#PlayCricket - Ben Cutting

Ben Cutting always knew he was going to play cricket for Australia.

Ever since he first picked up and ball and a bat in the backyard of his parent’s house, the dream that had ignited to play for Australia was not going to be doused under any circumstances.

And it was on his parent’s acreage that he honed his craft, and the power hitting that brought the Cutting name to prominence.

“I was fortunate that Mum and Dad are out on acreage and they had a tennis court so that is where we set up, the house was about 50 metres away and if you hit the house on the full, you would get a free bat meaning you were allowed to lose a wicket,” Cutting said.

It’s those particulars that begin in the backyard, Cutting’s ability to clear a fence and go long, Matthew Hayden’s reluctance to cut to avoid breaking a glass door and Greg Chappell’s strength behind square, the only gap in his garden’s leg-side.

Cutting also credits his skills to his family, a younger brother who provided plenty of resistance and a father who played well into his adult years.

“There was plenty of sibling rivalry, mostly with my younger brother who is four-years younger than me, we used to get the neighbourhood kids around and have big games.”

Rising through the ranks at junior representative level, Cutting was often passed over by schoolmates as someone who wouldn’t reach the pinnacle of sport.

“There was always a few people through school that said I would never play cricket for Australia, only a select few get to do that, but I always thought that I would, it was only a matter of when.”

And when that day came, it was a dream 25 years in the making and one the bustling all-rounder still savours.

“[The career highlight] was definitely getting my ODI cap, but also picking up three wickets against the West Indies at the SCG (in only his second international).

Enlisted as one of the #PlayCricket ambassadors, Cutting received the opportunity to go deep sea diving on the Great Barrier Reef, but quickly set his sights back on his immediate goals.

“I’d like to become more of a fixture in the ODI and T20 fixtures especially with the T20 World Cup around the corner.

“To have a good year with the Queensland side and the Brisbane Heat will also be great, 500 runs and 50 wickets across the board is the all-rounder’s goal.”

And his advice for the next crop of cricket’s superstars coming through?

“It’s Australia’s favourite game, there probably isn’t a backyard going around in Australia that hasn’t had cricket, whenever I go for a walk there is always a game of cricket going on, just get involved.”

Visit www.playcricket.com.au to find your nearest club and get started on the journey from Backyard to Baggy Green.