Jason Krejza is Australian test cricketer currently in exile from the national team. He currently plays for the Tasmanian Tigers in the domestic competitions, where he is regularly judged best afield for his bowling, batting and fielding displays.
He started to make the NSW side in 2004/5 and began to set the SCG alight with sensational finger-spinning displays. SCG crowds soared and the Blues won several competitions. However, a combination of tall poppies and Shane Warne kept him out of the national side. Dis-spirited, he lost form and slumped to fourth choice spinner behind Stuart "Pinot" MacGill, Nathan "Can't turn it" Hauritz and Beau "Shit hair" Casson.
In late 2006 he moved to Tasmania to start again. The Tasmanian air did him wonders and the Blues realised how foolish they were to let him go. The Tasmanian Tigers, under the leadership of Dan "Old Man" Marsh and with the spinning talents of JJ Krejza, won the One Day competition in 2007 and the Sheffield Shield in 2008. Krejza was reborn and a state celebrated a new hero.
The Australian selectors - egg now all over their faces and blouses - were left with no choice but to pick Krejza for the hardest test in world cricket: the looming Indian tour where the Australian test side were to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Krejza, overlooked for the first three tests. Australia were 1-0 down in the series and needed a win in the fourth test to retain the trophy. The captain tossed Krejza his first baggy cap and Krejza responded with world record debut figures of 12/358 - including world record 8/215 in his first innnings. Upon his return to Tasmania Krejza became a huge celebrity, featuring on many locally produced television shows and those little columns in the newspaper like "What am I reading now?" or "My favourite spot."
Sadly, his international test career has floundered since this tour, playing just one more test - in a defeated side in Perth. Although Krejza bowled magnificently, his figures did not match his effort and he returned 1/209 for the match. As one reknowned sports journalist said at the time, "Dropping a spinner for an average WACA test is like putting down a dog for urinating on a fire hdrant."
Krejza returned to Tasmania and continues to bowl for the Tassie Tigers. He has several nicknames: "Tassie", "Krazy" and "JJ Krayz". His surname is pronounced "kray-jyah"
Rumour has it that after that test in Nagpur, "Krejza" became a popular middle name for boys born at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
ReplyDeletePopular first name for girls I've heard.
ReplyDeleteIt is a sad truth that Krejza needs some support from the selectors to get picked and they have tall poppies massively!
ReplyDeleteI have been following test cricket for more than forty years and one day international cricket for since it has started but i have never seen anyone with so much turning abiluity since i have been watching cricket which is more than forty years.
ReplyDeleteEverytime i see nathan horitz bowling i think that it could be jason bowling and it would turn more.
I know the selecters will keep an eye on this site so i will stay anonymus but i support jason bowling FOR AUSTRALIA
Keep up the comments guys. We need to send the selectors a MESSAGE
ReplyDeleteDitch Hauritz, get Krejza in there!
ReplyDeleteKrejza turns the ball further than Hauritz, further than MacGill, dare I say it, further than the great man S.K. Warne???
ReplyDeleteI have only lived on this earth for 26 years but Murali and the Krejz are the only off spinners that have made me sit up and take notice
ReplyDeleteJason is exciting to watch - leaking run or taking wickets. If he could take 12 Indian wickets in one test, he would have had endland in tangles and Aussie would have not lost the Ashes. Talk about death of test cricket? Not if Krejza in the team.
ReplyDelete