Former England and Western Suburbs fast bowler Angus Fraser fires up against Randwick in November 1994

I look back at my two winters playing for Western Suburbs with a huge amount of pride and joy, and my Magpie cap proudly hangs on a hook next to my Middlesex and England caps in my office at Lord’s.

In 1988/89 I spent much of the summer with Brad McNamara and Scott Hookey. We spent a few Saturday evenings at Carmens in Miranda, so there are some stories I will leave alone. I do remember getting a bollocking from Greg Matthews one Saturday whilst Wests were batting for sunbathing on one of the grassy banks at Pratten Park. He took his shirt off and showed me the damage the sun can do. It was a good point, quite forcibly made??

In 1994/95, having been omitted from England’s Ashes squad, I positioned myself in Australia in case any England players got injured. They did, and I got called up to the squad. Before getting called up I played in a game against Randwick at Coogee Oval.

On first innings Wests won a low scoring game and I took five or six wickets on a slow pitch. I then got called up to the England touring squad.

In an attempt to provide a bit of colour to the news a national paper spoke to one of the Randwick players about batting against me. The bloke completely nailed me on every front – no pace, didn’t do much with the ball, easy to play etc etc. I wouldn’t have minded, but Wests won the game, and I bowled pretty well. I bit my lip with the media when I got a few wickets in the Sydney Test that followed.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/161/western-suburbs-district-cricket-club-sydney/blog/1458/former-england-and-western-suburbs-fast-bowler-angus-fraser-fires-up-against-randwick-in-november-1994