Casson goes bush to rekindle career

While Australia's cricketers contest the Ashes on the lush outfields of Britain, Beau Casson will attempt to resurrect his representative career on the sun-scorched pitches of the Northern Territory. Casson, the only specialist spinner on Cricket Australia's central contract list in 2008-09, has made the unconventional decision to play club cricket in Darwin over the winter in preparation for a fresh assault on the Australian Test squad.

Symbolically and geographically, the Marrara Stadium in Darwin is some distance from Barbados' Kensington Oval, where Casson made his Test debut ten months ago. Casson performed solidly in his sole outing against West Indies - dismissing Xavier Marshall, Dwayne Bravo and Sulieman Benn in the second innings to help Australia to an 87-run victory - but was mysteriously axed for the ensuing tour of India. He has scarcely entered Test calculations since.

After a chaotic, and ultimately disappointing, 2008-09 season, Casson has resolved to return a more consistent bowler next season. And in a bid to jump-start his campaign, the left-arm wrist-spinner will devote his winter months to the Waratahs club in Darwin, where he hopes to rediscover the form that, not so long ago, earned him the mantle as Stuart MacGill's understudy.

"[New South Wales] Matthew Mott suggested the possibility of doing it, and it's something I'm pretty keen on," Casson said. "It's a good opportunity to get away from the Sydney winter, train and play outdoors in the off-season. I considered the England thing but this is something that is a little left-field and seems to me to be a good option. And if it's something the coach suggests, then you probably should look at it."

In an indication of his regressing fortunes, Casson is not expecting to hear from the national selectors when the next round of central contracts are announced later this month. Injuries and inconsistency blighted his 2008-09 campaign, resulting in banishment to the fringes of the NSW side after a season that yielded just seven wickets at 91.00 in eight matches.

Still, Casson sees opportunity. Since his surprise omission from Australia's tour of India, Cameron White, Jason Krejza, Nathan Hauritz and Bryce McGain have failed to make the Test spinning slot their own. The latter three bowlers were all chosen despite being overlooked for central contracts; a scenario that has imbued Casson with hope.

"In times gone by, Shane Warne and Stuey MacGill pretty much had the spinning spots sewn up," he said. "Now is a great time to be a young spinner in Australian cricket because of the opportunity that is there. Playing Test cricket was very exciting, and I was quite happy with the match I played. The selectors have since had a look at a few guys, and Nathan Hauritz is doing a good job in South Africa. But there is definitely an opportunity there.

"I have done it once and I know I can do it again. There are certain areas I'll be looking to address, and areas where I need to know my game better. I would love to stay on [the central contract list], but to be honest, I probably didn't set the world on fire last year. It isn't the be all and end all, though. Quite a lot of blokes have got a game this year not being on the list.

"It was a huge learning summer. There were obviously some frustrating sides to it, and one of those was injuries. What was particularly frustrating was that none of them were signifcant injuries; just annoying ones. But none of this has stopped me from trying to achieve what I want to out of cricket. I have learned a lot about myself and my game, and I am determined to play cricket at its highest level again."