CRICKET: the Saturday Interview with Ian Harvey

The Victorian all rounder is known at home as 'The Freak' - because he is equally skilful with both hands.

But he could just as easily be unique.

After hearing of David Boon's amber nectar-swigging record on the flight from Sydney to Heathrow before the Ashes I thought all Aussies played hard and partied even harder.

Their beer guzzling exploits are the stuff of many a cricketing legend.

But my illusions were soon shattered after a chat with Ramsbottom's new professional.

The big hitting batsman might be the life and soul of the party with his fireworks on the pitch.

But he comes across as a relatively quiet and unassuming individual off it.

So is it just an urban myth then about these Aussie wild men - or has Harvey broke the mould?

"I wasn't around in those days but I've heard the stories along with everyone else," said Harvey.

"We have become well known for having a good time and partying but it doesn't go to the extremes that other people think.

"I have heard of people playing all day then going out until one and two in the morning drinking and then coming back and making a century the next day.

"But I think those sort of days are over in Australian cricket.

"Things have got a lot more professional now there's more money in the sport."

But his liking for the quiet life does not mean the 25-year-old is not 100 per cent Australian.

He has inherited that quality which sends Pommies green with envy - that ability to be naturally good at everything.

'The Freak' is a right-handed batsman - yet he writes with his left.

But in his teenage years it was at tennis he first appeared to look quite handy.

Only at the age of 15, when he started playing with his brothers, did he suddenly discover a talent for cricket.

Former Aussie fast bowler Rodney Hogg spotted his potential and invited him to come and play at his local club.

"I was actually a wicketkeeper when I first started out.

"But I gave it up to concentrate on my batting.

"Then in the field I began to get bored because I wasn't involved all the time so I ended up getting a bowl.

"I'm a person who needs to be in the centre of the action on the pitch."

It soon paid off, quickly forcing his way into the Victoria Sheffield Shield side and then, after success with Australia A, graduating to the full one-day squad last year.

So far he has featured 15 times for Steve Waugh's team as well as appearing for Australia's Super 8 and Super 6s sides.

But it was his girlfriend Amanda who was an instrumental figure in his decision to pro in the Lancashire League this summer.

Her parents originated from Radcliffe and she wanted to retrace her roots.

And the opportunity to bowl more overs than he does back home also proved a big draw.

But it's not the first time Harvey has set foot on English soil.

He had two successful years as an overseas amateur in the Bolton League with Astley Bridge and Farnworth earlier in the 90s, scoring around 2500 runs. Back then he announced his arrival in triumphant style with 202 not out on his Astley Bridge debut. But his first game in Rammy colours, four games into the season after Sharjah Cup commitments with Australia, was not quite so destructive - he went for a first ball duck.

Add to that the odd teething problem with his house - the bathroom tap stuck fast for three hours and a plumber had to come to the rescue - and it has taken time to adjust back to Lancashire life.

But runs have started to flow from his bat and his 104 against Colne last Sunday suggests the floodgates might be about to open.

"It has taken me a while to get used to the wickets and settle down a bit.

"At the moment the wickets are quite difficult to bat on.

"But once the better weather comes along and the wickets start to harden up I will be ok.

"If you get your head down and spend a bit of time at the crease it is pretty easy to make runs.

"But there are quite a few good amateurs around from what I've seen so far so it's not going to be easy each week."

Sources close to the Acre Bottom club have suggested hard hats should be issued to spectators after some hard-hitting displays. It is that kind of raw aggression which first helped him muscle his way onto the international one-day scene.

But it may affect his chances of a test call up - a dream he has harboured since first picking up a bat.

"I've always wanted to play Test cricket just like most other Australian's.

"But I think I've been marked down as a one-day player.

"All I can do is my best.

"But if I can only play one-day cricket for Australia then that is the way it has got to be."

One thing is for sure. He won't let his dream disappear without a fight.

Whatever the challenge and in whatever the sport, the word 'lose' has no place in the Harvey dictionary.

Be it an important cricket match or a simple game of cards, second best just is not an option.

That will to win could be valuable for the Aussies at the Commonwealth Games scheduled for Kualu Lumpur in September - the first time cricket will be featured in the Games.

"It will be very exciting to be there for the first time.

"I don't think people quite know what to expect.

"But you can be sure the Aussies will want to win it."

And if they do then he might just crack open a few 'tinnies' and have a go at Boon's record.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.