The man who prematurely curtailed Kevin Pietersen’s 100th Test match celebrations holds the rare distinction of claiming more Test match catches than he’s played first-class matches.
Super-sub Sabburg’s moment of glory
Chris Sabburg lived up to his reputation as the best fielder in Queensland when he made a cameo appearance on the fourth morning of the first Test and claimed himself a place in Commonwealth Bank Ashes folklore by intercepting a top-edged fly ball off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson.
The 23-year-old, who won a rookie contract with Big Bash League franchise Brisbane Heat in 2012 under the guidance of current Australian coach Darren Lehmann, has yet to represent his State at either Bupa Sheffield Shield or RYOBI Cup level.
But while the Baggy Green cap he has donned when making regular dashes on to the field to administer drinks, fresh batting gloves and breakthroughs will need to be returned at match’s end, he now has a priceless memorabilia moment to frame and hang at home.
“It wasn’t a hard catch,” Sabburg said of the dismissal, which saw him run in from the fine leg boundary rope to snare a key breakthrough after Pietersen had scored 26.
“I saw it all the way, I just had to pretty much settle myself and watch it in (to my hands).”
Sabburg, a cousin of former Australian quick and current national selector Andy Bichel and a nephew of former Queensland bowler Dirk Tazelaar, was only on the field for two deliveries while Ryan Harris returned briefly to the dressing rooms during the day’s first drinks breaks.
Having being mobbed by his new teammates for his effort, he then returned to the Australian dug out to receive plaudits from Lehmann whose appreciation of the aspiring all-rounder’s fielding talents led to Sabburg being brought into the fold when 12th man James Faulkner returned to Sheffield Shield duties with Tasmania.
“I was probably pretty lucky, we had Boof (Lehmann) last year for the Heat and I got a few games under him there so he must have seen what I can do,” Sabburg said.
“I took half a dozen catches and just tried to get around the field as quick as I could, so he just got me in (for the Test) I suppose.”
Given his former role as an employee at Brisbane’s Rocklea fruit and vegetable markets, it was no surprise he made the outfield catch appear as straightforward as shelling peas.
And while it is unlikely to re-ignite the ‘super-sub’ fielding debate that erupted during the 2005 Ashes campaign when Ricky Ponting accused England of using specialist fielding substitutes to allow their fast bowlers regular rest and recuperation, it will ensure that Sabburg’s name remains a staple of cricket trivia nights for decades to come.