Interview By Orville Hall
Josh Dascombe was born in Queensland, Australia, but his family tree is deeply rooted in the USA. Josh’s mom was born in Michigan, and even though he is Australian by birth, he is also a US citizen. His grandparents, along with several aunts and uncles, still reside in Goodrich, Michigan. Josh is a left-handed batsman and a slow left-arm orthodox spinner, and he is currently a member of Queensland Under-19 team. Josh sat down with me for an interview earlier today:
Josh Dascombe. Photo: USACA.org
OH: First of all Josh let me say welcome to the USA, and thank you for taking the time to speak with me this evening.
Josh: My pleasure.
OH: What prompted you to come over to the US to play for the National team?
Josh: I did a bit of reading on the internet and I was just looking at the games in the US and realize that this year was quite a big year for cricket in the USA with Bermuda and Dubai later in the year and it is just something I wanted to be involved with to further develop my cricket and also help to bring the sport into more prominence
OH: When you decided to come over, what kind of support did you receive from your coaches and fellow players in Queensland?
Josh: There were all really supportive, all my friends at Sandgate. I caught a little bit of flack from them, but there were all very supportive, and my coaches as well.
OH: Having gotten a chance to play against Bermuda today, how would you describe your first outing here in the USA?
Josh: it was fantastic, yea it was great. I probably didn’t perform as well as I would have liked to, I certainly would like to have gotten a few more wickets, but all in all, it was a great experience.
OH: You didn’t get a chance to bowl until the 29th over today, but when you did, you picked up 2 wickets for 27 runs off 7 overs. How did it feel bowling here in the USA for the first time?
Josh: It was actually different to anything that I had encountered in the past. Back home, the wickets tend to have a lot more grass on them so, as a spin bowler ,I tend to get more grip and turn, whereas today I just sort slid on a bit more with the wicket being bare, but it was a good experience. Obviously getting my first wicket for the USA was very exciting.
OH: The USA is about to travel to Bermuda to participate in the World Cricket League Division Three competition. If selected, would you be available to represent the USA in this tournament?
Josh: That is something I actually trying to clear up at the moment. I don’t believe so. Because there is a bunch of additional development criteria that I have to meet because I don’t live in the country, but obviously, if everything does work out and I’m asked to, it would be absolutely amazing because it is a National tournament for USA cricket, so if I can do well, that would be incredible.
OH: Having gotten a chance to play in the only ICC-recognized cricket stadium in the USA, how would you compare the facilities in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to other places where you have played before?
Josh: It’s right up there with some of the better grounds that I have played on. I was lucky enough to play at a really good ground in Brisbane and this facility is certainly on par with that, if not better.
OH: You are currently residing in Queensland, and attending University there. How would you make the transition from Queensland to the USA if you were selected to play for the National team on a regular basis?
Josh: I currently have another year to go to get my degree, so obviously if I get selected as a permanent fixture of the team, I would have to consider moving. I am lucky that I’ve got a job at a World-wide accounting firm. They actually have three offices here in Florida and a whole bunch of offices in all the other major cities across the USA, so, I’m sure, if push came to shove, I can work out a way to integrate cricket and work into my life here in America.
OH: Your mom was born in Michigan, and you still have relatives living there. Have you been in contact with them, and what do they think about your coming over to play for the USA?
Josh: I’ve been in contact with them recently, and they have been extremely excited and supportive. It’s been great to know that they are all excited for me. They couldn’t make it down this week unfortunately, which is probably a good thing, because my Granma is really a bad-luck charm when it comes to my cricket. Still wish they were here though. Even though they couldn’t make it down this weekend, they are all very supportive, and that’s great.
OH: Where would you like to be vis-à-vis US cricket within the next two years?
Josh: Obviously, I would love to be a full-time member of the side. That’s the goal for me personally, but for US cricket on a whole, I think it all starts in Bermuda. If we can make it up to Division Two, and 50-Over completion, and then with Dubai further down the road in October, with six teams going through to the World Cup Qualifier, it is simply not out of reach for the USA to finish in the top six. Because from what I’ve been reading and from what I’ve heard, it sounds like we’re starting to perform as a team, and if we can start to do that we can really start to push our team. Start looking at International tournaments. Obviously the public will get more involved and we will start being recognized more. So I think if we can start making International competitions within the next two years, it will go a long way towards developing cricket in America.
OH: Well Josh, I wish to thank you for taking the time to speak with me this evening, and I wish you much success as you pursue your efforts to gain a permanent place in the US National team.
Josh: Great. Thank you so much. Cheers.