Australia pacer Michael Neser opened up about his terrific all-round performance on the opening day of the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne.
Playing in his first Boxing Day Test, it was a day to remember for Neser. The Queenslander first top-scored for Australia with 35 as they were bowled out for 152, before returning as the team’s best bowler with four wickets on a pitch that produced 20 wickets.
At 35, Neser made his first Boxing Day appearance, and he was overwhelmed to be living the dream.
“It’s unreal. I dreamt of this as a kid,” Neser said after play on Day 1 at the MCG. “Every Boxing Day, I’d wake up early and my brother and I would play backyard cricket for hours, then come back inside and watch cricket. The whole day is cricket for us, and to be part of it is a dream come true. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.”
On a green top, Neser opened the bowling with Mitchell Starc and claimed the key wickets of Jacob Bethell, Joe Root and Ben Stokes.
Patience was at the forefront of Neser’s masterful spell with the ball.
“The ball definitely nipped around a bit there with the new rock,” he explained. “It was just about finding ways to put pressure back on their batters and knowing that when we bowled, we had to be patient and let the wicket do the work.”
Australia have taken a 46-run lead and will look to build on that when Day 2 begins.
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