Michael Neser

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Michael Neser

| full_name = Michael Gertges Neser

| image = 4 06 Michael Neser.jpg

|caption = Neser bowling for Glamorgan (2023)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|3|29}}

| birth_place = Pretoria, Transvaal Province, South Africa

| height = 1.83 m

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium-fast

| role = Bowling all-rounder

| international = true

| country = Australia

| internationalspan = 2018–present

| testdebutdate = 16 December

| testdebutyear = 2021

| testdebutagainst = England

| testcap = 462

| lasttestdate = 8 December

| lasttestyear = 2022

| lasttestagainst = West Indies

| odidebutdate = 13 June

| odidebutyear = 2018

| odidebutagainst = England

| odicap = 225

| lastodidate = 15 September

| lastodiyear = 2023

| lastodiagainst = South Africa

| odishirt = 18

| club1 = Queensland

| year1 = {{nowrap|2010/11–present}}

| club2 = Brisbane Heat

| year2 = 2011/12, 2021/22-present

| club3 = Adelaide Strikers

| year3 = {{nowrap|2012/13–2020/21}}

| club4 = Kings XI Punjab

| year4 = 2013

| club5 = Glamorgan

| year5 = 2021–2023

| club6 = Hampshire

| year6 = 2024

| columns = 4

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 2

| runs1 = 56

| bat avg1 = 18.66

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 35

| deliveries1 = 281

| wickets1 = 7

| bowl avg1 = 16.71

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/22

| catches/stumpings1 = 0/–

| column2 = ODI

| matches2 = 4

| runs2 = 11

| bat avg2 = 2.75

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 6

| deliveries2 = 220

| wickets2 = 3

| bowl avg2 = 79.66

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 2/46

| catches/stumpings2 = 1/–

| column3 = FC

| matches3 = 108

| runs3 = 3,680

| bat avg3 = 28.52

| 100s/50s3 = 5/17

| top score3 = 176*

| deliveries3 = 19,221

| wickets3 = 378

| bowl avg3 = 24.00

| fivefor3 = 11

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 7/32

| catches/stumpings3 = 55/–

| column4 = LA

| matches4 = 70

| runs4 = 921

| bat avg4 = 23.02

| 100s/50s4 = 1/3

| top score4 = 122

| deliveries4 = 3,222

| wickets4 = 84

| bowl avg4 = 33.82

| fivefor4 = 1

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 5/28

| catches/stumpings4 = 21/–

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/376169.html ESPNcricinfo

| date = 9 November

| year = 2024

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry |{{AUS}}}}

}}

Michael Gertges Neser (born 29 March 1990) is an Australian professional cricketer. In domestic cricket, he represents Queensland, and the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, as well as Glamorgan in the County Championship, Royal London One-Day Cup and T20 Blast. He made his international debut for Australia in June 2018. He was a member of the Australian team that won the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final.

Early life

Neser was born in Pretoria, South Africa,{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/players/michael-neser/7pIMPCEa2UW47F_ejPV41g|title=Michael Neser|access-date=16 December 2017|website=cricket.com.au}} but moved to Queensland, Australia, with his family when he was 10 years old, settling on the Gold Coast.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/376169.html |title=Michael Neser. Australia Cricket. Cricket Players and Officials |access-date=16 December 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} There he began playing junior cricket for the Broadbeach-Robina Cats and made his first grade debut for the Gold Coast Dolphins at 17 years of age in February 2008.{{cite web|url=http://mycricket.cricket.com.au/common/pages/public/rv/cricket/viewplayer.aspx?entityid=13710&save=0&playerid=509040&eid=13710&locx=PLY&seasonid=61 |title=Gold Coast Dolphins Player Statistics - Michael Neser |publisher=MyCricket.com.au |access-date=22 April 2019}} He attended The Southport School throughout his teenage years where he competed in the GPS competition and was awarded back-to-back Paul Norris Trophies in 2006-07 as the school's First XI all-rounder of the year as well as the Westcott Family Trophy for First XI bowler of the year in 2007.{{cite web|url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27331526/tss-cricket-the-southport-school |title=TSS Cricket 2012 - Players and Parents Cricket Handbook |publisher=The Southport School |access-date=16 November 2020}} In the 2008–09 season he was selected to represent Queensland's under-19 team, and in 2010 he was given a rookie contract with Queensland's state team.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/458508.html|title=Symonds signs Twenty20 contract with Queensland|date=5 May 2010|access-date=16 December 2017|work=ESPNcricinfo}}

Domestic career

In the 2010–11 summer, Neser made both his first-class and List A cricket debuts in the Sheffield Shield and Ryobi Cup respectively, both for Queensland. On his first-class debut against Western Australia, Neser took an impressive four wickets on the opening day.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/491161.html|title=Debutant Neser impresses for Queensland|date=10 December 2010|access-date=16 December 2017|work=ESPNcricinfo}} In 2011 Neser was upgraded from a rookie contract to a full contract with Queensland,{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/520894.html|title=Carseldine, Simpson cut by Queensland|date=27 June 2011|access-date=16 December 2017|work=ESPNcricinfo}} and though he was performing well, regular injuries made it difficult for Neser to lock down a permanent spot in Queensland's team.

In the inaugural season of the Big Bash League, Australia's new Twenty20 tournament, Neser played for Queensland's new team, the Brisbane Heat. He was impressive enough during the tournament that he was selected to play for the Prime Minister's XI in a Twenty20 tour match against Sri Lanka.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/warne-gives-haddin-thumbs-up-20120118-1q6rk.html|title=Warne gives Haddin thumbs up|last=Hogan|first=Jesse|date=19 January 2012|access-date=16 December 2017|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}} He changed clubs from the Heat to the Adelaide Strikers for future BBL seasons.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/572986.html|title=Watson leaves Sixers, joins Brisbane Heat|date=19 July 2012|access-date=16 December 2017|work=ESPNcricinfo}}

As a result of his form for the Heat in BBL|01 and the Strikers in BBL{{!}}02, Neser was given a shock contract with the Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League. He made his IPL debut in May 2013, but the game did not go well for him. In his four overs Neser conceded 62 runs without taking a wicket, falling one run short of the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2013/content/story/634412.html|title=Kohli gets a mouthful, Neser gets a welcome|last=Moonda|first=Firdose|date=6 May 2013|access-date=16 December 2017|work=ESPNcricinfo}} Nonetheless, Neser's form in Australia remained strong, and in the 2013–14 summer he was strong in both of the shorter forms of the game. In the 2013–14 Ryobi One-Day Cup he was the equal-highest wicket taker for Queensland with 10 wickets at an average of 27.40, and in BBL{{!}}03 he was named the Strikers' Most Valuable Player after taking 10 wickets at an average of 19.90.

Because of Neser's career-best form in both one-day and Twenty20 cricket, he was given the opportunity to play for Australia's second team, Australia A, in a series of matches against South Africa A late in the 2014 winter.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/766783.html|title=Stoinis, Neser, Wade and Sandhu join Australia A|date=4 August 2014|access-date=16 December 2017|work=ESPNcricinfo}} A back injury ruled Neser out of the entirety of BBL{{!}}04, and Neser hasn't reached his top form since.{{cite web|url=https://www.adelaidestrikers.com.au/news/michael-neser-ruled-out-and-replacement-named/2014-12-11|title=Michael Neser ruled out and replacement named|date=11 December 2014|access-date=16 December 2017|work=adelaidestrikers.com.au}}

In March 2018, Cricket Australia named Neser in their Sheffield Shield team of the year.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/sheffield-shield-team-year-season-17-18-burns-renshaw-bird-tremain-ferguson-doran-labuschagne-wade/2018-03-18 |title=Our Sheffield Shield team of the year |access-date=18 March 2018 |work=Cricket Australia}} In October 2019 he signed as an overseas player for Surrey for the first half of the 2020 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/50156763 |title=Michael Neser: Surrey sign Australia seamer for first half of 2020 season |access-date=23 October 2019 |work=BBC Sport}} In October 2020, in the opening round of the 2020–21 Sheffield Shield season, Neser scored his maiden first-class century.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/30097475/sheffield-shield-2020-21-michael-neser-ashton-agar-achieve-rare-sheffield-shield-double |title=Michael Neser and Ashton Agar achieve rare double in the space of an hour |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=12 October 2020}}

International career

In May 2018, he was added to Australia's One Day International (ODI) squad for their series against England, replacing Josh Hazlewood.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23629397/michael-neser-replaces-injured-josh-hazlewood-australia-squad-england-tour |title=Michael Neser replaces injured Josh Hazlewood in Australia's squad for England tour |access-date=28 May 2018 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} He made his ODI debut on 13 June 2018, against England.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1119537.html |title=1st ODI (D/N), Australia tour of England at London, Jun 13 2018 |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 June 2018}} In September 2018, he was named in Australia's Test squad for their series against Pakistan, but he did not play.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-test-squad-team-pakistan-series-uae-tour-fixture-paine-marsh-maxwell-starc-renshaw-langer/2018-09-11 |title=Maxwell out as Bulls, Finch bolt into Test squad | work=Cricket Australia |access-date=11 September 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/846802 |title=Australia Test squad for UAE: The newcomers |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=11 September 2018}}

In July 2019, he was named in Australia's squad for the 2019 Ashes series in England.{{cite web |title=Australia name 17-man Ashes squad |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-2019-ashes-squad-england-tests-paine-smith-warner-pattinson-wade-marsh-bancroft-neser/2019-07-27 |work=Cricket Australia |date=26 July 2019 |access-date=29 July 2019 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Bancroft, Wade and Mitchell Marsh earn Ashes call-ups |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27261124/bancroft-wade-mitchell-marsh-earn-ashes-call-ups |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=29 July 2019 |language=en |date=26 July 2019}} On 16 July 2020, Neser was named in a 26-man preliminary squad of players to begin training ahead of a possible tour to England following the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29470776/usman-khawaja-marcus-stoinis-expanded-australia-training-squad-possible-england-tour |title=Usman Khawaja and Marcus Stoinis in expanded Australia training squad for possible England tour |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=16 July 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-26-player-preliminary-list-training-group-uk-england-tour-odi-t20-covid19/2020-07-16 |title=Aussies name huge 26-player group with eye on UK tour |work=Cricket Australia |access-date=16 July 2020}}

In November 2020, Neser was named in Australia's Test squad for their series against India.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-test-squad-selections-india-series-green-pucovski-abbott-burns-tour-games/2020-11-12 |title=Pucovski, Green headline Test and Australia A squads |work=Cricket Australia |access-date=12 November 2020}} In January 2021, Neser was named in Australia's Test squad for their series against South Africa.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/australia-test-and-t20i-squads-matthew-wade-dropped-from-test-squad-tanveer-sangha-earns-t20i-call-up-1249335 |title=Matthew Wade dropped from Test squad, Travis Head set to reclaim middle-order spot |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=27 January 2021}} In November 2021, Neser was named in Australia's Test squad for the 2021–22 Ashes series.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-ashes-squad-england-selection-khawaja-head-richardson-bailey-langer-paine-marsh-harris/2021-11-17 |title=Khawaja, Richardson recalled in Australia's Ashes squad |work=Cricket Australia |access-date=17 November 2021}}

=Test Debut=

On 16 December, after captain Pat Cummins was ruled out of the second Test in Adelaide due to a COVID-19 close contact and Josh Hazlewood was ruled out due to injury, Neser made his Test debut as Cummins' replacement with Jhye Richardson also coming into the squad.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-16/pat-cummins-in-doubt-second-ashes-test-covid-close-contact/100704552|title=Australia captain Pat Cummins ruled out of second Ashes Test against England in Adelaide after COVID contact|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=16 December 2021|access-date=16 December 2021}} He scored a quick fire 35 off 24 balls with 5 fours and a six as Australia chased quick runs prior to a declaration in their first innings. He came on as the first change bowler in the English first innings & with his second ball in Test cricket he dismissed Haseeb Hameed. In the Australian second innings he was promoted up the order as nightwatchman, doing his job in seeing out the day then being dismissed early on day four, scoring three runs. He took the wicket of Dawid Malan in the final innings of the match to support Jhye Richardson's maiden five wicket haul as Australia won the match by 275 runs. Neser was dropped for the third test in order to facilitate the return of Cummins as the selectors elected to give Scott Boland his debut as an injury replacement for Richardson in preference to retaining Neser in the 11 man team. Neser returned to domestic cricket.

=Test Recall=

In December 2022, Neser was recalled to Australia's Test team along with Scott Boland after Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were ruled out due to injury, recording match figures of 5/56 and scoring 18 runs in his only innings with the bat. Despite the strong performance, Neser was left out of the XI for Australia's next Test series against South Africa in favour of Boland as Cummins returned to fitness.{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Australia vs West Indies 2nd Test 2022/23 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-in-australia-2022-23-1317465/australia-vs-west-indies-2nd-test-1317485/full-scorecard |access-date=2023-01-01 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}{{Cite web |date=2022-12-30 |title=Five-year exile over; pick from left-field as Lyon heir snubbed: Winners and losers |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australia/eight-contenders-to-fill-two-chasms-bolters-and-forgotten-stars-in-the-mix-for-sydney-test-callup/news-story/55a9042c600fa45b46f941b18faf6bb8 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Fox Sports |language=en}}