00:00:04
Speaker 1: Welcome to the Code Sports Sacked podcast. We're very lucky today to be joined by former New South Wales an Australian Test wicket keeper Peter Neville Pete. Thanks for joining us. Good to be here, Ben, Now made, I'm going to start with your music because I know you're a huge music fan and I remember when you made your debut for Australia. You know, everyone was talking about your guitar playing and all that kind of thing. Is it something you've kept up? Are you still in a band these days?
00:00:28
Speaker 2: I'm afraid not well I am. I don't know if they're listening to this. Sorry, boys, I am still in a band. It's just been on hiatus since COVID. We've got the unfortunate record of having played three gigs across three years across two venues, both of which have now closed down. So the venue is the biggest hurdle. So if there's any proprietors out there that have a venue for us to play, please reach out, because yeah, that's the biggest hurl And getting the boys back together.
00:00:55
Speaker 1: And how did your passion in music start, mate? I know you're a big heavy metal fan, you know, how did that sort of evolve for you alongside your cricket.
00:01:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, actually it's always good went on tour to have something to do. So for those that you know, don't take a PlayStation or a or you know, study around with him. A lot of guys travel with guitars, and I think I picked up might have been sort of Mitchell Stark's guitar or something one point, and just like I'd always enjoyed playing prior to that, but sort of starting to sort of play a bit. When you're on tour, it always sort of kills a lot of time and it's a good avenue to sort of distract yourself from the game the whole time. But used to play with Usmond quite a bit. So we our video analyst in New South Wales. This is back when I was in New South Wales. He was a guitar teacher, so he'd often be sat there sort of coding the game, and if we were both out, we'd go around there and sit with him and like start sort of fingering chords and all that sort of stuff. And that's sort of eventually like I convinced him, well, I twisted his arm to to play some Metallica songs with me. But it was really good fun and that sort of you know, it really sort of started that not passion for music, but just enjoyment of music and just a backyard battler.
00:02:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, I can imagine it was holding a note and it was much better than I and Mate. I remember this great story when you made your test Abu that you know a few years before, you know, you were sitting on a beach I think in Thailand with Steve O'Keefe and you were looking through the classifieds and you know, what kind of what job are we going to look for? You're looking for options outside of cricket. Do you remember that? And you know how close did you come from going in another direction?
00:02:37
Speaker 2: No, it's it's all story. I think at that stage of our careers, neither Stephen or I had lit the world on fire. And I think he tells the story. We were looking to start a bar or something in Thailand, which wasn't the case. Looking to get out of there as quickly as possible really at the end of that. But no, it was a case of it was sort of like one of those sliding doors moments where worked out really well. He and I each had a very good season the next season and then you know we're able to fashion reasonably lengthy careers. I think you know, he had a lot more talent than I did, but we both took a lot of pride in being able to I suppose fashion something out and not much. Yeah, because I sort of never really had the talent and abundance that a lot of the guys that I came across did. So to be able to squeeze as much juice out of the orange as I did, I was very pleased with it.
00:03:26
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, you made so much out of it. And we'll get to your test career shortly, but tell us about how you ended up in New South Wales because you're a Victorian. You know what brought about the move from Melbourne to Sydney.
00:03:36
Speaker 2: Yeah. I always wanted to play like I always wanted to play first class cricket and I'd played at the Melbourne Cricket Club. Loved the club. It was a great place to play. It was a rookie contracted player for Victoria for a year and then after that year Matthew Wade came up from Tazzy. There was Adam Gil, Adam gil Christ, Adam Crosswait there and Nathan Pillen as well had moved down from New South Wales sort of trying to crack it, so there was plenty of week of keepers there kind of riding was on the wall. So had a reasonable season, but then was sort of at that point starting to look, you know, what opportunities were elsewhere. I think I've got the last rookie contract for that season, so still was sort of training with the Bush Rangers squad. But Greg Shippard was fantastic. He was very sort of helpful in sort of finding me a place to land, and just coincided when Brad Hadden started playing for Australia, there was an opportunity for me to go and join the squad in New South Wales and packed up the car and drove up the human and I love Sydney and Pete.
00:04:37
Speaker 1: Brad hadn't someone that you know, you've been linked with basically your entire career, starting from when you arrived in Sydney at Eastern Suburbs Club and he was an Eastern Suburbs player. You know, do you remember your first meeting with Braden and you know what that was like?
00:04:52
Speaker 2: Actually don't, but yeah, I sort of followed him around everywhere really, you know, both to Eastern Suburbs, to New South Wales and eventually got myself on a on a tour with Australia. We've had as well, running drinks at the Sixers as well that first season while he was sort of playing the early games. So yeah, Brad was always so generous with his time, put a lot of sort of work and effort into into me, and I always greatly appreciated that. You know, he's he probably demonstrated the work ethic that's required to get the most out of yourself. I felt like I always had that, but it was real sort of validation that that was the path getting better and better and ultimately, you know, playing as higher level as you can.
00:05:36
Speaker 1: And you know, we've sort of seen from Brad that he's got a great coaching mind and you know we're hearing it now on the Fox Sports commentary as well. You know, was there a single bit of advice about keeping that Hads gave you that stuck with you but above all else.
00:05:51
Speaker 2: Not really. I mean wicket keeping is a very sort of a very basic set of skills. You just need to do them well repeatedly, so it's a bit you know, it's more about not making mistakes than it is about sort of anything else. So the sort of repetition and training and mindset was always the really sort of key thing. The lapse in concentration sort of hurts, you know, as much as any other discipline within cricket. But he was always like very very full of knowledge. His brain never stopped. It was always sort of you know, ticking over and thinking about the game, and that I suppose translates really well into who was both a good captain but also now a good coach.
00:06:30
Speaker 1: And playing alongside him whether it was Eastern Suburbs or New South Wales. You know, did that really help you on batting because you're often playing in the team as a specialist batsman and you know, you were averaging forty five in first class cricket for a long time there, you know, was that sort of an impetus in your batting really coming along? Well?
00:06:49
Speaker 2: I think Gilchris ruined it for everyone. You had to start being able to bat. And I'm probably fortunate that I played in the era that I did because I didn't have many shops, didn't really bring the crowds back, so it was I fashioned a game out of you know, out of out of not many shots, nicking the ball down out of fine League for one, it was my probably most often used shot. But no, it was it's like needing to needing to get your both sort of aspects of your game up to a required level. Otherwise you just don't get a looking mate.
00:07:26
Speaker 1: What was your first experience of being on an Australian tour? Am I right in saying that you were? You went to the West Indies? Was that twenty twelve as a as a backup keeper?
00:07:37
Speaker 2: I did? I did? Yeah, So I think Hauds and wad you were on that tour initially and Hads flew back. I went to sort of provide cover. It's a very long way. It's sort of thirty six hours or something in transit to get there, so it's not easy just to sort of fly a wicket keeper in if you need one, if if someone gets injured. So typically they'll always take two long on that tour. So really for me it was it was running drinks. That was pretty much all that I did on that trip. Mickey Arthur was the coach. It was sort of all very all, very sort of regimented and somewhat strict and so there was no sort of beers by the beach or anything like that. It was all very right. We focus on the cricket and that's it, which was you know, I was young and eager and I was more than happy to run drinks and all that sort of stuff as much as I could.
00:08:24
Speaker 1: Yeah. No, I'm surprised he said that. I was thinking West Indies. Could there be a better place to be running the dreams? And it depends on the year and how was the mood in the Australian camp at that time, you know, because a year or so later, I guess we had the homework Gate situation. You know. I guess looking back now or looking back after that all unfolded, you know, could you see things brewing like that? I suppose that tension perhaps about how strict the setup was.
00:08:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was probably hard to see for me as I just sort of joined the squad. You know, it was very sort of green around the ears. And while it was all sort of and everybody's you know, very professional, you know, everyone's on that tour because they know how to best go about their work and get the best out of themselves. Yeah, it was. There was sort of no I don't know, no apparent inkling that there was going to be sort of anything like that on the horizon, but you know that's the beauty. You never know what's around the corner.
00:09:19
Speaker 1: And made obviously, you know, that little taste of it, I imagine just spurred you on more and more to keep pushing for that dream of playing for Australia and you really maintain that run scoring, had a couple of big years run scoring in the Sheffield Shield and then twenty fifteen Ashes you're in there with Brad Hadden as the two wicket keepers on the tour. You know, did you initially go over there expecting just to be running drinks again for the series, because you know, things dramatically changed, didn't they One morning at Lord's a couple of days out from the Test.
00:09:49
Speaker 2: Yeah it did. Yeah, and that was another that was a sort of back to back West Indies tour into straight into the Ashes tour, so that you know was a very fun too to be running drinks again. But then yeah, things Obviously we spoke about sliding doors a little bit earlier. That was a massive sliding doors moment for me and my career.
00:10:10
Speaker 1: And you know, obviously it was a very challenging time for Brad. You know, family situation meant that he had to withdraw from that test match. I remember sort of being over there as a reporter and I think it was a morning training session and the word started going around that perhaps Brad Haddon wouldn't be playing. You know, how was it for you? How did you find out, you know, that you were going to be making your debut at Lord's Yeah, I sort of.
00:10:34
Speaker 2: Got I got told obviously by the by the sort of leadership with the coach and selector, and obviously you know, very difficult period for Brad and his family. So it was always sort of tinged with a bit of you know, with a bit of sadness and a bit of it was one of those things. Then had to sort of really sort of shift focus and make sure I was switched on and focused and doing what I had to do to get ready for a for a test. Probably lucky that that we battered the first day and I didn't have to do a thing. I was just I drank about four and a half coffees and was just walking around Fredding the whole time. So that was probably a good way to ease into the game. But yeah, it was a bit of a whirlwind, but one of the most special periods of my life. My dad sort of got just enough noticed that he was in Perth at the time for business. He flew back to Melbourne to get his passport, jumped on a flight, managed to get to the ground sort of just in time, but to have him there, and Steve wore present him a baggie green. It was the only baggy green at that point he'd ever presented, so I think he tried to say he was more nervous than I was, which I'm sure wasn't true. But it was just a surreal sort of period. I saw some former teammates from the Melbourne Criet Club who were on a tour over there as well, so saw them sort of standing in the crowd and it was just a bit of a culmination of a whole, you know, a massive journey just to get to that point. But what a special place to play a test match at Lord's and that's just test at Lord's. Walk through the long room. Even if you get a duck here you typically well at that stage anyway you'd get clapped. Yeah, I think that changed a little bit in the years A couple of years ago. Yeah, but yeah, incredible memories.
00:12:15
Speaker 1: And you know, we were able to take in what Steve was saying. So I imagine just you know, being out there at Lord's, you know, Test day bo, You're seeing the the old stands and the excitement building and everything. You know, Yeah, do you sort of Is it one of those things where you can almost remember every single thing that happened that day or is it all just become a bit of a blur.
00:12:34
Speaker 2: No, it was just a blur. Yeah, I have to ask him sometime what he said. I'm sure it was lovely, but but yeah, it kind of went in one ear and out the other. It was. It was incredibly special, but yeah, I just couldn't take my mind off off the game that was that was coming up.
00:12:50
Speaker 1: And Pete you did well. I think you made fifty odd in the match and a massive win for Australia. And then we go to the third Test, which Brad Haaden was available to come back for and I remember myself getting a train to wherever the tour match was and someone gave us a tip on the phone saying, whoever walks out to keep in the first innings of the tour game, we'll be keeping in the third test? What had you been told? Look, at what point did you realize that you were going to keep your place in the team even though Brad was back.
00:13:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I got told at some point throughout that tour game, but it certainly wasn't the case sort of going into it, at least as far as I was aware. And you know, it's a really sort of difficult position to be. And like my full expectation was that Brad was going to come straight back in the end of the team at my expense, and certainly had no issues with that whatsoever. But that's you know, they chose to go on a different in a different path, and yeah, then we went to Trent Bridge and everything went to pieces.
00:13:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, and just just on Brad, Like I know, I remember reading about him sending a bottle of champagne. I think to your room and you know, what was it, Like, I suppose the interactions between Brad and yourself around Lords and then because you had shared so much of your career together.
00:14:09
Speaker 2: Oh, of course, like for him and Karina to to have the capacity to think about anything else at that point in time is remarkable. And they've always been you know, so so incredibly great me and to Sammy and yeah, sending a bottle of champagne was a really kind gesture. But you know, just like nothing really changed in terms of the way we interacted for the rest of the for the rest of the tour or beyond that. You know, I've always had such a great relationship with Brad and he's been so generous with his time over the years. I was really fortunate to get under his.
00:14:43
Speaker 1: Wing and Pete, at what point does it go from I suppose those surreal feelings that you're out there in an Ashes and you and you you're playing your first series and you know this is amazing too. I suppose the reality of what's happening on the scoreboard, because as you mentioned, it started to go south pretty quickly for are in Edge Baston and then and then trent Bridge. Yeah, at what point I suppose does it does it start to weigh on you? I suppose the enormity of losing an Ashes and I suppose an entire nation kind of following every move that's happening.
00:15:16
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it was an absolute emotional rollercoaster, Like I remember after Lord's like having that win inside four days and then up in the change rooms you look around and there's like, you know, former Prime Minister John Howard, Bernard Fanning from powder Finger, Lucas Neil from the soccause it was just like it was sort of pinch yourself sort of stuff. And then yeah, throughout that whole series it was a case of I suppose when the when the wickets were sort of fairly dry and fairly hard, you know, we played well and we won sort of reasonably comfortably. So they're in the Oval when the wickets were sort of spicy and a bit more sort of traditional English wickets, you know, we got cleaned up reasonably comfortably. So the highs of Lords, you know, sort of came off really quickly. And then you know trent Bridge getting beaten the way we did, especially after the first day. That's probably one of the worst days of cricket I've ever had. You get bowled out for sixty. I think Nathan Lyon was the first person to play and miss at a ball. Everybody else just will just to a nyctim and then for them to be three for two hundred at the end of the day's play, the game ran away very very quickly, so it's massive high to fairly dejected, but you know you've got to pick yourself up and dust yourself off and make sure you turn up the next day. Unfortunately, it was somewhat of a consolation win that last Test to bring it back to three too, but knowing that you're part of the losing Ashes series after all the build up to it, that it hurts.
00:16:50
Speaker 1: And at the end of that Test at trent Bridge, Michael Clarke of course retired from Test cricket. I know it was a very brief stint under Michael, but you know what was he like as a cat and I suppose you know, from when you made your debut to the end of the series when he was walking away from the game.
00:17:06
Speaker 2: Yeah, I got to play with Michael Faibit at New South Wales as well, so like when he was back and captain of New South Wales. You know, I always loved it because I got to stand, you know, reasonably close to him. He'd always been the slip cord and you know he was he was just the ultimate sort of professional, the way prepared himself, the amount of physio he had to go through to be able to get up to play, so he would, you know, before the game, before the day's play, after the day's play, would just constantly be sort of getting worked on and doing, you know, very diligent with his preparation and his rehab and all that sort of stuff to make sure that he was able to play, because it seemed as though he had like a pretty sort of a pretty bad back issue he carried for a long period of time. So I always sort of really admired the way he went about things. And yeah, I mean, I'm sure he would have gone into that series, you know, hoping to be lifting the urn and went the other way.
00:17:56
Speaker 1: And Pete were on the verge of another big Ashes series this and you know, as a former test we could keep yourself. I'm sure you keep a pretty keen eye on what the keepers are doing. In particular the match up between England's Jamie Smith and Alex Carey for Australia. It's a pretty fascinating one, isn't it. Do you actually think that might be a bit of a key for the series, you know, what those two guys are doing it sort of number seven for their team.
00:18:21
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, well every role is obviously important, but yeah, it'd be interesting matchup. Actually, we had Jamie Smith came and played a season at the Dolphins at East and So, and yeah, you could tell just he had so much natural talent. And I believe one of Alex Stewart, who was sort of running Surrey at that point in time he still is, said he thought he was better than Jason Roy, And we had Jason Roy had a couple of years prior who was you know, obviously went on to dominate one day cricket around the world. But Jamie Smith was was very very impressive. So to see him sort of get up to this level very very quickly, and he's still young, I think it's the ultimate test for an English player to come out to Australia and do well. I'm actually I'm really looking forward to it. I haven't i'n't been watching a great deal of cricket because I got two kids and they don't sleep and I'm working the rest of the time, But really looking forward to the series coming up.
00:19:18
Speaker 1: Was there is there anything about Jamie watching him as a young player that stood out to you that you know, this guy could could be someone just.
00:19:24
Speaker 2: Hand eye coordination. Some some people just just have it. And you see the way they can, the way they could just naturally hit a ball. You know, it's it's quite frustrating when you've spent sort of twenty five years of your life trying to be able to do it and they still can't. But he just always had, you know, just just oozing natural talent.
00:19:42
Speaker 1: And keepers Pete out of guys that you played against, played with, or used to watch on TV, you know, do you have a favorite one or do you have a favorite couple of keepers that if you're that you've seen over the years or played against.
00:19:54
Speaker 2: Oh, probably Ian Heally. I suppose in my formative years that would have been when I was sort of really young and watching the Test cricket and him keeping a warning all that sort of stuff that probably probably got me into keeping more than anything else. Always did enjoy watching Darren Berry keep as well, Like every now and then I'd be able to sneak out and go to an afternoon of a shield game of the MCG and see him keeping up to Matthew Winnisu Bold you know, left reasonably quick. I was always really impressed with what he was able to do up to the stumps and Pete.
00:20:26
Speaker 1: Rod Marsh was a big fan of yours, wasn't he? I remember twenty sixteen T twenty World Cup. You know, Rod picked you and made a real point of saying, you know, we want our best keeper here. You know it's T twenty cricket, yes, but it's in Indian conditions, it's going to be tough behind the stumps, and he made a real priority of selecting it. You know, what was your relationship with Rod?
00:20:45
Speaker 2: Like? Yeah, I loved Rod. Rod was an absolute sweetheart. He was actually it was so I spoke that being generous with his time while he was a selector. I actually tapped him on the shoulder and asked him if he could do me a favor. So Rod actually called all of my wedding party to tell them they've been selected in my wedding party. One of the guys didn't believe him and told him to have off, but he was the fact that he was willing to do that. You know, I greatly appreciated it. But you know, I'll never forget a lot of what he said. More often than not, it was that every white one wishes it was a red one.
00:21:27
Speaker 1: Brilliant in that T twenty World Cup. Like, you know, had you ever batted at number eleven in a team before. It was quite a unique lineup, wasn't it.
00:21:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, occasionally when I do a speaking he got just take the piss out of myself and just say I did one with Adam Gilchrist a little while ago, and I'm like, you know, Gil Chris was obviously breaking records for a long time, but there was one he could never break. And I broke that one. And that was the lowest position a wicket keepers ever batted in the T twenty team got at number ten in the first game. I don't think I touched eleven. I think I definitely batter that frist game. But whenever anybody talks about that, I'm always very quick to bring up that I actually had the highest strike rate of the whole tournament faced five balls made.
00:22:10
Speaker 1: When you went to Sri Lanka, I soon to remember a bit of a controversy with the stumping. Nothing compared to perhaps a controversy we saw a couple of years later, but do you remember what happened there? And I was wondering if you know, from your lund room at home, you had a perspective of Alex Carey stumping Johnny Bearstow, and whether you felt that was the right thing.
00:22:32
Speaker 2: Yeah, I had no issue with that to start with staying increase, so he thought Alex did absolutely the right thing. That they've identified that he's just walking out of his crease and not having a regard for whether the ball's dead or not. So you know, I've got no issue with that. Regarding the Sri Lanka one, Yeah, so that was one where similarly saw the better would sort of rock his weight backward and forward after he'd either leave a ball or player shot. So the next the next I'm not sure if he played a short of left that I can't remember, but managed to get the timing right to take the bails off. And yeah, I think it was a little bit controversial. Certainly wasn't happy when I came out to bat in the next team, but I remember Ms DOONI sort of doing something fairly similar. Anytime I can put us off to Dony, that's always nice, even if it's just that.
00:23:23
Speaker 1: And pet. I suppose that was the start of a bad period for the Australian team, losing three matches in Sri Lanka, and I think it ended up being five or six Test losses in a row, culminating with the series against South Africa, where a tough loss in Perth and then a rather humiliating loss in Hoe. But I suppose you know, you've been on this great journey with the Australian team. I think you'd won a big series in New Zealand, crown number one team in the world. You know, it must have been a much tougher place to be around. I suppose as you were going through that losing streak.
00:23:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was all downhill from there. But I remember that tour in New Zealand where we Yeah, it did formally become the number one test team in the world. Obviously everyone's very happy with that. But unfortunately, yeah, we went away to Sri Lanka and and rang and a Herath just ran through us. It was hard to come up with an answer to that. You know, it wasn't for lack of sort of planning or trying or anything like that. But but to lose three zl in that series was yeah, sort of call it the Boulevard of Broken Dreams somewhat colloquially. But then going into a home series, I think you know, the view generally is okay, that was an aberration. That was a really bad series on the sub continent, you know, traditionally been hard to sort of tour and went over there coming into an Australia, Australian home summer, losing the first Test, especially with I think dale Stein went down early in that match, so they were a bowler down to lose that test, you know, really put us under the pump and then sort of going down to Hobart where we got knocked over very very comfortably. Yeah, they sot uping quicks just ran through the team and I remember Callum Ferguson, you know, getting run out. You know they probably summed up just nothing going right and then yeah, I mean once once that happened, the Heads were always going to roll. Yeah, you lose, you lose a home series after losing the way series five tests in a row. Yeah, I think everyone, you know, everyone was looking behind.
00:25:35
Speaker 1: Them and you mentioned you know that was a low experience when you know Stuart Broad ran through you at at trent Bridge, I think it was. But with yeah, tell us what it was like in the dressing room in Hoe. But you know after match over in sort of two and a half days, it must have been pretty quiet dressing room.
00:25:55
Speaker 2: Absolutely, And it's also not a very like it's it's a reasonably large room down Belle Reeve as well, so everyone's kind of dispersed in their own little spots. Sort of it's hard to pull sort of everybody out of that. But I suppose after a fair bit of introspection the group was sort of pulled together and and then I think everyone was sort of sent back to play shield cricket, so that there was a little element of you know, already to go back and play shield cricket. You're not you're not having a break leading into the next test. But I think a lot of people were very eager to get back and perform because a lot of people sort of fell under the pump. And then throughout that sort of that shield round, Rod Marshall had sort of left as shaman of selectors and then you know they've obviously sort of come in with a mandate to take the team in a new direction. So it was it was a it was a horrible feeling being in that in that room. After after that test loss who.
00:26:55
Speaker 1: Came in and speked? You did Darren Lehman speak? We heard Pat Howe did, did James Suthern come in and speak? You know who? What was the series of people, I guess addressing the team. Yeah, it was.
00:27:07
Speaker 2: It was all three. Yeah, I think all three of them spoke. I don't think Rod said much. There's not much to say really, but it was.
00:27:18
Speaker 1: It was.
00:27:18
Speaker 2: It was made very apparent that you know, plenty of plenty of the people sitting in this room aren't going to be here next the next game. So and that comes with the territory of body. You know, I don't think there would be anybody in that room who who needed to be told that.
00:27:31
Speaker 1: And were you feeling that yourself, Pete, Like, were you worried about your place in the team after that test?
00:27:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely absolutely. I think I'd made a fifty in in Perth. But that's that's sort of entirely irrelevant. Like it's you know, over over a sort of long enough period of time, it just hadn't been doing well enough. Like there, I'm sure, I'm sure you'll sort of cover it off. There were plenty of sort of narratives around why a change was made, but ultimately wasn't where it needed to be. I've been averaging sort of load of mid twenties with the bat, which just as a test keeper, that's just not up to scratch and mate.
00:28:12
Speaker 1: The reason, as we'll get to that was given was, you know, perhaps they wanted a bit more mongrel, someone who was going to be a bit more open to sledging behind the stumps, get the noise levels up. Leading up to that point, I mean, how many times had you heard that as a criticism of you, that you know, that you were too quiet, that you were too nice? Was it something that anyone had ever said to you at any point along the way.
00:28:36
Speaker 2: No, No, I'd never sort of liked, you know, never received that feedback. But I was always I was always focused on my team rather than focused on the opposition. So in terms of like sledging, I would I wasn't. In my nature. I didn't sledge the opposition. A lot of people will do that because they feel it. It's like they get more out of themselves in doing it. Anytime I'd done that in the past didn't work out very well. Like just acted me from what I was doing, and I found I performed better if I just focused on sort of myself but also then sort of you know, encouraging my team. But yeah, like it wasn't it wasn't. It wasn't a thing. It was I wasn't making any runs. That was ultimately what it came down to.
00:29:16
Speaker 1: And I mean, I presume you wouldn't have known this at the time, but you know we've read since that Greg Chappel walked out of that selection meeting. He was so furious about the reasoning being given for picking Matthew Wade over you that you know, the idea of of a wicket keeper being picked because they're going to sledge more. You know, I know what you're saying about making the runs, sorry, not making enough runs, but you know were you're disappointed at the reasoning that was given to you, Like, you know, could you believe that that was the reason why you were sort of left out of the team, or at least that was publicly put out there?
00:29:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, because I suppose all I went off was the conversation that I had with the new chairman of selectors. And it was a fairly brief conversation because you know, it's certainly not a case of me saying, hang on, I need some more reasoning here as to why I've been dropped. I know why I've been dropped, But there wasn't any sort of anything in that conversation that hinted at you know, it was about sort of having more of a presence on the field, like I would I would imply that ms Doney doesn't have much of a presence on the field, Like he's not overtly loud, he's not doesn't get in people's faces, but no one cares because he makes runs. It keeps really well and did it over a long period of time.
00:30:32
Speaker 1: Hearing Greg Chapel's reaction and going back to your relationship that you had with Rod Marsh who was obviously a keepers man, you know, had Rod stayed on the panel, do you think, you know, there might have been a different outcome, because you know, it's hard to imagine Rod sort of standing for that sort of reasoning. You know, do you think that played a part having Rod a supporter and Rod sort of leave the leave the environment.
00:30:53
Speaker 2: Oh, it's hard to say. I mean, you know, at the end of the day, you know, Rob was a chairman of selet Does and he made decisions you know that he thought were in the best interest of the team. So if he had a stayed on, there's no you know that I don't think necessarily would have changed anything. You know, there was some like, you know, I was one of the obvious people to get dropped off the back of that game, and yeah, I sort of made peace with it fairly quickly, but was then very determined to get myself back in.
00:31:23
Speaker 1: Yeah, and over the years at the time, and then as time went on, there was a lot of people who were outraged on your behalf at how that had all played out. You know, did you I suppose as the years went by and you hadn't got back in the team, you know, was there any kind of perhaps not bitterness, but you know, disappointment. I suppose that you know that that sort of a non cricketing factor perhaps played a part in missing out on the team.
00:31:52
Speaker 2: Not really, I suppose that the biggest disappointment, I suppose was trying to get back in about a year later. So I felt like I went away, you know, started stringing some performances back together, you know, made some hundreds through that period. Felt like I was keeping reasonably well, you know, the selection process leading into the to the next Ashes. Yeah, you know, it felt like I was sort of right in the mix and was probably more disappointed sort of not getting back in the team at that point more than I was about getting dropped a year prior.
00:32:27
Speaker 1: And yeah, I was going to come to that because I think it was it ended up being a bit of a shootout, didn't it. I think it was the incumbent, who was Matt Wade, yourself, possibly a young Alex Carey coming through and then sort of out of nowhere, not even playing first class cricket, Tim Paine was announced. You know, was that was that a shock to here? Like, you know, you obviously felt you were you're a big chance for that team.
00:32:47
Speaker 2: Yeah, I felt like I was a big chance, but Spiers, I just wasn't performing at the right time. We had sort of three Shield games ahead of that first ahead of that first test team getting announced, and sort of you know, my understanding was I was sort of really strongly in the mix, but ultimately, you know, I didn't didn't land a knockout punch in any of those games, and the rest is history with lighting doors.
00:33:14
Speaker 1: Were you stunned when when Tim Payne's name was the one that was read out.
00:33:18
Speaker 2: Yeah, I was surprised. I was surprised. I certainly thought it was you know, obviously mentioned myself, Wady and Alex Carey. Well, I thought you know, we're definitely the front runners in that aspect. But you know, good luck to Timmy. He had an opportunity, you know, took it with both hands and the rest is history.
00:33:38
Speaker 1: Peter, I just was wondering, you know, as you sat at home in Sydney, presumably when Australia to in South Africa in twenty eighteen and the sandpaper gate controversy played out and there was so much commentary at the end of it, I suppose you know, obviously you were at peace with the reasons why were you were dropped and all that kind of thing. But did you feel that the mess that was sent by you know, wanting to pick a wicked keeper who had more aggression, who was going to sledge and be a bit more of an aggressor on the field. You know, did you feel looking back that perhaps that was a sign of things going in a off course direction for Australia. Just the mentality I suppose that that led to that of being this kind of super aggressive sort of team.
00:34:25
Speaker 2: Oh it's hard. I mean, you know, I don't have an opinion on that. I suppose you can sort of draw some some parallels, but but no, it certainly wasn't something I was I was sort of thinking, or you know, I certainly wasn't sitting there with an ax to grind. While it was really disappointing that that was the end of my end of my test career. You know, you then start sort of focusing on what's in front of you, and I was enjoying playing shield cricket at that point. You know, it was had one eye on my next career, you know, was having kids. You've got all all these sort of other things that sort of fill that void that was a massive focus of your life. But then it just naturally sort of dissipates, and you know, you sort of follow it less, you watch it less. You still love the game, but it takes up sort of less of your bandwidth, I suppose.
00:35:16
Speaker 1: And what have you made of watching Pat Cummins as captain now? Because quote from him sort of stood out to me recently when he was asked about sledging that you know, he kind of feels it's a bit cringe, you know, a guy's sledging when it's not really in their personality. And I imagine you know, that would have been a nice thing for you to hear when you were playing. You know, do you like the way that Pat goes about it, the way that he kind of just encourages players to just be themselves.
00:35:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, Pat's brilliant. So he's a brilliant human being, an outstanding cricketer and a great leader. Like the way, you know, he's always very measured, he's always you know, he knows the game exceptionally. Well, it's kind of nice to see a fast ball of being captain as well. I don't know, please, Jeff Lawson. He always always felt that the bowlers made ideal captains. But yeah, like Pat's obviously had a remarkable, remarkable career, but I'm sure he's got a lot of unfinished business that he sort of wants to wants to tick off throughout the rest of his career, however long that goes for And Pete.
00:36:19
Speaker 1: Just to close off on, I suppose that whole chapter of your career, you know, in the subsequent years or after you're retired, you know, did you ever hear from any of the old selectors or coaches or players you know about I suppose what had transpired and how your Test career came to an end.
00:36:36
Speaker 2: No, not really no, And it's sort of not something I would ever be bringing up. So it's no one's ever sort of wanted to talk about it, but it's it's all sort of buried in the past, and yeah, it's not something I give much thought to anymore.
00:36:53
Speaker 1: Mate, Just taking you back to twenty fourteen, obviously the most tragic event that's that's happened in cricket. Unfortunately, a similarly tragic event has happened just recently with a young cricketer in Victoria. But you were on the field at the SCG the day when Philipears was struck, you know, being the wiki keeper. I think you were one of the first people to get to him and I remember you sort of sprinting, you you sprinting out on the driver revenue to try and hail in the ambulances. You know, what an awful experience to be part of. And you know how much of an effect has that had on your on your life.
00:37:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's incredibly sad, you know, for someone as talented as as Philip as well, you know, it's it's kind of I think it was very scary at the time that it happened to Philip, it could happen to anyone he was much better, better than all the rest of us. But I do, like, I don't remember running out to the drive revenue. My former sort of agent said like he was out there and bumped into me and said, I was, you know, screaming for an ambulance or something. But I don't. I don't recall that bit. I was actually I was at short cover, so HADS was keeping at the time, and sort of after Field got hit and sort of fell over, I've sort of ran over, you know, was sort of standing there with my hand on his on his back, and I think everyone was in in disbelief and just you know, yeah, waiting for the medical team to come running out, and yeah, in the aftermath as well, sort of you know, incredibly sad to lose someone that way, who had you know, he loved his cows. He had a brilliant sense of humor. You know, he was just a very unique individual. Very sad to lose him in that manner.
00:38:43
Speaker 1: And I suppose his cricket is like, how could you be how could anyone be equipped to deal with that kind of situation. You know, it must have been a harrowing, harrowing thing to go through in the days the weeks and even the years afterwards.
00:38:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, and everybody deals with it differently as well. So some people, you know, react to grief, you know, in sort of fairly typical ways, and others sort of don't. It's a very unique experience that, you know, we actually had a whole heap of players flying from all around the country just sort of the SCG was just open for a couple of days for people to sort of walk around and pay their respects and sort of all that sort of stuff. Yeah, it was. It was a sort of crazy moment. But who's who of cricketers were all sort of in the in the one place, you know, all sort of collectively Morning one of the brightest talents the game, Seene and Pete.
00:39:35
Speaker 1: You retired from the game. You know, one hundred first class games for New South Wales, a very fine test career, the seventeen tests that you played. I know, you know you've you've sort of told a few stories against yourself about your batting ability and all that sort of thing. But you know, how do you look back on your career and I suppose you know, there must be a great satisfaction in getting everything, everything out of yourself, you know, like to be able to get every outside of your ability and to I guess, reach that pinnacle that so many people set out to achieve and very few do.
00:40:07
Speaker 2: Yeah, even when I sort of stopped initially, Like you know, I look back on my career with so much gratitude and fondness to be able to play for as long as I did for someone who had no shots and just sort of enjoyed being amongst it to play for. You know. However many years it was sort of fifteen years almost a professional cricket was. Yeah, I feel like I've got everything I possibly could out of it, but the game gave me so much as well that I'll always be grateful for it. Yeah, nothing but nothing but fond memories.
00:40:41
Speaker 1: Pete. Can you tell us about what you're doing now? What are you up to after cricket?
00:40:45
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I worked for a highnitwealth investment advisory business. Now, So throughout my career you said, I loved guitar, So the only other things I really loved were cricket and investing. So that was always a real sort of passion of mine. So while I was sort of still playing a sort of after all the Australian stuff was finished, I ended up doing a master's and started working for a financial advisory business which we then did a management buy out of. It's essentially a business that a guy called Charlie Viola started about twenty three years ago. So it was picture partner Sydney Wealth Management, which I sort of joined while I was still playing cricket. Then did a management buyout. It's now Viola Private Wealth. So I'm a partner there and an advisor there, and that sort of takes up all my competitive energies now sort of, you know, growing that business from you know, we've got sort of two and a half billion dollars of other people's money that we count at the moment, but growing that into a really formidable you know, the best known wealth business in the country is the Focus.
00:41:43
Speaker 1: And any cricketers come to you for any advice at.
00:41:46
Speaker 2: This point, Mate, we've got to keep that confidential.
00:41:49
Speaker 1: Like how like you say it was an interest of yours investment, Like how did you explore that? I suppose as as a player and you start to learn the ins and outs of how it all works.
00:42:00
Speaker 2: Yeah, So I think there was always a sort of group of people who loved talking about investing and predominantly was all sort of you know, share market investing at that stage. It did sort of broaden into other things for some people who went down the sort of path of those you know, cartoon monkeys and crypto and all those sort of things that that got spoken about in change rooms. I was always sort of steered sort of very clear of that, but started broadening into other things, you know, syndicated property, unlisted infrastructure, you know, other types of investments that sit alongside those those equity pieces to help better diversify portfolios but ultimately to generate sort of outsize returns over time. So getting to understand that aspect of things and sort of I met Charlie Viella sort of ten years ago at the SCG at a cricket appearance, and then he's just had a place in Midland as soon as I wanted to. So once I'd done all my study and I was still sort of playing for New South Wales, really just went headlong in to that. And that's you know, that's now the focus of all my sort of competitive energies. Now. It's great to have something that you then sort of you know, what cricket did absorb is then sort of divert to another area. But I love the investment side of things. I love sort of working with clients and sort of helping them get to where they want to be over time.
00:43:17
Speaker 1: Pete. We sort of know how precious fast buyers can be about their run scoring. And Mitchell Stark obviously has a Test ninety nine and he got close one day in a Shield game where you had to declare his captain. Was it more difficult facing Mitchell Stark after that, after that innings than it was in the nets? At training?
00:43:38
Speaker 2: It was always difficult facing Mitchell Stark in the nets. But no, Yeah, so felt like we were running out of time to win the game, needed enough overs to bowl them out. Stark he was on sort of eighty odd perhaps, and yeah, declared, sorry, Mitchell, he's got a higher Test score than I do, so he can hang his had on that. But I'm sure he's going to get there. This Ashes series, Mitchell Stark hundred calling.
00:44:04
Speaker 1: It was he the scariest bowie to face in the nets?
00:44:09
Speaker 2: Absolutely. He certainly was as well when he was young because he didn't probably have the control that he has now. And early season in the SCG nets, you know some spicy wickets and starkey sending him around your ears when he wasn't meaning to was never fun. But to have played with guys like that who have then gone on and just dominated international cricket for such a long period of time, it's it's sort of quite remarkable when you, you know, you look back and they're just these you know, bright eyed young guys who come along and and then are able to play, you know, as much cricket as they've played. It's it's truly remarkable, especially for like a group you know, like the Big Four that have played together as well for so long. Yeah, it's just it's incredible. So I pinched myself as well that I got to play with those guys.
00:44:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, you played with some of the big stars. You know, what was David Warner and Steve Smith like to share a dressing room?
00:45:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, oh fantastic. You know as well, like starting with David when he was playing for the Eastern Suburbs, batting with him when he decided he was going to change change stance and bat left hand. I was sorry about right hand just because there was a short boundary on one side of the ground and just started hitting six's, you know, just incredible. It's the best vantage point to be, yeah, to be able to watch guys like that go about what they do.
00:45:26
Speaker 1: Pete, you had an outstanding career both the New South Wales and Australia. It was a pleasure to be able to cover your career. You had some great achievements for Australia and I think above all just the way you carried yourself as a player and you played the game in the correct way. So congratulations on everything you achieved and thanks for joining us for the Sack Podcast.
00:45:45
Speaker 2: Thanks Man,
Speaker 1: Welcome to the Code Sports Sacked podcast. We're very lucky today to be joined by former New South Wales an Australian Test wicket keeper Peter Neville Pete. Thanks for joining us. Good to be here, Ben, Now made, I'm going to start with your music because I know you're a huge music fan and I remember when you made your debut for Australia. You know, everyone was talking about your guitar playing and all that kind of thing. Is it something you've kept up? Are you still in a band these days?
00:00:28
Speaker 2: I'm afraid not well I am. I don't know if they're listening to this. Sorry, boys, I am still in a band. It's just been on hiatus since COVID. We've got the unfortunate record of having played three gigs across three years across two venues, both of which have now closed down. So the venue is the biggest hurdle. So if there's any proprietors out there that have a venue for us to play, please reach out, because yeah, that's the biggest hurl And getting the boys back together.
00:00:55
Speaker 1: And how did your passion in music start, mate? I know you're a big heavy metal fan, you know, how did that sort of evolve for you alongside your cricket.
00:01:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, actually it's always good went on tour to have something to do. So for those that you know, don't take a PlayStation or a or you know, study around with him. A lot of guys travel with guitars, and I think I picked up might have been sort of Mitchell Stark's guitar or something one point, and just like I'd always enjoyed playing prior to that, but sort of starting to sort of play a bit. When you're on tour, it always sort of kills a lot of time and it's a good avenue to sort of distract yourself from the game the whole time. But used to play with Usmond quite a bit. So we our video analyst in New South Wales. This is back when I was in New South Wales. He was a guitar teacher, so he'd often be sat there sort of coding the game, and if we were both out, we'd go around there and sit with him and like start sort of fingering chords and all that sort of stuff. And that's sort of eventually like I convinced him, well, I twisted his arm to to play some Metallica songs with me. But it was really good fun and that sort of you know, it really sort of started that not passion for music, but just enjoyment of music and just a backyard battler.
00:02:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, I can imagine it was holding a note and it was much better than I and Mate. I remember this great story when you made your test Abu that you know a few years before, you know, you were sitting on a beach I think in Thailand with Steve O'Keefe and you were looking through the classifieds and you know, what kind of what job are we going to look for? You're looking for options outside of cricket. Do you remember that? And you know how close did you come from going in another direction?
00:02:37
Speaker 2: No, it's it's all story. I think at that stage of our careers, neither Stephen or I had lit the world on fire. And I think he tells the story. We were looking to start a bar or something in Thailand, which wasn't the case. Looking to get out of there as quickly as possible really at the end of that. But no, it was a case of it was sort of like one of those sliding doors moments where worked out really well. He and I each had a very good season the next season and then you know we're able to fashion reasonably lengthy careers. I think you know, he had a lot more talent than I did, but we both took a lot of pride in being able to I suppose fashion something out and not much. Yeah, because I sort of never really had the talent and abundance that a lot of the guys that I came across did. So to be able to squeeze as much juice out of the orange as I did, I was very pleased with it.
00:03:26
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, you made so much out of it. And we'll get to your test career shortly, but tell us about how you ended up in New South Wales because you're a Victorian. You know what brought about the move from Melbourne to Sydney.
00:03:36
Speaker 2: Yeah. I always wanted to play like I always wanted to play first class cricket and I'd played at the Melbourne Cricket Club. Loved the club. It was a great place to play. It was a rookie contracted player for Victoria for a year and then after that year Matthew Wade came up from Tazzy. There was Adam Gil, Adam gil Christ, Adam Crosswait there and Nathan Pillen as well had moved down from New South Wales sort of trying to crack it, so there was plenty of week of keepers there kind of riding was on the wall. So had a reasonable season, but then was sort of at that point starting to look, you know, what opportunities were elsewhere. I think I've got the last rookie contract for that season, so still was sort of training with the Bush Rangers squad. But Greg Shippard was fantastic. He was very sort of helpful in sort of finding me a place to land, and just coincided when Brad Hadden started playing for Australia, there was an opportunity for me to go and join the squad in New South Wales and packed up the car and drove up the human and I love Sydney and Pete.
00:04:37
Speaker 1: Brad hadn't someone that you know, you've been linked with basically your entire career, starting from when you arrived in Sydney at Eastern Suburbs Club and he was an Eastern Suburbs player. You know, do you remember your first meeting with Braden and you know what that was like?
00:04:52
Speaker 2: Actually don't, but yeah, I sort of followed him around everywhere really, you know, both to Eastern Suburbs, to New South Wales and eventually got myself on a on a tour with Australia. We've had as well, running drinks at the Sixers as well that first season while he was sort of playing the early games. So yeah, Brad was always so generous with his time, put a lot of sort of work and effort into into me, and I always greatly appreciated that. You know, he's he probably demonstrated the work ethic that's required to get the most out of yourself. I felt like I always had that, but it was real sort of validation that that was the path getting better and better and ultimately, you know, playing as higher level as you can.
00:05:36
Speaker 1: And you know, we've sort of seen from Brad that he's got a great coaching mind and you know we're hearing it now on the Fox Sports commentary as well. You know, was there a single bit of advice about keeping that Hads gave you that stuck with you but above all else.
00:05:51
Speaker 2: Not really. I mean wicket keeping is a very sort of a very basic set of skills. You just need to do them well repeatedly, so it's a bit you know, it's more about not making mistakes than it is about sort of anything else. So the sort of repetition and training and mindset was always the really sort of key thing. The lapse in concentration sort of hurts, you know, as much as any other discipline within cricket. But he was always like very very full of knowledge. His brain never stopped. It was always sort of you know, ticking over and thinking about the game, and that I suppose translates really well into who was both a good captain but also now a good coach.
00:06:30
Speaker 1: And playing alongside him whether it was Eastern Suburbs or New South Wales. You know, did that really help you on batting because you're often playing in the team as a specialist batsman and you know, you were averaging forty five in first class cricket for a long time there, you know, was that sort of an impetus in your batting really coming along? Well?
00:06:49
Speaker 2: I think Gilchris ruined it for everyone. You had to start being able to bat. And I'm probably fortunate that I played in the era that I did because I didn't have many shops, didn't really bring the crowds back, so it was I fashioned a game out of you know, out of out of not many shots, nicking the ball down out of fine League for one, it was my probably most often used shot. But no, it was it's like needing to needing to get your both sort of aspects of your game up to a required level. Otherwise you just don't get a looking mate.
00:07:26
Speaker 1: What was your first experience of being on an Australian tour? Am I right in saying that you were? You went to the West Indies? Was that twenty twelve as a as a backup keeper?
00:07:37
Speaker 2: I did? I did? Yeah, So I think Hauds and wad you were on that tour initially and Hads flew back. I went to sort of provide cover. It's a very long way. It's sort of thirty six hours or something in transit to get there, so it's not easy just to sort of fly a wicket keeper in if you need one, if if someone gets injured. So typically they'll always take two long on that tour. So really for me it was it was running drinks. That was pretty much all that I did on that trip. Mickey Arthur was the coach. It was sort of all very all, very sort of regimented and somewhat strict and so there was no sort of beers by the beach or anything like that. It was all very right. We focus on the cricket and that's it, which was you know, I was young and eager and I was more than happy to run drinks and all that sort of stuff as much as I could.
00:08:24
Speaker 1: Yeah. No, I'm surprised he said that. I was thinking West Indies. Could there be a better place to be running the dreams? And it depends on the year and how was the mood in the Australian camp at that time, you know, because a year or so later, I guess we had the homework Gate situation. You know. I guess looking back now or looking back after that all unfolded, you know, could you see things brewing like that? I suppose that tension perhaps about how strict the setup was.
00:08:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was probably hard to see for me as I just sort of joined the squad. You know, it was very sort of green around the ears. And while it was all sort of and everybody's you know, very professional, you know, everyone's on that tour because they know how to best go about their work and get the best out of themselves. Yeah, it was. There was sort of no I don't know, no apparent inkling that there was going to be sort of anything like that on the horizon, but you know that's the beauty. You never know what's around the corner.
00:09:19
Speaker 1: And made obviously, you know, that little taste of it, I imagine just spurred you on more and more to keep pushing for that dream of playing for Australia and you really maintain that run scoring, had a couple of big years run scoring in the Sheffield Shield and then twenty fifteen Ashes you're in there with Brad Hadden as the two wicket keepers on the tour. You know, did you initially go over there expecting just to be running drinks again for the series, because you know, things dramatically changed, didn't they One morning at Lord's a couple of days out from the Test.
00:09:49
Speaker 2: Yeah it did. Yeah, and that was another that was a sort of back to back West Indies tour into straight into the Ashes tour, so that you know was a very fun too to be running drinks again. But then yeah, things Obviously we spoke about sliding doors a little bit earlier. That was a massive sliding doors moment for me and my career.
00:10:10
Speaker 1: And you know, obviously it was a very challenging time for Brad. You know, family situation meant that he had to withdraw from that test match. I remember sort of being over there as a reporter and I think it was a morning training session and the word started going around that perhaps Brad Haddon wouldn't be playing. You know, how was it for you? How did you find out, you know, that you were going to be making your debut at Lord's Yeah, I sort of.
00:10:34
Speaker 2: Got I got told obviously by the by the sort of leadership with the coach and selector, and obviously you know, very difficult period for Brad and his family. So it was always sort of tinged with a bit of you know, with a bit of sadness and a bit of it was one of those things. Then had to sort of really sort of shift focus and make sure I was switched on and focused and doing what I had to do to get ready for a for a test. Probably lucky that that we battered the first day and I didn't have to do a thing. I was just I drank about four and a half coffees and was just walking around Fredding the whole time. So that was probably a good way to ease into the game. But yeah, it was a bit of a whirlwind, but one of the most special periods of my life. My dad sort of got just enough noticed that he was in Perth at the time for business. He flew back to Melbourne to get his passport, jumped on a flight, managed to get to the ground sort of just in time, but to have him there, and Steve wore present him a baggie green. It was the only baggy green at that point he'd ever presented, so I think he tried to say he was more nervous than I was, which I'm sure wasn't true. But it was just a surreal sort of period. I saw some former teammates from the Melbourne Criet Club who were on a tour over there as well, so saw them sort of standing in the crowd and it was just a bit of a culmination of a whole, you know, a massive journey just to get to that point. But what a special place to play a test match at Lord's and that's just test at Lord's. Walk through the long room. Even if you get a duck here you typically well at that stage anyway you'd get clapped. Yeah, I think that changed a little bit in the years A couple of years ago. Yeah, but yeah, incredible memories.
00:12:15
Speaker 1: And you know, we were able to take in what Steve was saying. So I imagine just you know, being out there at Lord's, you know, Test day bo, You're seeing the the old stands and the excitement building and everything. You know, Yeah, do you sort of Is it one of those things where you can almost remember every single thing that happened that day or is it all just become a bit of a blur.
00:12:34
Speaker 2: No, it was just a blur. Yeah, I have to ask him sometime what he said. I'm sure it was lovely, but but yeah, it kind of went in one ear and out the other. It was. It was incredibly special, but yeah, I just couldn't take my mind off off the game that was that was coming up.
00:12:50
Speaker 1: And Pete you did well. I think you made fifty odd in the match and a massive win for Australia. And then we go to the third Test, which Brad Haaden was available to come back for and I remember myself getting a train to wherever the tour match was and someone gave us a tip on the phone saying, whoever walks out to keep in the first innings of the tour game, we'll be keeping in the third test? What had you been told? Look, at what point did you realize that you were going to keep your place in the team even though Brad was back.
00:13:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I got told at some point throughout that tour game, but it certainly wasn't the case sort of going into it, at least as far as I was aware. And you know, it's a really sort of difficult position to be. And like my full expectation was that Brad was going to come straight back in the end of the team at my expense, and certainly had no issues with that whatsoever. But that's you know, they chose to go on a different in a different path, and yeah, then we went to Trent Bridge and everything went to pieces.
00:13:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, and just just on Brad, Like I know, I remember reading about him sending a bottle of champagne. I think to your room and you know, what was it, Like, I suppose the interactions between Brad and yourself around Lords and then because you had shared so much of your career together.
00:14:09
Speaker 2: Oh, of course, like for him and Karina to to have the capacity to think about anything else at that point in time is remarkable. And they've always been you know, so so incredibly great me and to Sammy and yeah, sending a bottle of champagne was a really kind gesture. But you know, just like nothing really changed in terms of the way we interacted for the rest of the for the rest of the tour or beyond that. You know, I've always had such a great relationship with Brad and he's been so generous with his time over the years. I was really fortunate to get under his.
00:14:43
Speaker 1: Wing and Pete, at what point does it go from I suppose those surreal feelings that you're out there in an Ashes and you and you you're playing your first series and you know this is amazing too. I suppose the reality of what's happening on the scoreboard, because as you mentioned, it started to go south pretty quickly for are in Edge Baston and then and then trent Bridge. Yeah, at what point I suppose does it does it start to weigh on you? I suppose the enormity of losing an Ashes and I suppose an entire nation kind of following every move that's happening.
00:15:16
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it was an absolute emotional rollercoaster, Like I remember after Lord's like having that win inside four days and then up in the change rooms you look around and there's like, you know, former Prime Minister John Howard, Bernard Fanning from powder Finger, Lucas Neil from the soccause it was just like it was sort of pinch yourself sort of stuff. And then yeah, throughout that whole series it was a case of I suppose when the when the wickets were sort of fairly dry and fairly hard, you know, we played well and we won sort of reasonably comfortably. So they're in the Oval when the wickets were sort of spicy and a bit more sort of traditional English wickets, you know, we got cleaned up reasonably comfortably. So the highs of Lords, you know, sort of came off really quickly. And then you know trent Bridge getting beaten the way we did, especially after the first day. That's probably one of the worst days of cricket I've ever had. You get bowled out for sixty. I think Nathan Lyon was the first person to play and miss at a ball. Everybody else just will just to a nyctim and then for them to be three for two hundred at the end of the day's play, the game ran away very very quickly, so it's massive high to fairly dejected, but you know you've got to pick yourself up and dust yourself off and make sure you turn up the next day. Unfortunately, it was somewhat of a consolation win that last Test to bring it back to three too, but knowing that you're part of the losing Ashes series after all the build up to it, that it hurts.
00:16:50
Speaker 1: And at the end of that Test at trent Bridge, Michael Clarke of course retired from Test cricket. I know it was a very brief stint under Michael, but you know what was he like as a cat and I suppose you know, from when you made your debut to the end of the series when he was walking away from the game.
00:17:06
Speaker 2: Yeah, I got to play with Michael Faibit at New South Wales as well, so like when he was back and captain of New South Wales. You know, I always loved it because I got to stand, you know, reasonably close to him. He'd always been the slip cord and you know he was he was just the ultimate sort of professional, the way prepared himself, the amount of physio he had to go through to be able to get up to play, so he would, you know, before the game, before the day's play, after the day's play, would just constantly be sort of getting worked on and doing, you know, very diligent with his preparation and his rehab and all that sort of stuff to make sure that he was able to play, because it seemed as though he had like a pretty sort of a pretty bad back issue he carried for a long period of time. So I always sort of really admired the way he went about things. And yeah, I mean, I'm sure he would have gone into that series, you know, hoping to be lifting the urn and went the other way.
00:17:56
Speaker 1: And Pete were on the verge of another big Ashes series this and you know, as a former test we could keep yourself. I'm sure you keep a pretty keen eye on what the keepers are doing. In particular the match up between England's Jamie Smith and Alex Carey for Australia. It's a pretty fascinating one, isn't it. Do you actually think that might be a bit of a key for the series, you know, what those two guys are doing it sort of number seven for their team.
00:18:21
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, well every role is obviously important, but yeah, it'd be interesting matchup. Actually, we had Jamie Smith came and played a season at the Dolphins at East and So, and yeah, you could tell just he had so much natural talent. And I believe one of Alex Stewart, who was sort of running Surrey at that point in time he still is, said he thought he was better than Jason Roy, And we had Jason Roy had a couple of years prior who was you know, obviously went on to dominate one day cricket around the world. But Jamie Smith was was very very impressive. So to see him sort of get up to this level very very quickly, and he's still young, I think it's the ultimate test for an English player to come out to Australia and do well. I'm actually I'm really looking forward to it. I haven't i'n't been watching a great deal of cricket because I got two kids and they don't sleep and I'm working the rest of the time, But really looking forward to the series coming up.
00:19:18
Speaker 1: Was there is there anything about Jamie watching him as a young player that stood out to you that you know, this guy could could be someone just.
00:19:24
Speaker 2: Hand eye coordination. Some some people just just have it. And you see the way they can, the way they could just naturally hit a ball. You know, it's it's quite frustrating when you've spent sort of twenty five years of your life trying to be able to do it and they still can't. But he just always had, you know, just just oozing natural talent.
00:19:42
Speaker 1: And keepers Pete out of guys that you played against, played with, or used to watch on TV, you know, do you have a favorite one or do you have a favorite couple of keepers that if you're that you've seen over the years or played against.
00:19:54
Speaker 2: Oh, probably Ian Heally. I suppose in my formative years that would have been when I was sort of really young and watching the Test cricket and him keeping a warning all that sort of stuff that probably probably got me into keeping more than anything else. Always did enjoy watching Darren Berry keep as well, Like every now and then I'd be able to sneak out and go to an afternoon of a shield game of the MCG and see him keeping up to Matthew Winnisu Bold you know, left reasonably quick. I was always really impressed with what he was able to do up to the stumps and Pete.
00:20:26
Speaker 1: Rod Marsh was a big fan of yours, wasn't he? I remember twenty sixteen T twenty World Cup. You know, Rod picked you and made a real point of saying, you know, we want our best keeper here. You know it's T twenty cricket, yes, but it's in Indian conditions, it's going to be tough behind the stumps, and he made a real priority of selecting it. You know, what was your relationship with Rod?
00:20:45
Speaker 2: Like? Yeah, I loved Rod. Rod was an absolute sweetheart. He was actually it was so I spoke that being generous with his time while he was a selector. I actually tapped him on the shoulder and asked him if he could do me a favor. So Rod actually called all of my wedding party to tell them they've been selected in my wedding party. One of the guys didn't believe him and told him to have off, but he was the fact that he was willing to do that. You know, I greatly appreciated it. But you know, I'll never forget a lot of what he said. More often than not, it was that every white one wishes it was a red one.
00:21:27
Speaker 1: Brilliant in that T twenty World Cup. Like, you know, had you ever batted at number eleven in a team before. It was quite a unique lineup, wasn't it.
00:21:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, occasionally when I do a speaking he got just take the piss out of myself and just say I did one with Adam Gilchrist a little while ago, and I'm like, you know, Gil Chris was obviously breaking records for a long time, but there was one he could never break. And I broke that one. And that was the lowest position a wicket keepers ever batted in the T twenty team got at number ten in the first game. I don't think I touched eleven. I think I definitely batter that frist game. But whenever anybody talks about that, I'm always very quick to bring up that I actually had the highest strike rate of the whole tournament faced five balls made.
00:22:10
Speaker 1: When you went to Sri Lanka, I soon to remember a bit of a controversy with the stumping. Nothing compared to perhaps a controversy we saw a couple of years later, but do you remember what happened there? And I was wondering if you know, from your lund room at home, you had a perspective of Alex Carey stumping Johnny Bearstow, and whether you felt that was the right thing.
00:22:32
Speaker 2: Yeah, I had no issue with that to start with staying increase, so he thought Alex did absolutely the right thing. That they've identified that he's just walking out of his crease and not having a regard for whether the ball's dead or not. So you know, I've got no issue with that. Regarding the Sri Lanka one, Yeah, so that was one where similarly saw the better would sort of rock his weight backward and forward after he'd either leave a ball or player shot. So the next the next I'm not sure if he played a short of left that I can't remember, but managed to get the timing right to take the bails off. And yeah, I think it was a little bit controversial. Certainly wasn't happy when I came out to bat in the next team, but I remember Ms DOONI sort of doing something fairly similar. Anytime I can put us off to Dony, that's always nice, even if it's just that.
00:23:23
Speaker 1: And pet. I suppose that was the start of a bad period for the Australian team, losing three matches in Sri Lanka, and I think it ended up being five or six Test losses in a row, culminating with the series against South Africa, where a tough loss in Perth and then a rather humiliating loss in Hoe. But I suppose you know, you've been on this great journey with the Australian team. I think you'd won a big series in New Zealand, crown number one team in the world. You know, it must have been a much tougher place to be around. I suppose as you were going through that losing streak.
00:23:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was all downhill from there. But I remember that tour in New Zealand where we Yeah, it did formally become the number one test team in the world. Obviously everyone's very happy with that. But unfortunately, yeah, we went away to Sri Lanka and and rang and a Herath just ran through us. It was hard to come up with an answer to that. You know, it wasn't for lack of sort of planning or trying or anything like that. But but to lose three zl in that series was yeah, sort of call it the Boulevard of Broken Dreams somewhat colloquially. But then going into a home series, I think you know, the view generally is okay, that was an aberration. That was a really bad series on the sub continent, you know, traditionally been hard to sort of tour and went over there coming into an Australia, Australian home summer, losing the first Test, especially with I think dale Stein went down early in that match, so they were a bowler down to lose that test, you know, really put us under the pump and then sort of going down to Hobart where we got knocked over very very comfortably. Yeah, they sot uping quicks just ran through the team and I remember Callum Ferguson, you know, getting run out. You know they probably summed up just nothing going right and then yeah, I mean once once that happened, the Heads were always going to roll. Yeah, you lose, you lose a home series after losing the way series five tests in a row. Yeah, I think everyone, you know, everyone was looking behind.
00:25:35
Speaker 1: Them and you mentioned you know that was a low experience when you know Stuart Broad ran through you at at trent Bridge, I think it was. But with yeah, tell us what it was like in the dressing room in Hoe. But you know after match over in sort of two and a half days, it must have been pretty quiet dressing room.
00:25:55
Speaker 2: Absolutely, And it's also not a very like it's it's a reasonably large room down Belle Reeve as well, so everyone's kind of dispersed in their own little spots. Sort of it's hard to pull sort of everybody out of that. But I suppose after a fair bit of introspection the group was sort of pulled together and and then I think everyone was sort of sent back to play shield cricket, so that there was a little element of you know, already to go back and play shield cricket. You're not you're not having a break leading into the next test. But I think a lot of people were very eager to get back and perform because a lot of people sort of fell under the pump. And then throughout that sort of that shield round, Rod Marshall had sort of left as shaman of selectors and then you know they've obviously sort of come in with a mandate to take the team in a new direction. So it was it was a it was a horrible feeling being in that in that room. After after that test loss who.
00:26:55
Speaker 1: Came in and speked? You did Darren Lehman speak? We heard Pat Howe did, did James Suthern come in and speak? You know who? What was the series of people, I guess addressing the team. Yeah, it was.
00:27:07
Speaker 2: It was all three. Yeah, I think all three of them spoke. I don't think Rod said much. There's not much to say really, but it was.
00:27:18
Speaker 1: It was.
00:27:18
Speaker 2: It was made very apparent that you know, plenty of plenty of the people sitting in this room aren't going to be here next the next game. So and that comes with the territory of body. You know, I don't think there would be anybody in that room who who needed to be told that.
00:27:31
Speaker 1: And were you feeling that yourself, Pete, Like, were you worried about your place in the team after that test?
00:27:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely absolutely. I think I'd made a fifty in in Perth. But that's that's sort of entirely irrelevant. Like it's you know, over over a sort of long enough period of time, it just hadn't been doing well enough. Like there, I'm sure, I'm sure you'll sort of cover it off. There were plenty of sort of narratives around why a change was made, but ultimately wasn't where it needed to be. I've been averaging sort of load of mid twenties with the bat, which just as a test keeper, that's just not up to scratch and mate.
00:28:12
Speaker 1: The reason, as we'll get to that was given was, you know, perhaps they wanted a bit more mongrel, someone who was going to be a bit more open to sledging behind the stumps, get the noise levels up. Leading up to that point, I mean, how many times had you heard that as a criticism of you, that you know, that you were too quiet, that you were too nice? Was it something that anyone had ever said to you at any point along the way.
00:28:36
Speaker 2: No, No, I'd never sort of liked, you know, never received that feedback. But I was always I was always focused on my team rather than focused on the opposition. So in terms of like sledging, I would I wasn't. In my nature. I didn't sledge the opposition. A lot of people will do that because they feel it. It's like they get more out of themselves in doing it. Anytime I'd done that in the past didn't work out very well. Like just acted me from what I was doing, and I found I performed better if I just focused on sort of myself but also then sort of you know, encouraging my team. But yeah, like it wasn't it wasn't. It wasn't a thing. It was I wasn't making any runs. That was ultimately what it came down to.
00:29:16
Speaker 1: And I mean, I presume you wouldn't have known this at the time, but you know we've read since that Greg Chappel walked out of that selection meeting. He was so furious about the reasoning being given for picking Matthew Wade over you that you know, the idea of of a wicket keeper being picked because they're going to sledge more. You know, I know what you're saying about making the runs, sorry, not making enough runs, but you know were you're disappointed at the reasoning that was given to you, Like, you know, could you believe that that was the reason why you were sort of left out of the team, or at least that was publicly put out there?
00:29:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, because I suppose all I went off was the conversation that I had with the new chairman of selectors. And it was a fairly brief conversation because you know, it's certainly not a case of me saying, hang on, I need some more reasoning here as to why I've been dropped. I know why I've been dropped, But there wasn't any sort of anything in that conversation that hinted at you know, it was about sort of having more of a presence on the field, like I would I would imply that ms Doney doesn't have much of a presence on the field, Like he's not overtly loud, he's not doesn't get in people's faces, but no one cares because he makes runs. It keeps really well and did it over a long period of time.
00:30:32
Speaker 1: Hearing Greg Chapel's reaction and going back to your relationship that you had with Rod Marsh who was obviously a keepers man, you know, had Rod stayed on the panel, do you think, you know, there might have been a different outcome, because you know, it's hard to imagine Rod sort of standing for that sort of reasoning. You know, do you think that played a part having Rod a supporter and Rod sort of leave the leave the environment.
00:30:53
Speaker 2: Oh, it's hard to say. I mean, you know, at the end of the day, you know, Rob was a chairman of selet Does and he made decisions you know that he thought were in the best interest of the team. So if he had a stayed on, there's no you know that I don't think necessarily would have changed anything. You know, there was some like, you know, I was one of the obvious people to get dropped off the back of that game, and yeah, I sort of made peace with it fairly quickly, but was then very determined to get myself back in.
00:31:23
Speaker 1: Yeah, and over the years at the time, and then as time went on, there was a lot of people who were outraged on your behalf at how that had all played out. You know, did you I suppose as the years went by and you hadn't got back in the team, you know, was there any kind of perhaps not bitterness, but you know, disappointment. I suppose that you know that that sort of a non cricketing factor perhaps played a part in missing out on the team.
00:31:52
Speaker 2: Not really, I suppose that the biggest disappointment, I suppose was trying to get back in about a year later. So I felt like I went away, you know, started stringing some performances back together, you know, made some hundreds through that period. Felt like I was keeping reasonably well, you know, the selection process leading into the to the next Ashes. Yeah, you know, it felt like I was sort of right in the mix and was probably more disappointed sort of not getting back in the team at that point more than I was about getting dropped a year prior.
00:32:27
Speaker 1: And yeah, I was going to come to that because I think it was it ended up being a bit of a shootout, didn't it. I think it was the incumbent, who was Matt Wade, yourself, possibly a young Alex Carey coming through and then sort of out of nowhere, not even playing first class cricket, Tim Paine was announced. You know, was that was that a shock to here? Like, you know, you obviously felt you were you're a big chance for that team.
00:32:47
Speaker 2: Yeah, I felt like I was a big chance, but Spiers, I just wasn't performing at the right time. We had sort of three Shield games ahead of that first ahead of that first test team getting announced, and sort of you know, my understanding was I was sort of really strongly in the mix, but ultimately, you know, I didn't didn't land a knockout punch in any of those games, and the rest is history with lighting doors.
00:33:14
Speaker 1: Were you stunned when when Tim Payne's name was the one that was read out.
00:33:18
Speaker 2: Yeah, I was surprised. I was surprised. I certainly thought it was you know, obviously mentioned myself, Wady and Alex Carey. Well, I thought you know, we're definitely the front runners in that aspect. But you know, good luck to Timmy. He had an opportunity, you know, took it with both hands and the rest is history.
00:33:38
Speaker 1: Peter, I just was wondering, you know, as you sat at home in Sydney, presumably when Australia to in South Africa in twenty eighteen and the sandpaper gate controversy played out and there was so much commentary at the end of it, I suppose you know, obviously you were at peace with the reasons why were you were dropped and all that kind of thing. But did you feel that the mess that was sent by you know, wanting to pick a wicked keeper who had more aggression, who was going to sledge and be a bit more of an aggressor on the field. You know, did you feel looking back that perhaps that was a sign of things going in a off course direction for Australia. Just the mentality I suppose that that led to that of being this kind of super aggressive sort of team.
00:34:25
Speaker 2: Oh it's hard. I mean, you know, I don't have an opinion on that. I suppose you can sort of draw some some parallels, but but no, it certainly wasn't something I was I was sort of thinking, or you know, I certainly wasn't sitting there with an ax to grind. While it was really disappointing that that was the end of my end of my test career. You know, you then start sort of focusing on what's in front of you, and I was enjoying playing shield cricket at that point. You know, it was had one eye on my next career, you know, was having kids. You've got all all these sort of other things that sort of fill that void that was a massive focus of your life. But then it just naturally sort of dissipates, and you know, you sort of follow it less, you watch it less. You still love the game, but it takes up sort of less of your bandwidth, I suppose.
00:35:16
Speaker 1: And what have you made of watching Pat Cummins as captain now? Because quote from him sort of stood out to me recently when he was asked about sledging that you know, he kind of feels it's a bit cringe, you know, a guy's sledging when it's not really in their personality. And I imagine you know, that would have been a nice thing for you to hear when you were playing. You know, do you like the way that Pat goes about it, the way that he kind of just encourages players to just be themselves.
00:35:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, Pat's brilliant. So he's a brilliant human being, an outstanding cricketer and a great leader. Like the way, you know, he's always very measured, he's always you know, he knows the game exceptionally. Well, it's kind of nice to see a fast ball of being captain as well. I don't know, please, Jeff Lawson. He always always felt that the bowlers made ideal captains. But yeah, like Pat's obviously had a remarkable, remarkable career, but I'm sure he's got a lot of unfinished business that he sort of wants to wants to tick off throughout the rest of his career, however long that goes for And Pete.
00:36:19
Speaker 1: Just to close off on, I suppose that whole chapter of your career, you know, in the subsequent years or after you're retired, you know, did you ever hear from any of the old selectors or coaches or players you know about I suppose what had transpired and how your Test career came to an end.
00:36:36
Speaker 2: No, not really no, And it's sort of not something I would ever be bringing up. So it's no one's ever sort of wanted to talk about it, but it's it's all sort of buried in the past, and yeah, it's not something I give much thought to anymore.
00:36:53
Speaker 1: Mate, Just taking you back to twenty fourteen, obviously the most tragic event that's that's happened in cricket. Unfortunately, a similarly tragic event has happened just recently with a young cricketer in Victoria. But you were on the field at the SCG the day when Philipears was struck, you know, being the wiki keeper. I think you were one of the first people to get to him and I remember you sort of sprinting, you you sprinting out on the driver revenue to try and hail in the ambulances. You know, what an awful experience to be part of. And you know how much of an effect has that had on your on your life.
00:37:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's incredibly sad, you know, for someone as talented as as Philip as well, you know, it's it's kind of I think it was very scary at the time that it happened to Philip, it could happen to anyone he was much better, better than all the rest of us. But I do, like, I don't remember running out to the drive revenue. My former sort of agent said like he was out there and bumped into me and said, I was, you know, screaming for an ambulance or something. But I don't. I don't recall that bit. I was actually I was at short cover, so HADS was keeping at the time, and sort of after Field got hit and sort of fell over, I've sort of ran over, you know, was sort of standing there with my hand on his on his back, and I think everyone was in in disbelief and just you know, yeah, waiting for the medical team to come running out, and yeah, in the aftermath as well, sort of you know, incredibly sad to lose someone that way, who had you know, he loved his cows. He had a brilliant sense of humor. You know, he was just a very unique individual. Very sad to lose him in that manner.
00:38:43
Speaker 1: And I suppose his cricket is like, how could you be how could anyone be equipped to deal with that kind of situation. You know, it must have been a harrowing, harrowing thing to go through in the days the weeks and even the years afterwards.
00:38:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, and everybody deals with it differently as well. So some people, you know, react to grief, you know, in sort of fairly typical ways, and others sort of don't. It's a very unique experience that, you know, we actually had a whole heap of players flying from all around the country just sort of the SCG was just open for a couple of days for people to sort of walk around and pay their respects and sort of all that sort of stuff. Yeah, it was. It was a sort of crazy moment. But who's who of cricketers were all sort of in the in the one place, you know, all sort of collectively Morning one of the brightest talents the game, Seene and Pete.
00:39:35
Speaker 1: You retired from the game. You know, one hundred first class games for New South Wales, a very fine test career, the seventeen tests that you played. I know, you know you've you've sort of told a few stories against yourself about your batting ability and all that sort of thing. But you know, how do you look back on your career and I suppose you know, there must be a great satisfaction in getting everything, everything out of yourself, you know, like to be able to get every outside of your ability and to I guess, reach that pinnacle that so many people set out to achieve and very few do.
00:40:07
Speaker 2: Yeah, even when I sort of stopped initially, Like you know, I look back on my career with so much gratitude and fondness to be able to play for as long as I did for someone who had no shots and just sort of enjoyed being amongst it to play for. You know. However many years it was sort of fifteen years almost a professional cricket was. Yeah, I feel like I've got everything I possibly could out of it, but the game gave me so much as well that I'll always be grateful for it. Yeah, nothing but nothing but fond memories.
00:40:41
Speaker 1: Pete. Can you tell us about what you're doing now? What are you up to after cricket?
00:40:45
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I worked for a highnitwealth investment advisory business. Now, So throughout my career you said, I loved guitar, So the only other things I really loved were cricket and investing. So that was always a real sort of passion of mine. So while I was sort of still playing a sort of after all the Australian stuff was finished, I ended up doing a master's and started working for a financial advisory business which we then did a management buy out of. It's essentially a business that a guy called Charlie Viola started about twenty three years ago. So it was picture partner Sydney Wealth Management, which I sort of joined while I was still playing cricket. Then did a management buyout. It's now Viola Private Wealth. So I'm a partner there and an advisor there, and that sort of takes up all my competitive energies now sort of, you know, growing that business from you know, we've got sort of two and a half billion dollars of other people's money that we count at the moment, but growing that into a really formidable you know, the best known wealth business in the country is the Focus.
00:41:43
Speaker 1: And any cricketers come to you for any advice at.
00:41:46
Speaker 2: This point, Mate, we've got to keep that confidential.
00:41:49
Speaker 1: Like how like you say it was an interest of yours investment, Like how did you explore that? I suppose as as a player and you start to learn the ins and outs of how it all works.
00:42:00
Speaker 2: Yeah, So I think there was always a sort of group of people who loved talking about investing and predominantly was all sort of you know, share market investing at that stage. It did sort of broaden into other things for some people who went down the sort of path of those you know, cartoon monkeys and crypto and all those sort of things that that got spoken about in change rooms. I was always sort of steered sort of very clear of that, but started broadening into other things, you know, syndicated property, unlisted infrastructure, you know, other types of investments that sit alongside those those equity pieces to help better diversify portfolios but ultimately to generate sort of outsize returns over time. So getting to understand that aspect of things and sort of I met Charlie Viella sort of ten years ago at the SCG at a cricket appearance, and then he's just had a place in Midland as soon as I wanted to. So once I'd done all my study and I was still sort of playing for New South Wales, really just went headlong in to that. And that's you know, that's now the focus of all my sort of competitive energies. Now. It's great to have something that you then sort of you know, what cricket did absorb is then sort of divert to another area. But I love the investment side of things. I love sort of working with clients and sort of helping them get to where they want to be over time.
00:43:17
Speaker 1: Pete. We sort of know how precious fast buyers can be about their run scoring. And Mitchell Stark obviously has a Test ninety nine and he got close one day in a Shield game where you had to declare his captain. Was it more difficult facing Mitchell Stark after that, after that innings than it was in the nets? At training?
00:43:38
Speaker 2: It was always difficult facing Mitchell Stark in the nets. But no, Yeah, so felt like we were running out of time to win the game, needed enough overs to bowl them out. Stark he was on sort of eighty odd perhaps, and yeah, declared, sorry, Mitchell, he's got a higher Test score than I do, so he can hang his had on that. But I'm sure he's going to get there. This Ashes series, Mitchell Stark hundred calling.
00:44:04
Speaker 1: It was he the scariest bowie to face in the nets?
00:44:09
Speaker 2: Absolutely. He certainly was as well when he was young because he didn't probably have the control that he has now. And early season in the SCG nets, you know some spicy wickets and starkey sending him around your ears when he wasn't meaning to was never fun. But to have played with guys like that who have then gone on and just dominated international cricket for such a long period of time, it's it's sort of quite remarkable when you, you know, you look back and they're just these you know, bright eyed young guys who come along and and then are able to play, you know, as much cricket as they've played. It's it's truly remarkable, especially for like a group you know, like the Big Four that have played together as well for so long. Yeah, it's just it's incredible. So I pinched myself as well that I got to play with those guys.
00:44:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, you played with some of the big stars. You know, what was David Warner and Steve Smith like to share a dressing room?
00:45:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, oh fantastic. You know as well, like starting with David when he was playing for the Eastern Suburbs, batting with him when he decided he was going to change change stance and bat left hand. I was sorry about right hand just because there was a short boundary on one side of the ground and just started hitting six's, you know, just incredible. It's the best vantage point to be, yeah, to be able to watch guys like that go about what they do.
00:45:26
Speaker 1: Pete, you had an outstanding career both the New South Wales and Australia. It was a pleasure to be able to cover your career. You had some great achievements for Australia and I think above all just the way you carried yourself as a player and you played the game in the correct way. So congratulations on everything you achieved and thanks for joining us for the Sack Podcast.
00:45:45
Speaker 2: Thanks Man,
