Photo Credit: Sydney Sixers
Parramatta cricket captain Nick Bertus has been called into the Sydney Sixers squad as cover for Nathan Lyon while the off spinning great is on Test duty during the first month of KFC BBL|10
The versatile wicketkeeper and batsman, who made his Sheffield Shield and One-Day (List A) debuts for the NSW Blues in 2019, has been a prolific run-scorer in Grade cricket but is yet to play in the Big Bash.
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At 27, Bertus could have been forgiven to thinking he had missed his chance in the BBL and admits to being surprised when astute Sixers coach Greg Shipperd called him out of the blue recently to check on his availability.
“It was fairly late one night when Shippy rang me,” Bertus said.
“It was a bit of a surprise. A bit of shock but a lot of excitement and eagerness for it all to start.
“Having never been in the BBL before but having played First Class and List A I just wanted an opportunity.
“The Sixers have been quite strong for a long time and it hasn’t been easy to crack into. To get that opportunity is the main thing.”
Bertus can bat anywhere in the order and also provides the Sixers with wicketkeeping cover for rising superstar Josh Philippe, the Player of the Match in last summer’s triumphant BBL|09 final.
“It helps being versatile,” Bertus said.
“I can bat at the top or anywhere near the middle.
“Being able to ‘keep gives me a further string to my bow. It doesn’t bother me if I’m anywhere in the field or ‘keeping. Just to be given an opportunity.”
Bertus said he had had several conversations with best mate and Sixers star Sean Abbott, who himself will miss the opening month of this Big Bash season following his call up to the Australian Test squad, about patiently waiting for an opportunity in the BBL.
“He was obviously really excited and happy for me when I told him I was going to be with the Sixers,” Bertus said.
“He’s done really well in the last year and we have talked about opportunity.
“He said ‘if you get in you know you’ll be good enough to do well’. Now I have to work hard and take any opportunity that comes my way.”
The Sixers began their training camp in Sydney last Monday, before flying to Tasmania today.
The reigning champions will begin their title defence against the Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena on Thursday December 10.
The Sixers will play three games at the SCG on January 16, 22 and 24, 2021.
The Sixers’ BBL squad now consists of 20 players: Justin Avendano (injury replacement for Mickey Edwards), Nick Bertus (local replacement for Nathan Lyon) Carlos Brathwaite, Dan Christian, Tom Curran, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques (c), Jason Holder, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Ben Manenti, Lawrence Neil-Smith (local replacement player for Jackson Bird), Stephen O’Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Tom Rogers (local replacement player for Sean Abbott), Gurinder Sandhu (local replacement for Mitchell Starc), Jordan Silk, James Vince
