Most Australian Test players do things a certain way. Get into the Australian cricket pathway early. Go to the Academy. Win favour with senior players. Think about a cricket career from a young age. Think first of attack, and leave defence as a last resort. Treat the Baggy Green with reverence. Do things the Australian way, never mind the Poms. Keep the game as simple as possible. Avoid tinkering too much with technique.
Chris ‘Buck’ Rogers did none of these things. Instead, he forged a cricket life in his own distinctive style, learning from mistakes and imparting that wisdom to others. In many ways he is a player out of time, harking back to the days when cricketers spent as much time with their clubs, states or counties as they did with the national side. Bucking the Trend is the story of a journeyman cricketer who, after one Test at the age of 30, took another five years to regain a spot in the Australian side. What followed was a rollercoaster ride, taking in emotional centuries in three Ashes series and skirting disaster with a series of blows to the head when they were feared more than ever. Rogers’ road to the top was far from straightforward; there is rare richness in his cricketing tale.
‘Chris Rogers was relentless in his pursuit of runs and the opportunity to play at the highest level possible. His unbelievable perseverance was rewarded with an extended Test career long after most thought it was possible, and he brought every ounce of his skill and experience to the fore. Chris showed what hunger, adaptability and fierce determination can achieve. His story highlights these traits wonderfully.’
Greg Dyer ACA President
'Chris Rogers is a throwback. A craggy, no-frills batsman who makes runs unobtrusively but incessantly … There is no machismo about his play. He forces the bowlers to work for his wicket.'
Simon Hughes
'He’s a great man, he deserves all the accolades he gets, the way he’s played since he’s been part of the Australian team shows that age doesn’t matter. If you are 19 or 37 and you’re good enough, you are good enough.'
Michael Clarke
'There are so many admirable qualities that I love about Chris Rogers. He is tough, gritty, uncompromising and stoic, but never dour.'
Dean Jones
About the author: Chris Rogers retired from the Australian cricket team at the age of 37, at the top of his game – it’s generally not how it happens. A left-handed opening batsman, he was first selected for the Australian Under 19 team in 1996. He represented Western Australia for 10 years and later Victoria. In 2007, with an average of 70.70, he was named State Player of the Year. During the mid-2000s he also established himself in English county cricket and over the years played for five first-class counties, most recently as skipper of Somerset. In 2008 Rogers made his Australian Test debut replacing the injured Matthew Hayden in a Test against India. But it was not until 2013, after consistent runmaking, that he was named in the national squad again following the retirement of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey. Over his 25-match Test career Rogers’ average was 42.87 with a highest score of 173.
