Now or Neser? - Where Australia's recent debutant has gone and is going
Written by Ben McCure
When Michael Neser claimed his maiden Test wicket of English opener Haseeb Hameed with just his second delivery in Test cricket, the outpouring of pure joy was obvious; reflective of the years of hard work that lead him to that moment.
Despite his sustained success at Shield level in recent seasons, the Queenslander has been forced to wait his turn in the Test arena.
His long-awaited debut was prolonged solely due to Australia having one of the strongest, most settled bowling line-ups in world cricket.
Hence, opportunities for fringe bowlers like Neser have been few and far between.
Now with a baggy green to show for it, Neser is Australian through and through; although things could have been quite different had his family not made the decision to relocate to the country at a young age.
Born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa, Michael was 10 years old when he and his family moved to the Gold Coast.
Upon arrival to Australia, the right-arm bowler wasted no time in finding a cricket club, and began his junior career with Broadbeach-Robina Cats.
From there, he progressed through the ranks and made his 1st Grade debut for Queensland Premier Cricket side the Gold Coast Dolphins, before earning a rookie contract with Queensland at just 19 years of age.
Neser had been pleading selectors to pick him at Test level for many Sheffield Shield seasons - Photo credit: Mark Brake
Fast forward eleven years, and after seemingly endless amounts of perseverance and dedication, Neser was clearly ready to make his mark on the international stage.
Neser wasn't a complete stranger to the international stage in Adelaide, having briefly appeared for Australia against England in two One Day Internationals in 2018.
In what was a series to forget for the Aussies, who were still reeling from the sandpaper scandal in South Africa just months earlier, the right-arm quick took two wickets in his two games, with 2/46 on debut.
After reappearing for his country in the Second Ashes Test, he immediately lost his spot in the XI for the Boxing Day Test (albeit due to the return of captain Pat Cummins and local debutant Scott Boland), leaving his future at the top level uncertain.
This means that with the impending return of Josh Hazelwood to the side from injury, as well as Australia’s well-documented fast-bowling depth, opportunities may continue to be scarce.
It leaves the right-arm swing bowler in an all too familiar position; one where he is frequently picked in squads and tours, but deprived of playing time for his country.
It is an unfortunate outcome that Neser will be desperate to avoid from happening, however if there is anyone that can force the hands of selectors through sheer determination and consistent performances - it’s Neser.
Subsequently, it is difficult to imagine an immediate future in Australian Test Cricket that doesn’t involve Michael Neser and his ability to work over the best players in the world.