HOBART STATE OF MIND

IT HAS been less than two years since Matthew Wade considered himself as surplus to Australia’s requirements. Having been dropped from the Australian setup, he was reconciling himself to be a domestic cricketer until retirement. The irony is that the weight of runs Wade accumulated in domestic cricket would be the factor to break back. In the Sheffield Shield and Big Bash League, he plundered runs with impunity, until he was back on the international stage. Not as a wicketkeeper, but as a specialist batter.

It should be unsurprising that Wade has bounce-back ability when you consider that the 32-year-old is a cancer survivor. At the age of 16 a tumour was discovered, after a sporting accident led to Wade seeking medical attention for a groin injury. The diagnosis of testicular cancer led to two cycles of chemotherapy, which saved Wade’s life.

Wade was playing first grade cricket in Hobart, as well as VFL for Tasmania. The pull towards Australian rules football would have been understandable, with Wade’s father, Scott, having played 12 games for Hawthorn in the VFL. However, Wade had not decided which sport to follow. An injury to his groin, sustained while playing football, caused his visit to a doctor, who found the tumour.

THE ADDED RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING CAPTAIN OF THE HOBART HURRICANES HAS RESULTED IN WADE LETTING HIS BAT DO THE TALKING.

It was a shock to Wade, who thought his greatest challenge was having to decide between cricket or following