BRIAN DOOGAN talks to young Aussie professional Matthew Mott about his desire to make the most out of his summer in the Lancashire League

MATTHEW Mott freely admits that he has come to Church to go to school.

A Sunday school of sorts.

Not the kind with pews, organs and gluing together religious pictures.

But the type with lashing of willow followed by lashings of pints on most Sunday afternoons.

A graduate of Rodney Marsh's Australian Institute of Sport, Mott says he has come to the Lancashire League primarily to advance his bowling.

He does not aspire to being a frontline bowler in first class Cricket but he at least wants to be able to contribute "bits and pieces".

And it is on the soft and slow wickets of East Lancashire that he has chosen to ply his trade.

"Hopefully my bowling will come on a bit - it's struggling a bit at the moment," he said in the front room of the house he shares in Oswaldtwistle with Nick Westwell, the brother of Clitheroe FC captain Simon.

"That's one of the main reasons I came over here - to work on it.

"Not that I'm ever going to be a frontline bowler.

"But if I can be a "bits and pieces" bowler in first class cricket I'll be happy with that.

"I think I can contribute with the ball for Church.

"We've got a modest attack but if we field well we're on song."

On song is the only way to describe his form so far with the bat.

In eight innings, he has amassed 410 runs, 49 more than nearest rival Ben Johnson of Colne.

Against Rawtenstall at Bacup Road, he charged to a marvellous 131 not out, just a dozen runs short of the club batting record held by Victoria's Geoff Parker since 1990.

Little wonder that Church assistant secretary Jack Holdsworth says that Mott has settled well in the area and is "as happy as a sandboy".

"We're very happy with him at the club - he is dedicated to his cricket and he has blended well with the team and everyone associated with the club," said Holdsworth.

"We'd wish for a few more wickets and I think he would as well.

"But he has made a major contribution this season and I think he's already made his mark.

"He came here with the unqualified recommendation of Rodney Marsh and hopefully he will return to Australia with a few more facets to his game."

Cricket is as essential an element of Australian culture as "Skippy", Waltzing Matilda, Ned Kelly and being able to down a pint of lager faster than you can say, "I'll have a XXXX".

The Test players assume a stature that transcends the sport, coming to symbolise the nation's prejudices, fears, their hopes and aspirations.

But it was a sense of parochialism rather than childhood idolatry of former Australian captain Allan Border which gave rise to Mott's deep affection for the game.

Queenslanders are notoriously provincial and it was for Queensland that the young Mott set his heart on playing.

Born in the Australian outback town of Charleville where they had to drink "bore water" (they might have to bore a couple of hundred feet down to reach the water), Mott's family moved to Gold Coast when he was two.

His father, who has Irish ancestry which has prompted Matthew to book several days in Ireland before returning Down Under, was a formidable rugby league player and the youngest son became heavily involved in sport.

He soon displayed a natural talent for cricket, especially with the bat, and his reward was to experience the classic grounding in Australian cricket, The Golden Road as they like to call it.

By the age of 16 he had achieved the goal of representing his state at Under 17 level and progressed to the Under 19 team two years later.

At the same levels he also made the Australian representative side.

Last year he was one of the select 13 to gain entry to the Australian Institute where he broke the academy batting record by blading five centuries.

All this and a Gold Coast record partnership of 466 with Gloucestershire's Andrew Symonds (both scored double hundreds) convinced Queensland's Sheffield Shield selectors to include Mott when they trimmed the squad this year from 24 to 18.

The full extent of this accomplishment is highlighted by the fact that the gifted Lowerhouse professional and one of Mott's best mates, Shawn Flegler, missed out.

"I was anxiously waiting to find out about it and it was a relief when I was told I was in," said the 23-year-old.

"Six good players missed out and I guess I was one of the lucky ones.

"Obviously, I want to play for Australia but my dream as a youngster was just to play for Queensland.

"My aim for next year is to get into the Queensland side again."

Dreams aside, the benefits financially make it worthwhile.

A new contract system this season will bring further security for the players.

They are guaranteed a minimum payment of $15,000 (not available before) and qualify for match earnings as well.

Furthermore, there is the possibility of securing one of several development jobs which will guarantee a regular all-year-round income.

"It will involve administering a 'milo programme' at schools, coaching young cricketers and marketing the Queensland Bulls," said Mott.

But, just below the surface, Mott has to resist the thought that he should be back home in Australia, fashioning a career outside of cricket.

"I was studying to be a primary school teacher at Gold Coast University (both his parents are teachers and his older brother and one of two sisters too)," said Mott.

"I've put that on the back burner a couple of times to come over here (he played for Porthill in the North Staffordshire League in '94, scoring 1100 runs as an amateur at an average of 108).

"I've completed a year and a half and also a year of business and have a further two and a half years to go.

"I do intend to finish it but first things first."

That means bowling school before primary school - and the distinct possibility of a prolific career for Queensland and Australia in between.

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