HAVE you heard the one about the Englishman who lives in Victoria, played for South Australia and will represent Australia?
It didn’t really exist until Richie Wyld came to the fore.
The Mildura Settlers stalwart, despite being born and raised in Nottingham, will earn a Baggy Green for the Australian Over 40s team in series against New Zealand in February.
Wyld was South Australia’s leading run scorer during the national championships in November with 216 at an average of 54 and a top score of 69, and led their wicket taking with seven across the four games.
It resulted in a call up from the Australian selectors, despite the knowledge he is from the Old Dart.
“A lot of kids dreams growing up is to wear the baggy green… it wasn’t mine,” Wyld laughed.
“Not sure I’m going to be singing the national anthem or anything, but it will still be a pretty proud moment.
“We laugh and joke about it but it’s a pretty cool honour and an opportunity I jumped at.”
Wyld also joked about that fact he had been selected for Australia ahead of his great mate Mark Cleary, a former first-class and Australia A player.
“I think Cleary has copped it more from the boys because I got picked ahead of him… maybe he can be part of my entourage,” he laughed.
No doubt Wyld’s parents, who will head to Christchurch to watch him play, may struggle to get their head around the anomaly, but the former SCA Innes Medal winner has been part of the fabric of Sunraysia cricket for two decades.
While not playing full time with Settlers this season, Wyld said he has enjoyed playing in the veterans teams alongside Cleary.
“We had a really good week away, personally I had a good week with a bit of luck, got a few runs and took a couple of wickets and then I got a phone call to come to New Zealand,” he said.
“We won two of our four games, and only lost to New South Wales, who won overall, by three runs.
“I think Cleary was the only guy there who had first class experience but everyone else had played district cricket in the cities. From the bowlers there was no massive pace but just quality, they didn’t give you much.
“I thought there might have been a couple more better spinners there, but the batting was class. We’re all cricket nuffies.
“First night I bumped into a guy who was our overseas player back in England when I was 16, I hadn’t seen him for 25 years so that was pretty cool. There’s plenty of guys you’re talking to who had played around home back in Nottingham. It’s a pretty small world in cricket.”
Australia’s Over 40 side will play four matches, one against New Zealand A and three against their Trans Tasman foes, a team that includes former international cricketing twins Hamish and James Marshall.
All games will be played in Christchurch, with the final one potentially held at Test cricket venue Hagley Oval.
Despite his childhood allegiances, Wyld is excited to represent his new nation.
