Rogers Slots In Under The Radar
The Age
Wednesday January 16, 2008
NOTHING has come easy for Chris Rogers. "He was never the anointed one, the chosen one," said his father, John Rogers, himself a first-class cricketer with NSW. "He was the kid who was never outstanding who would always creep into rep teams."
Today, Rogers will become Australia's 399th Test cricketer, replacing the injured Matthew Hayden at the top of the order. But unlike the Michael Clarkes and Ricky Pontings of the world, for whom greatness always seemed assured, for many, Rogers rose to prominence when he plundered 219 for Leicestershire against Australia on the 2005 Ashes tour, withstanding playful taunts from Hayden in the slips for him to "get out and do the right right thing for his country". Hayden, presumably, will be wishing no such thing at the WACA Ground this week.In no particular order, Rogers has overcome short-sightedness, partial colour-blindness, the loss of his Western Australia contract, a snubbing from NSW and, generally, being the shortest bloke in most of his teams."I thought maybe I had missed the boat, but I always thought perhaps there might be an opportunity but you never want to wish an injury on anyone," he said. Rogers today is likely to be presented with his baggy green cap by Justin Langer, the man whom he partners at the top of the Western Australia order but shares little else in common. Unlike Langer, Rogers clocks off after his shift at the ground, redirecting his focus to music, writing and the occasional sudoku puzzle."He will often come over to dinner and say, 'Dad, I don't want to talk about cricket tonight'," John Rogers said. "But sometimes, like tonight, that's all I'll want to talk about."
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