Mark Cosgrove is a big man with an even larger reputation. Cosgrove made a smooth transition to the international side after a bumpy rise that centred as much around his weight as his heavy hitting. Cosgrove may be out of place in modern-day gym culture as he tries to stay below three figures, but he has shown contemporary cricket can still cater for all shapes. However, a couple of relatively quiet domestic seasons have left him on the outer at South Australia, where he was dropped from the Pura Cup side towards the end of 2007-08. He had not managed a century in seven appearances that season, although he remained a valuable one-day player and made 304 runs at 38. The previous summer he was consistent but unspectacular, topping South Australia's Pura Cup run tally with 703 at 37. He then spent his 2007 winter at the Academy trying to shed waste from his batting while watching his waist. Nobody doubts his talent and he did his best to upstage Darren Lehmann during a brilliant 2005-06 for the Redbacks that began with a month-long suspension for returning unfit from a club stint in England. The South Australian Cricket Association's ultimatum was lose five kilograms or the state contract. Even the tut-tutters who appear whenever Cosgrove's red cheeks puff hard or he falls to ill-disciplined shots were stunned by his response: an unbeaten 109 against Queensland in the ING Cup. November 2005 really became a month to remember with 184 versus Victoria in the Pura Cup and another 89 against Western Australia.

Barely stopping for breath, Cosgrove, nicknamed "Baby Boof" after Lehmann for his dumpiness and free-spirited strokeplay, gained 736 runs at 66.90 in the Pura Cup and another 591 at 73.87 in the ING Cup - 178 more than Lehmann. The pair was responsible for the Redbacks' march into the one-day final, and was tied for the ING Cup Player of the Year award, which Cosgrove won on a countback. Cosgrove soon added to his bulky profile with one-day international selection and registered the third-highest score by an Australian in an impressive debut against Bangladesh. Opening with Simon Katich, Cosgrove, who was only 21, easily outscored his partner as he posted 74 from 69 balls with seven fours and two sixes. Strong driving was a feature of the innings and he regularly moved his feet to attack the spinners. He is better known for his punishment of anything outside off stump from the fast men, particularly off the front foot. Not that his back-foot play is shabby - he once lofted Andy Bichel into a Chappell Stand during a Pura Cup match at Adelaide with an unbelievable square drive.

An off-season with Glamorgan followed his international nibble and he warmed up for Australia A's Top End Series with 233, his maiden first-class double-century, in the County Championship fixture against Derbyshire. In 2005 Cosgrove was the embarrassed recipient of the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award at the gala Allan Border Medal ceremony, accepting the accolade when dropped from the South Australia team. The prize was based on his first full Pura Cup summer of 639 runs at 45.64 in 2003-04, but he found backing it up difficult and was cut after making 10 runs in six innings, including three ducks. Weight and fitness were mentioned as issues. Despite his physique, Cosgrove has always been ahead of his time, making his A-grade debut for Northern Districts at 14 on the way to representing Australia Under-19 and the Academy. A first-class welcome arrived at 18 - even then many considered the wait too long.
Peter English October 2008