\n<\/p>\n
Spencer was out of the game once more, but was still not done.<\/p>\n
Five years later, through his work as a fitness coach, Spencer found himself bowling to a young Ravi Bopara in the nets at Rockingham-Mandurah Cricket Club.<\/p>\n
“Ravi said ‘why are you not still playing?'” says Spencer. “Knowing how good Ravi was – and is – if he thought I could do it, maybe I should play.”<\/p>\n
After the drugs ban, Spencer felt his time playing for Western Australia was done, so he asked former Zimbabwe and Sussex batter Murray Goodwin if any counties were looking for a bowler.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, at the age of 34, Spencer found himself back in county cricket on trial at Sussex in the summer of 2006.<\/p>\n
“I thought I was still pretty passionate about the game, but I realised I probably wasn’t,” says Spencer.<\/p>\n
“I was sharp, but not as quick as I was as a young fella. I was fit enough to do it, but my work ethic had gone. I probably went over for the wrong reasons.”<\/p>\n
Spencer played two first-class matches for Sussex, against Warwickshire and the touring Sri Lanka team. His last wicket in professional cricket was Kumar Sangakkara.<\/p>\n
All in all, he took 36 wickets in 16 first-class matches and 23 scalps in 20 List A games.<\/p>\n
Nearly 20 years on, Spencer is settled in Perth. He works in the mines in the northern part of Western Australia.<\/p>\n
Moody says there is “no question” Spencer could have played international cricket. Spencer says he would have happily played for England or Australia, but the accent is 100% Aussie.<\/p>\n
Spencer has no idea how fast he bowled. He thinks he was told he was clocked at 158kph – just over 98mph – but that was “off a short run”.<\/p>\n
“I was in the wrong era,” he says, considering the way modern fast bowlers are managed, or how he could have made a fortune as a T20 gun-for-hire.<\/p>\n
“It is one of the great shames that we didn’t see enough of Duncan Spencer,” says Campbell. “When he got it right – oh my goodness.”<\/p>\n
Spencer did not collect the wickets, the international caps or the rewards he might have, but he experienced what most can only dream of.<\/p>\n
“When I didn’t have rhythm, I was as bad as anyone,” he says.<\/p>\n
“When it all clicked, it was a great feeling. It’s effortless. When you get the rhythm it feels like it’s coming out medium pace.<\/p>\n
“Bowling fast is awesome.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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