By BEN CAMERON
FORGET about this year’s AFL Grand Final, it’s already a done deal according to former Australian swing bowler and Hawk nut Damien Fleming, who already has his sights set on September 2015.
The self-proclaimed bowling scientist, or “bowlologist”, has several sporting tips for the Pakenham Gazette ahead of his appearance in town for the Biggest Ever Blokes Barbecue on 12 September.
“The Hawks back to back, I’m just a little concerned about the three-peat in 2015, that’s got my focus at the moment,” he says.
“At the World Cup I’ll go the Aussies in a tight one, I think New Zealand will make the semis, maybe the final, with Sri Lanka and South Africa in the four.
“For the Ashes I reckon it’s going to be a lot tougher beating England in their own conditions. I think we’ll prevail again.
“What Darren Lehmann has and is providing for the team, that winning culture, that fun culture, that always evolving improvement culture, will come through in the end, but it won’t be a clean sweep, it won’t be a 5-0 win.”
He said the key to maintaining Australia’s golden run in test cricket of the past 12 months was replacing their 35-plus veterans.
“I don’t think that this era has been dominant, I think we had a dominant summer last year against England and the wonderful win against South Africa,” he says.
“We’re going to have to be on our toes, guys like Chris Rogers, Ryan Harris and Brad Haddin, they’re not going to be there in the next 18 months to two years – how are we going to replace them, guys of that quality?”
Headlining the big barbie with former AFL sharp-shooter Scott Cummings, Fleming says he was unlucky with injury during his playing days, but has been extremely fortunate when it’s come to cancer, prostate or otherwise: “Luckily, I haven’t had any family members or friends (who have had cancer) … I’m very lucky mate.”
He has no regrets about his playing career – it gave him the chance to make the transition to the next phase of his life a bit sooner than his contemporaries – but admits he’d have loved a clearer run with injuries.
“No doubt, nobody wants to get injured, it certainly stunted my career,” he says.
“I’d have loved to have played more for Australia and Victoria and South Melbourne, but having said that we did have a lot of success for Australia in the time I played, so I can’t complain too much.
“The game’s still giving for me, I’m still commentating on it. So from retiring early it allowed me to get into coaching and get into media before the other guys of my era retired and decided what they were going to do.
“There’s no doubt that helped me divorce from the playing side of things. So I didn’t go cold turkey.”
He hasn’t returned to the field of competitive cricket since winning a premiership with Noble Park.
“I’m cooked mate, no more cricket for me,” he says.
“I haven’t played since my year at Noble Park a few years ago when we won the premiership in the subbies (sub-district cricket), probably five or six years ago.
“Winning the premiership is probably a good note to go out on to be honest.
“I couldn’t play even if I wanted to, I had three shoulder reconstructions when I was playing so I was pretty cooked.”
Fleming is too busy to don the whites anyway, with media commitments tying him down for much of the summer, with Channel 10 covering the Big Bash League and 3AW the test and one day series.
“It’s not as good as playing, it’s not as rewarding as coaching, but it’s really good fun,” he says.
“I still get nervous when I get down to the ground, to work with my ex-teammates and commentate on elite sport, it’s fantastic.”
Casey Cardinia Biggest Ever Blokes Barbecue is on at the Cardinia Cultural Centre on 12 September.
Contact Chairman Garry Howe on 0407 203 525 or garry.howe@starnewsgroup.com.au
