‘It’s a free hit for me’: Wade cherishes second coming

Matthew Wade has had little time to reflect properly on his remarkable second coming as an international cricketer, but he has thought often about the one moment last year that has significantly altered his life and that of his young family.

Less than two years ago, as Australian cricket was picking up the pieces from the ball-tampering scandal that has dominated the build-up to this Qantas Tour of South Africa, Wade was firmly focused on life after cricket and picked up a carpentry apprenticeship in the conviction that his days at the highest level were over.

Even when he produced a record-breaking domestic season the following summer, it was only the late intervention of his wife Julia that convinced him a path had been cleared for a return to international cricket.

When Wade's name was floated as a player of interest for Australia A's tour of England last year, a campaign he ultimately used as a springboard back into the national set-up, he had been just hours away from telling selectors that the impending birth of his second child would take priority over the chance at an international return.

But when Julia intervened and insisted her husband could have both – their baby, Goldie Hue, was induced so it arrived before the A tour began – their lives took a completely different path.

"It was one split-second decision," Wade recalled to cricket.com.au this week in Johannesburg having earned a recall to Australia's T20 and one-day sides. 

"If she hadn't told me to get on that plane and go to England, I would have never played another game for Australia.

"And now 12 months later, I'm back in all formats.

"(If not for Julia) I probably would have spoken to the selectors and knocked it on the head, and who knows where I'd be now. And I would have been comfortable with that decision as well.

"It's just amazing how big a role that 10-minute conversation has had in the next 12-month period."

Image Id: 3EA01ADF17C9470AB48C30458C0E44C7 Image Caption: The Wade clan // Getty

Wade has spoken at length about how coming to terms with the end of his international career two years ago, and the freedom it has brought to his game ever since, has been the secret to his second coming.

It's an attitude that delivered two Ashes centuries eight months ago, and has helped launch him into contention for a spot in Australia's T20 World Cup squad in eight months from now.

And it's the same spirit he's hoping to bring in his return to limited-overs international cricket, where he'll be tasked with reviving his past role as a late-overs finisher rather than the top-order run-machine he's been at domestic level in recent years.

"You've just got to be brave enough to play the shots you would play when you're opening the batting when there's five fielders out," he said when asked about the difference between batting at the top of the order compared to at the end of an innings.

"This a little bit of a free hit for me. I'm towards the backend of my career and I probably didn't expect to play another game for Australia.

"I've spoken about it throughout the Test matches that if I don't try and hold on too tight to it and just let myself play, I feel like my performances will be fine. In the past, I probably tried too hard and held on too tight and wanted it a little bit too much.

"So for me it's about staying relaxed and executing the way I do in domestic cricket. There's no real difference, sometimes you just put too much pressure on yourself at international level."

There are also technical reasons for Wade's optimism on his return to white-ball international cricket, mostly his improvement against spin that will be a key factor if he is to secure a middle-order spot for the World Cup.

He also says he learned a valuable lesson about playing under duress during his recent KFC BBL stint, when he blazed 351 runs at a strike-rate of 171 despite being "extremely fatigued" following an endless campaign at home and abroad.

But mostly, his nonchalant confidence and cheerful approach come from the knowledge that, if not for one selfless intervention from his wife last year, he wouldn't be here at all.

"I certainly wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for her," he says.

"She works her tail off. She's running two businesses and has both the kids, and I'm flying off every five minutes to go and play cricket.

"She's worked hard over the last 12 months and I'm forever grateful."

Australia's Qantas Tour of South Africa 2020

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

First T20: February 21 at Johannesburg. 3am AEDT (Feb 22), Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second T20: February 23 at Port Elizabeth 11.30pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third T20: February 26 at Cape Town. 3am AEDT (Feb 27), Fox Cricket & Kayo

First ODI: February 29 at Paarl (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second ODI: March 4 at Bloemfontein (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third ODI: March 7 at Potchefstroom. 7pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo