself very lucky.”
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