THERE isn't much in country cricket that Dubbo's Tim Cox hasn't achieved and despite him being closer to the end of his career than the beginning he attained an incredible honour this week which he has never reached before.
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Cox was part of the NSW Country side which competed at the Australian Country Championships in Bendigo and at the conclusion of the carnival on Monday night he was named in the Australian Country squad.
The Dubbo quick opened the bowling each day for the Bush Blues and took 11 wickets in five matches, leading him to be the only NSW player to receive a baggy green.
"It probably hasn't sunk in yet, a big thing was I was the only one from NSW to get selected which doesn't happen very often, there's usually three or four guys in the side so I was kinda flying the banner for the Bush Blues," he said.
"But it was nice to be acknowledged and be part of that company and be rewarded for success, it's the highest honour you can achieve playing bush cricket and there were some really good players there, I was impressed with the standard."
Cox started his carnival with three wickets against Victoria and followed that up with 3-38 in a rain-affected match against South Australia, 4-16 versus Western Australia and 1-14 in the carnival's final match against East Asia Pacific.
NSW Country teammate and fellow Western Zone star Pat Rosser has played a lot of cricket with and against the Dubbo captain and he saw first-hand the damage Cox produced with the ball at Bendigo and said there was no doubt he deserved his spot in the Australian squad.
"I think that's the best I've ever seen him bowl, he set the scene that first day against Victoria when we had them 5-15 and he had three wickets," he said.
"He bowled exceptionally and deserved his spot, he was the best seam bowler at the carnival."
Cox admitted the ability to take early wickets was key to his Australian selection and both he and Rosser were in agreement that the cooler and overcast conditions at Bendigo suited him perfectly.
"I got some wickets regularly in most games, which was nice and the most pleasing thing was they were early wickets too, I was getting the openers and early batsmen," Cox said.
"The conditions with the bit of rain around and humidity helped my style of bowling, I was getting to move around a bit both ways and umpires commented afterwards that they were all impressed and that I was the only one to move the ball consistently throughout the carnival so it's nice to here that."
Unfortunately for Cox the congested cricket calender in the coming months means he won't get the chance to play for Australian Country.
With the ICC World Cup approaching and local cricket seasons getting closer to finals cricket grounds around the country are booked out.
Despite the fact he won't get to play for Australia he will now always have a baggy green and the RSL-Colts icon admits it's something he'll treasure as he approaches the end of a stellar career.
"Being an opening bowler I know I can't bowl forever, I've had injuries here and there but I've been lucky that when I've been fit I've looked after myself and when I have been injured I've done the right things and been able to get back out on the park," he said.
"I was lucky that the body held together all week, I was working overtime with the physio sometimes."
