The click of the recorder sounds like the final tick of a time bomb. I dont have a clue what to ask,and the man sitting in front is a 6-feet-5-inches tall,117-kgs heavy Rugby star with a gruff voice. It had been a morning of several firsts at the Rugby Park in Christchurch and my debut in the sport was proving to be a dream come true watching New Zealand Rugbys top team,Crusaders,train and catching a glimpse of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. But before I make a mental note of what side of bed my feet had landed this morning,it turns out that All Blacks player Brad Thorn is okay with the idea of being interviewed by a couple of Rugby-challenged scribes here to cover cricket. It was hard to say what made me more jumpy ignorance about the sport or a virtual blank about the stars background. But help came from unexpected quarters. I always liked Arjuna Ranatunga,the batsman,but Id never imagined that he would get me out of a tight spot. After a few basic questions,I asked Thorn what was his perception of cricketers and whether he felt they earned more and trained less. His reaction was a throaty laugh (the Internet informed me later that constant blows to the neck while taking high catches were responsible for the deep voice),and then he said: When you see someone like Arjuna Ranatunga,you do think that. He is a good batsman but he didnt get too many singles. We have to work a lot specially doing pre-season to be at the top of our fitness. Thorn smiles some more after completing his answer; Ranatunga has broken the ice. But Thorn adds that he has tremendous respect for cricketers. If you ever face quality pace bowling,youll have a lot of respect for the top batsmen. I once came across a bowling machine while training with a few team mates from high school. We put the scales to 160 kmph,and I tell you we didnt want to go near it. Batsmen get only a few seconds they to react,and they still hit the ball with such timing,its amazing, he says. Well aware of the rugby IQ of his interviewers,he also gives a cricket comparison about everything. He says he doesnt get mobbed on the streets as Sachin Tendulkar does,and that international rugby players,unlike batsmen,cant play at the top level till the age of 36. Thorn was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia when he was 9 and spent most of his life there. He returned home to play rugby but he is a constant victim of banter from his team mates because of the Aussie background. Its like India and Pakistan, he says to make things clear. Meeting the soft-spoken,delightfully jovial 34-year-old rugby player breaks several myths they don't think cricketers are wimps,and below the intimidating exterior are people with loads of patience even for the most ignorant.
