Aussie rugby rivals inspiring in-form Abbott

Two of Australia's greatest rugby arch-enemies are inspiring NSW Blues quick Sean Abbott to perform at his best and realise his dream of playing more international cricket.

Abbott starred for NSW in their Marsh Sheffield Shield season opener against Western Australia last week, taking 6-89 from 32.5 overs and scoring an unbeaten 60 on a flat pitch at Gladys Elphick Park in Adelaide's Shield hub.

In his downtime, Abbott – a self-crowned sports nuffie – watches sports documentaries and listens to podcasts, taking pieces of information and advice from athletes all over the world and adding them to his game.

And it was while watching Chasing Great, the documentary on All Blacks legend Richie McCaw, that Abbott picked up some valuable information.

One key message from the long-time Wallabies tormentor has stayed with him as he strives to add to his five international caps: find a way to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

"One thing that Richie McCaw said in that doco was (on) the greatest rewards in the game," Abbott said on The Unplayable Podcast.

"He was talking about playing for the All Blacks, but the greatest rewards in our game are playing Test cricket or for our country.

"For me right now (it's about) playing for the Blues, and what does that look like? As a bowler it's taking wickets, or if I'm out there with the bat it's scoring runs.

"If I'm sitting on the sidelines after I've just got out, or if I walk off with none-for, I'm not doing my job."

If Wallabies fans cringe at the thought of an Aussie taking advice from an All Blacks legend, they would double over when hearing who else Abbott has been listening to: the former England flyhalf who sank Australia's hopes of World Cup glory in the 2003 final.

"I listened to a great podcast the other day with Johnny Wilkinson," Abbott said.

"He mentioned, 'What does the worst-case scenario look like?' and for us bowlers it would be getting a similar wicket like we just played on (in the most recent Shield match), getting none-for and being in the field for two days

"Two of those things were pretty much true. I was just lucky that this game I got to take some wickets, but we were in the field for a day-and-a-half and (the pitch) was pretty flat.

"It's (actually also) realising your dreams, and that's where the greatest rewards are and what's that? Playing Test cricket or ODI cricket or T20 cricket.

"Or it might be different for someone else, it might be playing for the Blues or playing cricket professionally."

Whether diehard Australian rugby fans like it or not, the advice is working for Abbott.

The 28-year-old has been a standout bowler for NSW and the Sydney Sixers over the past three seasons and his good form earnt him a T20I call-up for Australia in November last year, five years after his last game for his country.

Abbott has been part of Australia's recent T20I squads to South Africa and England, and while he did not play a match on the UK tour last month, the lessons he learnt from playing the practice games alone made the trip worthwhile as he aims to build his self-belief in the national setup.

"We had a few trial games in Southampton before the first T20 and I was so worn out after that because I was trying way too hard," said Abbott, who recorded figures of 1-19, 0-33 and 0-38 from three overs in each of the trial matches.

"I was over-excited that I was in that group. You look around at the players that have been playing and had success over the last few years and how they were playing and – not that I couldn't believe I was there, because I felt like I put in some hard work to be there – but I was flying in trying to bowl quick and was spraying the ball everywhere, and the boys were taking me apart.

"Just trying to calm myself down … was the most important thing I took away from those four games and even though I didn't get to play on that tour I still took a lot out of that."

The tour also provided Abbott with a chance to chat to national selector George Bailey and find out exactly where he sits on Australia's fast bowler depth chart.

With a possible schedule clash early next year, when Australia's Test team is slated for a tour in South Africa while the T20I team is pencilled in to play in New Zealand, Abbott may have a chance to showcase his abilities while the incumbent quicks, and his NSW teammates, are preparing to play the Proteas.

"(Bailey) reassured me my cricket was trending in the right direction and just made a few things pretty clear about really trying to work out where I set myself apart if I do play for the national team, and remembering what my best attributes were," he said.

"With the way things are at the minute … there'll be some opportunities there if I stay in some pretty good form, (it must be) great form actually, considering the players around at the minute.

"I was pretty grateful George sat me down and made things pretty clear instead of going through the motions in the hub."