Quick In A Slow Queue

Newcastle Herald

Saturday December 11, 2004

sporting declaration - with Robert Dillon

THE roadblock impeding Mark Cameron's progress would be enough to intimidate even the most unwavering optimist.

Despite being in the prime of his fast-bowling career and collecting wickets by the bag in Sydney first-grade ranks, the former Novocastrian admits he is waiting behind a queue of superstars for the chance to once again pull on a baggy blue hat.

At the head of that line, when available, are Australian spearheads Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee. Their support cast comprises former internationals Nathan Bracken, Matthew Nicholson and Stuart MacGill, and the revitalised Stuart Clark a quartet recently described as "the best provincial bowling attack in the world" after routing South Australia for just 29.

Snapping at their heels are left-armer Doug Bollinger and burly Don Nash, both of whom are battle-hardened at interstate level, and rising youngster Aaron Bird, who made a name for himself several years ago with a bouncer that left Michael Slater spouting claret.

Toiling away anonymously in their sizeable shadows is 23-year-old Cameron, the former Lambton-New Lambton right-armer who has spent the past three seasons delivering the new rock for Manly in the Sydney competition.

Two years ago he made his Pura Cup debut for NSW against Western Australia in Newcastle, returning figures of 0-87 from 27 overs against a classy Warriors batting line-up, but has not been required since.

"That was just a great four days," he recalled. "To play for NSW in Newcastle, in front of my family and friends I think the crowd was something like 20,000 over the four days it was just a great experience for me.

"I remember saying then that if I only ever played one game for NSW I'd be happy. I've got my baggy blue hat and it's one of my prized possessions.

"But there's no doubt I'd love to get back to that level again. I think I'm bowling better now than I did back then it's just that there's no spot available."

Cameron's statistics this season stand as testimony to his claim that his form has never been better. After eight games he has 28 wickets at 14, just two scalps behind Bollinger, who is Sydney's leading wicket-taker.

His Manly team, which also includes fellow Novocastrians Jamie Sullivan, Gary Geise, Mark Faraday and Joe Price, is leading the first-grade competition.

Cameron has played two second XI matches for NSW this season taking 2-34 and 4-52 in the game against South Australia after being cut from the Blues' main training squad at the end of last season.

"I had a terrible time last season," he admitted, although his first-grade figures (39 wickets at 23.43) might suggest otherwise.

"I wasn't hitting the seam and I wasn't swinging it, either. But this season I've done a lot of work on my action and the ball's coming out really well.

"I'm hitting the seam and swinging the ball away, and I'm really happy with how accurately I've been bowling."

His fitness is another cause for optimism.

After battling stress fractures in his back during the formative stages of his career, he now says "the body feels fine" and hopes Lady Luck can continue to smile on him.

"One thing I know as a fast bowler is that it puts a lot of strain on your body and blokes get injured all the time," he said.

"If there are injuries to any of the established bowlers then maybe I'll get another opportunity.

"To be really honest, that was the reason I was picked two years ago. I think there were some injuries and a couple of the main bowlers were away with the Australian team, so that meant I got to fill in for a game.

"I probably wasn't ready for it, but I had a great time and I'd love for it to happen again."

The prospect of relocating in search of greater opportunity is one that has crossed Cameron's mind, although he admits that would be largely a last resort.

"I suppose that's something I probably have to think about reasonably soon," he said.

"I mean, it is frustrating because there's so much bowling depth in NSW that there's no spot there at the moment and realistically there might never be a spot.

"But I don't know about moving. I'm pretty settled in Sydney now I've got a good job as a mortgage adviser with Aussie Home Loans and I'm getting married in April.

"We've made a whole lot of friends here and I'm really enjoying playing for Manly.

"It would be a big decision to move. At the moment I'll just concentrate on bowling well in grade cricket. If you're taking wickets, you never know your luck."

© 2004 Newcastle Herald

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