By Niall Hickman
Durham and England paceman Graham Onions delivered a 40-minute question and answer session to England’s young heroes-of-tomorrow on the eve of the four-day ‘Ashes’ clash with Australia at the Emirates Durham ICG.
Onions talked about his time in the game to England’s Under-19 squad, recalling the day when he was told he had been selected for the national side – only to put the phone down on selector Geoff Miller in the belief it was a crank call!
Onions had the assembled England squad in fits of laughter as he remembered the day when he received his first call-up.
“It was 2009 and about 7.30am when I got a call,” said Onions, who is enjoying his Benefit Year this season with the county. “I had read about my name in a few of the papers and thought I might be close to the test side, but you never really want to think too far ahead. This person called at 7.30am and said ‘Hi, it’s Geoff Miller here.’
“I didn’t know anyone called Geoff Miller, so I thought it was an iffy phone call so I put it down. Seconds later the same thing happened and again, I put the phone down. Then a third time this person said ‘Graham, it’s Geoff Miller, chairman of England selectors and I’m delighted to say we have picked you for the next test match.’ I could barely believe it.”
Onions made his debut in 2009 and played nine times for his country, taking 32 wickets at the very healthy average of 29.90, before injury curtailed his progress.
He has been bowling in the nets to the England Under-21 squad in preparation for the ‘test’ to come against Australia and played in a warm-up match last week for the Unicorns against the next generation of homegrown talent in a practice match at Loughborough.
Onions gave some pertinent advice to the youngsters ahead of their Ashes clash, telling the Under-19 squad, coached by Head of England Development Programme Andy Hurry, to simply ‘Be yourself.’
The 32-year-old added: “There will be some ups and downs in your careers, but you have got to believe in yourself, believe in your own ability and also, be yourself. Don’t try and be something different.”