As his former student led Australia in the fateful Test match at Trent Bridge and then promptly announced his retirement, Neil D'Costa's latest project was compiling an eye-catching century a couple of hours' drive up the road.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A few days later, the coach who played a major role in nurturing Michael Clarke, Mitchell Starc and the late Phillip Hughes to the top of their games, posted on Facebook: "To all those who have contacted me to let me know the current Australian captain has retired, thank you for the news flash! Just to confirm, I am not even close to retiring. In fact, I am seriously just getting started ! Stay tuned."
At the top of D'Costa's project list is Jordan Gauci, who scored 111 for Australia's under-19s against England at Chester-le-Street this month.
Gauci, a western suburbs boy like Clarke, described by D'Costa as "a serious player" who is "well educated, very respectful, very quiet and very thoughtful". He is the son of Maltese and Nicaraguan parents. His father, Darren, was a school friend of D'Costa's.
"Darren told me his son was playing cricket so, a couple of years ago after I went to India to coach, we caught up again and I met Jordan," D'Costa said. "He then played against us, playing for Blacktown against Campbelltown in the Green Shield, and made a hundred.
"Jordan then went up to Brisbane and worked with Greg Chappell and then he came back and decided to play at my academy at Campbelltown."
D'Costa said Gauci got a scholarship to Newington College after attending Hills Sports High School.
"I remember saying to him, if you're finding it too easy in the GPS, get 200. So he did - I got this text from him saying 'I got 200'," the coach said.
Gauci, who turned 17 in late June, said after his century in the drawn Test against England that he was "very nervous" waiting to bat, but enjoyed the experience once he was in the middle.
"I'm the first member of my family to play cricket," Gauci told cricket.com.au
"My dad just signed me up, I gave it a go, and I've enjoyed it ever since."
Former England batsman Graeme Hick, coach of the Australians, said he was just getting to know Gauci but "he seems a lovely kid".
"I'm really pleased for him, to come away like this and score a century in your first knock is great," Hick said.
