Mark Cleary was born in Melbourne, Australia on the 19th of July 1980 and is now approaching his second season with Leicestershire as an overseas player. Here 'Ice' talks exclusively to the Leicestershire Foxes Site about his first year with the county.
Firstly, I've just heard about your injury. How long do you think you will be out for and will it effect your season with Leicestershire?
Got the injury from a bike session with the (South Australia) Redbacks. It is a bulging disc and I am likely to be back next week. Missed about 2 weeks already. Not too bad of an injury but it was just a pain in the arse that I got it from a bike and not from bowling.... Should be no trouble with Leicester as I also had a similar injury at the club last year and it was only a couple of weeks to recover then. Will still play a few games here before as well.
How did the move to Leicestershire come about?
My move to Leicester was of chance. I was over in the UK to play for a league club in Lancashire when a 2 week block popped up with Leicester where they didn't have an overseas player. My management company asked me if I wanted to play for Leicester for the time and I said yes. Then Garnet Kruger wasn't fit to come over and Leicester asked me to stay for the rest of the season.
Tell me a bit about your career and achievements.
Basically I started my career 3 years ago when I played my first state game a few months after moving to Adelaide under the push from Jamie Siddons. Managed to play the rest of the season in both forms of the game from Christmas to the end of the season.I was also shocked to represent Australia 'A' 3 months after my debut and then again the following year. I've played 2 and a half seasons with the Redbacks, 1 season with Leicester and 2 Prime Minister XI games. I also spent 1 season at the Commonwealth Bank cricket academy.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I would have to say winning the 20/20 final with Leicester at Edgbaston and also representing Australia 'A'.
Your team mate Darren Lehmann has described you as a future Australian all rounder. Does this mean we might see you higher up the batting order with the county this season?
I was probably dissapointed to be so low in the order at Leicester but it did take me a while to find my feet in UK conditions. I bat at 8 for South Australia and would like to bat higher with Leicester. Lets see if I can get up the order hey...
What do you think of Leicester as a place and have you sampled the nightlife!?
Was a fairly good boy last season and didn't go overboard with the night life in Leicester but I really enjoyed it there. All the guys are really friendly and I had a great time last year. Will have to sample the nightlife a little better this year! hehe
Are you a fan of football or any other sports and if so have you been down to watch Leicester City play?
Yeah I managed to watch Leicester City last year for a game. They didn't win but I really enjoy the football but don't follow any team in particular. I guess I will have to follow Leicester City more closely this time.
Who would you say are your best friends at the club and why?
I would have to say that my best mates at Leicester would be Darren Maddy, Phil Defreitas and Charlie Dagnall. I really love those guys. They are so funny and make me laugh all day. They include me with their plans and we get along great. They are a great bunch at Leicester and I like all the guys in the team. They have the most uncanny sense of humour and even the most boring mundane situation is made into a great experience around them.
Some of your best performances came in the 20/20 last season. How did it feel to win the competition and how did the team celebrate afterwards?
Winning the 20/20 was the best days cricket I have played in ever. It is a great competition and I really love playing them. It is a great atmosphere and seriously good fun. We celebrated last year but we didn't plan it well. We drove back to Leicester and a few groups went their seperate ways. We all said the next day that we should have stayed in Birmingham and done it properly. Oh well!
Before your injury, how has your match form been in Australia?
Match form has been really good. I have been really happy with my bowling this year. Been bowling very well but not getting the best results as the number of wickets in the 4 day comp. Was leading the wicket taking in the 1 day comp before my injury. Seems to suit my game the shorter version. Not any big scores yet, but my whole team have really struggled with the bat this year.
Have you had any other job apart from cricket?
Apart from studying at Uni (Human Movement), I have only really had part time jobs in a sport shop and a remedial massage therapist. Dont tell any of the guys though..... they will want rubs all the time! haha
What is the best spell of bowling you have ever produced?
I would have to say the Derbyshire game at Oakham last year. One of the batters really got me fired up and I ended up taking 7 wickets and putting their Aussie player in hospital with a broken thum and a cut over the right eye with a bouncer! That's what quick is like!
What is your ultimate goal and what do you want to achieve from playing cricket?
I guess playing an Ashes series for Australia would be an ultimate goal. My other first goal is to play in the 2007 World Cup.
What do you think about our new signings for next season (Habib, Mongia and Ackerman) and how do you think we will perform in each form of cricket?
There is no doubt that we needed to find more batsmen with losing one of the better batsmen in the world in Brad Hodge. I think it's great that these guys can fit into our line up and strengthen the team. We will gel very well this year and I expect better results. We really should clean up in the 1 dayers with quality players like Snape, Henderson, Gibson, Maddy, Dagnall and Daffy and lock us in for another 20/20 championship.
What kind of bowler and batsmen would you describe yourself as and what attitude do you have for the game?
I am not an outright express bowler... I have a lot more control than the really quicks but I enjoy bowling a lot and move the ball more off the pitch than in the air. I love batting too and I'm never afraid of facing any bowlers, just probably get a little impatient. But I love the game of cricket and take a very relaxed and laid back attitude which is why they call me ICE!
With Brad Hodge being a fellow Aussie, how dissapointed were you when you found out he wouldn't be returning to the club and did him leaving come as a surprise?
I wish Brad was playing again because I think that he is one of the best in the world and he should play test cricket for sure. I was not too surprised to see him go because I always knew that there were some rumours before he signed.
Which form of the game (one day or first class) do you prefer to play and why?
I must say that I do prefer the one day game more becuase lets face it.... it is more exciting. There is no doubt that the game suits my game more because of my variation with the ball, but I always play the longer version too and love the challenge more. The better side usually wins.
Despite your nickname 'Ice', do you still get nervous when coming out to bowl or bat?
Never really get nervous during a game of cricket. Most of the game is mental and I have always been laid back. I always tell myself that I have batted many times before and bowled before. I should know what I am doing. Very relaxed all the time.
Cheers Mark. We all wish you good luck for 2005 and hope we retain the 20/20 so you and the lads can celebrate in style this time!
