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Hilfenhaus knows a thing or two about hard work
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When Australian cricket fans talk about the twelfth man it's a fair
bet they're referring to the comedian Billy Birmingham. Or maybe Andy
Bichel, who carried the drinks a record 19 times in Tests. Over the
past couple of years they might have been speaking of
Ben Hilfenhaus,
who has been slowly chipping away at Bichel's mark. Four times
Hilfenhaus has been called into Australia's Test squad without getting
a game.
The day before the Wanderers Test, Hilfenhaus was nervously waiting to
find out if it would be five from five. He was in the 12 and the
humid, cloudy conditions would suit his swing bowling but the whole
situation was frustratingly familiar. A round of golf - Hilfenhaus has
a useful handicap of seven - with the touring selector David Boon and
the coach Tim Nielsen didn't shed any light on matters.
"I'm really just looking forward to getting the first Test out of the
way and going from there," Hilfenhaus said, hoping that moment would
come in Johannesburg. "Getting your baggy green is every kid's dream.
I'd be really excited just to get that and hopefully if I do I'll just
try and do everything I can to represent it well."
Since he first made it into a Test squad in November 2007 there have
been setbacks, notably back stress fractures that stopped him from
embarking on his first Test tour when Australia set off for the West
Indies last year. There have been disappointments as other fast men
such as Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle overtook him in the pecking
order. Hilfenhaus didn't complain. He's not that sort of bloke.
He worked as a labourer for a bricklayer when he first moved to Hobart
and then took on a different type of back-breaking toil when he sent
down 509 Sheffield Shield overs two years ago - nearly 200 more than
any other state fast bowler. It was a tally that led to concerns over
his workload and the worries only increased when his injury arrived
the following year to end his Caribbean dream.
"In a way it was [frustrating]," Hilfenhaus said. "It's very
disappointing when you get selected and you find out that you're
injured. At the end of the season I actually didn't feel that bad but
general check-up scans revealed otherwise. I probably see myself more
as a bloke who bowls a lot of overs. That's a role that I enjoy."
Clearly Hilfenhaus knows a thing or two about hard work. He impressed
the coaches during his stay at the Centre of Excellence for being
prepared to tackle any problem head-on. When critics began to question
his ability to take wickets when the ball failed to swing away, he
went off and worked on some new tricks.
"If you've only got one tool in your bag, you get a bit predictable,"
he said. "I've definitely worked on a few different things to counter
for that and hopefully have an answer when blokes start getting on
top. As well as the outswing I'm trying to develop one that goes in a
little bit or straightens. Just to keep them guessing a little bit.
There's a couple of different slower balls that I'm working on."
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He worked as a labourer for a bricklayer when he first moved to Hobart
and then took on a different type of back-breaking toil when he sent
down 509 Sheffield Shield overs two years ago - nearly 200 more than
any other state fast bowler |
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But for Hilfenhaus the outswinger is still king. The conditions in
Hobart usually help him bend the ball in the air and the humidity and
cloud cover in South Africa will do the same. Then of course there is
the Ashes tour later this year. A swing bowler who can hurl the ball
down with genuine speed could be a major weapon in England. If all
goes to plan, 2009 could be the making of Ben Hilfenhaus.
If that turns out to be the case, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
The son of a plumber from Ulverstone in country Tasmania, he calls his
father, Hans, "the old man" and would like it if he could be in South
Africa should a debut arise but thinks it's a bit far to travel.
There's not a hint of cockiness in Hilfenhaus, who speaks openly but
succinctly, with only the faintest trace of a rural Aussie drawl.
"I still see myself as pretty laidback," he said. "I don't like to
over-analyse anything. Just enjoy my cricket and when I'm not playing
cricket I enjoy playing golf and spending time with my girlfriend."
That he has a girlfriend no doubt disappoints the women who snapped up
this year's Men of Cricket calendar. Hilfenhaus, who wouldn't look out
of place taking over from Hugh Jackman as the drover in the film
Australia, features as Mr September and shows off a set of
muscles that would rival anyone in the Australian set-up.
His mother, Lynette, was so happy with the charity production that she
gave the calendar pride of place in the family kitchen. It might have
to be moved aside if a photo of Ben in a baggy green becomes
available.
Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo