'I earned my first cap when Australia was at its peak'
Shaun Tait remembers knocking out a batsman when he was 15, and playing alongside Shane Warne, a poster of whom he had up in his room as a kid
Interview by Jack Wilson
22-Mar-2014
"Go out there and aim to take a wicket every ball" • AFP
First hero
It's more teams that I looked up to than players. I always liked watching the West Indian and Pakistani fast bowlers of the early '90s. All my memories growing up were of watching one-day cricket.
It's more teams that I looked up to than players. I always liked watching the West Indian and Pakistani fast bowlers of the early '90s. All my memories growing up were of watching one-day cricket.
First time I hurt a batsman
I knocked a kid out when I was 15. I bowled a bouncer at him and he turned around. It ended up hitting him on the back of the head!
I knocked a kid out when I was 15. I bowled a bouncer at him and he turned around. It ended up hitting him on the back of the head!
First time I was in awe of someone I was playing with
My first tour with the Australian team was to Sri Lanka in 2004, although I didn't play a game. During that time I was in a dressing room full of legends, so I was in awe of most of them. I had a poster of Shane Warne on my wall as a kid. Then I was called up by my country and I ended up playing with him.
My first tour with the Australian team was to Sri Lanka in 2004, although I didn't play a game. During that time I was in a dressing room full of legends, so I was in awe of most of them. I had a poster of Shane Warne on my wall as a kid. Then I was called up by my country and I ended up playing with him.
First time I wore the baggy green
It came in the Ashes of 2005 against England. Pulling on the baggy green in that game was a moment of a lifetime, really. Unfortunately my Test career was short-lived and I only played three games. But I still earned my first cap at a time when Australia was at its cricketing peak.
It came in the Ashes of 2005 against England. Pulling on the baggy green in that game was a moment of a lifetime, really. Unfortunately my Test career was short-lived and I only played three games. But I still earned my first cap at a time when Australia was at its cricketing peak.
First piece of advice to a young quick bowler
To go out there and aim to take a wicket every ball.
To go out there and aim to take a wicket every ball.