Gus Mackay: ambition to be achieved

Since the retirement of Dave Houghton and apart from occasional appearances by Eddo Brandes, Andy Flower, now 32, has been the oldest member of the Zimbabwe team. Many may think it surprising, then, that a 33-year-old pace-bowling all-rounder should be poised to make his international debut for the country.

But Gus Mackay has had an unusual career. He spent eight years of his prime as a cricketer in England, playing in the Birmingham League, before returning to Zimbabwe in 1998 with the declared aim of playing for the country in the 1999 World Cup. Despite showing good form, he was overlooked for that event, but he did not allow it to crush his hopes and ambitions.

"My lifetime ambition was to play in the last World Cup," Gus confesses. "That was one of the reasons why I came back here. Naturally I was disappointed, but I took the position to keep going and you never know what might happen, and after the phone call yesterday I proved myself right. Never give up, and keep trying to the bitter end."

That phone call was from Zimbabwe Cricket Union chief executive Dave Ellman-Brown, telling him he had been selected for Zimbabwe's brief tour of New Zealand as a replacement for the off-form Henry Olonga, and he was to fly out on the night of Saturday 16 December. He has never visited that part of the world before, but that excitement pales when compared to the thrill of being on the verge of achieving his ambition of playing for his country. "I was in a state of shock yesterday because I couldn't quite take it all in," he confesses, "but it's sinking in now and I'm really, really looking forward to it. My goal has now been achieved and hopefully I can go there and continue the performances I've been doing in the league at international level."

He realizes that he is an unlikely candidate for the Boxing Day Test, but hopes to play in the three-match one-day series that follows - with the possibility of being asked to stay on for the Australian tour that follows. Gus would appear to be the ideal one-day player, as a pave bowler who concentrates on line and length, and a still improving batsman who regularly scores at better than a run a ball and hits as powerfully as Lance Klusener.

Despite being overlooked for the World Cup and reaching the age of 33, although with less wear and tear over the years than most other players of that age, he never gave up hope of playing for Zimbabwe. "When we are a small player base as we are in Zimbabwe, with injuries and all the long tours that we have, there's always a chance that any cricketer can be called up and I don't think you should ever write yourself off. I was disappointed at the start of the season when I wasn't picked in the B side [the Zimbabwe Board XI for the UCBSA Bowl competition] but that probably made me more determined. Having gone to Sri Lanka as captain [of Zimbabwe A] and then coming back and not even being in the B side made me more determined, and I bounced back and am probably a stronger person because of it."

The selectors did at least keep in touch with Gus, giving him their reasons for not selecting him, as they were looking at other, younger players. "They told me to keep performing in league, which is what I did, and I've got the end result. They kept in contact with me and basically I knew where I stood. I was naturally upset; I had done well for the last two seasons and then not to be picked - well, I've got my reward now. They have to use the B side as a trial base, which they did, but when I came back into the B side I came back as captain and did quite well, so I was pleased." This was the B team's fourth match of the season, against Easterns in Mutare, and Gus replaced as captain Dirk Viljoen, who had been called to the national side in India.

Until now, the tour of Sri Lanka as captain of Zimbabwe A, replacing Andrew Whittall who withdrew through injury, had been the highlight of Gus' career, despite the understandable lack of success of the team. "Sri Lanka was a very, very hard place to tour," he says. "It wasn't the easiest job to captain when your backs are against the wall for six weeks. The biggest problem was, I think, that we didn't get our basics right, we didn't do the basics well enough all the time. We got ourselves into positions and then let them off the hook.

"They were a good side, containing Test and one-day players, but I think the bottom line is that some guys have learnt, others haven't, and that's the way those tours go. You get guys who come through from those tours and that's what it's all about. But it was enjoyable and a good experience. I've never played international cricket, so having played in Sri Lanka where it was very hard I feel quite confident going into the big time."

Of his personal form on that tour, he feels that he bowled well and did a satisfactory job as the leading seam bowler. "I just did the job that I've always tried to do, and that's just to bowl line and length," he says. "I don't try to bowl too quick; some days it may come out quicker than others but my forte is line and length, and that's what I'll continued to do. I don't see why I should change; that's the way I've modelled myself, and I think that is the best way to do it."

He names two or three players who he feels really benefited from that tour. "You've got Andy Blignaut who unfortunately is injured at the moment, but he's an exciting all-rounder, if we could just get him fit. Raymond Price did okay, Craig Wishart had a good tour, for which he was then rewarded with the tour of England. I think it was a learning process for most of the guys."

His omission from the Zimbabwe Board team made Gus more determined than ever this season. "I think now I've moulded myself into an all-rounder," he says. "Before I was a bowler who batted a bit, but I think over the last couple of years it's now moulded into all-round performances. I've had a few fifties, worked hard and been bowling well, and batting-wise was rewarded on Sunday with a hundred against Alex. So that was the icing on the cake - and now the national selection. It's been hard work; I've put a lot of work in pre-season on fitness and training, which I have to do because I'm older, and I'm starting to get my rewards."

Gus is captain of Old Georgians Sports Club in Harare, who have been struggling over the last couple of years but are currently at the top of the national league table. Last weekend they played an important match against Alexandra Sports Club, another successful side. Gus decided to bowl on winning the toss, and struck with three quick wickets before they recovered to score 259 for nine in their 50 overs. "It was probably 50 more than they should have done," says Gus. "We bowled well in parts, and when we batted we were 70-odd for three after 20 overs. Then Craig Evans and I sealed it off. Craig got 77 and I was 100 not out, so we won by six wickets.

Was this one of Gus' usual innings, more runs than balls? Well, his century coming off 77 balls, but Gus says, "There were only two sixes and to be honest we just pushed the ball around and went for a run a ball because we didn't really need to play any risky shots. Probably a different innings to the one in Mutare [a blistering 77 opening the batting in the one-day match against Easterns] but it was more sensible batting. I am quite lucky in that I can adjust my game to any situation. I had to play a long innings on Sunday and I did."

How did Gus manage to develop his batting without sacrificing his aggression? "I think it's just that I've been more determined and watching the ball, being sensible and realizing that I don't have to hit every ball to the boundary. It's just waiting for the bad ball. I know when you step up into a higher level of cricket you don't get as many bad balls, but the basics are still there, that if you do one you've got to put it away. And probably I'm concentrating on the ball coming out of the bowler's hand a lot more than I used to. And just being more relaxed at the crease - not being so nervous and worrying about things, but getting on with the job.

"I'm going to New Zealand with a very positive mind," he says. "Now's my chance to prove myself and I'm being given that opportunity. My goals are set on playing in the one-dayers but if the Test came along that would be an added bonus. But what I want to do is to do what I do well, and that is bowl line and length and put in a string of good performances, with both bat and ball."

After that, Gus looks ahead to another two or three years in the game at top level, with the 2003 World Cup in South Africa in his sights. "I'm probably one of the oldest to make an international debut, but is still feel I've got a few years left in me, provided I keep myself fit," he says. "I'm quite lucky that I'm not too injury-prone - touch wood and you never know what might happen."

Gus is grateful to his family and others who have supported him over the last couple of years. "It's been quite tough; I've had to work hard, and as I think back to when I first came back, I was in the squad to play India [India tour of Zimbabwe in 1998/99] but was pulled out for one reason or another [he was replaced by Mluleki Nkala, who made his one-day debut then], and I've always wondered since then, `Was that the closest I would ever be to playing?' So there have been a few disappointments along the way, but I've remained positive and just want to keep playing cricket, and play for a while at the top level."

So Gus departs for New Zealand, alone as he is the only change to the touring party, with the chance finally to establish himself in international cricket. With his talents, he will probably be given a trial in the one-day internationals, where he should let nobody down with his accurate bowling. And what of his batting, which if it comes off will result in a more violent innings than anything Lance Cairns can produce? That could well swing a match and make him a hero overnight. It's the stuff of which dreams are made.