It has taken 29 years for Western Australian batsman Marcus North to realise what it feels like to wear the baggy green cap in test cricket, let alone in an Ashes series where he has already left his mark.
After finally receiving a maiden call up from Australian selectors to play Test cricket against South Africa earlier this year, North immediately made the most of his opportunity to score a ton in his first innings against the Proteas in Johannesburg.
His score of 117 against the South Africans made him the first Australian ever to score a hundred against the Proteas in just his maiden Test.
Indeed it was a start to a Test career that has allowed North to rival the career beginnings of current teammate Michael Hussey.
Hussey received his first baggy green cap at 28 years of age.
But despite the late debut, Hussey has since become one of Australia’s most successful players in international cricket, as evidenced by his nickname ‘Mr Cricket’.
Hussey has scored nine Test hundreds, including 14 half centuries since his debut back in 2004-05.
He has also excelled in the one day format, becoming the highest ranked batsman in 50 overs cricket in 2006.
Although Hussey’s career has been in steady decline since then, he still possesses a great career average of 55.29 in Test cricket.
It seems North is also set to replicate Hussey’s achievements, if his maiden Ashes innings against England is anything to go by.
North scored 125 not out, helping Australia to declare their massive innings at 674/6.
The tempo of Marcus North’s unbeaten 125 was nothing spectacular, but that was because he didn’t really need to slog at any stage of his innings.
The English attack failed to strike any fear and doubt whatsoever against a batsman that has displayed great composure at the crease after just four Test matches.
When England’s field went back, North milked the bowling, and when it came up he consistently found the gaps and the boundary.
The way North and Haddin piled on the runs to set up the declaration was demoralising for England.
The oldest Test nation in cricket didn’t have an idea on how to counter the batting of two debutants in their maiden Ashes appearances.
North himself could have gone on to make a double century were it not for the declaration and the presence of impending rain.
Regardless, one feels that North will continue to make the most of his late call-up into the Test arena, and play a key role in destabilising an England attack that have severe limitations as a bowling unit.
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