Michael Kasprowicz seems to have been smiling appeals forever. As a head-banded 17-year-old he studied Western Australia’s top order on Queensland debut in 1989-90 while his schoolmates were sitting final exams, and continued to pop up in unexpected places. Like India. A swing bowler who learned to weave outswingers on Gabba green-tops, Kasprowicz matured into a subcontinental specialist with reverse swing, heavy cut and a this-isn’t-too-hot-for-another-over attitude. He bravely carried an injury-hit attack struck by Navjot Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar in 1997-98, popped back in 2001 and returned in 2004 to help end India’s 35-year hold. After three years mostly spent refining his efficient yet aggressive action with Queensland and Glamorgan, Kasprowicz celebrated his fifth recall in 2004 with 13 matches, his longest Test run. During the wildly successful year the prongs of McGrath, Gillespie and Kasprowicz were so sharp that Brett Lee ran their refreshments. To call Kasprowicz a workhorse is unflattering even though the description matches his size – he was an Australian Schoolboys rugby forward – and stamina. Regularly clocked faster than his new-ball counterparts from a shorter run, Kasprowicz’s angle and dart-perfect line causes constant headaches for left-handers in the style of Paul Reiffel, another under-rated third wheel. He has become an important clean-up or go-to man and only four times in 2004 did he leave an innings without a wicket as he collected 47 victims. An intimidating and muscular presence at county and state level – he often broke bones in England and peer pressure from Pura Cup batsmen hurried his Test and one-day returns – Kasprowicz became Queensland’s leading wicket-taker in 2003-04. Popular and cheerful off the field, ‘Kasper’ has experienced the lows of being 12th man for Queensland’s first Sheffield Shield win in 1994-95, having to wait five months and three Tests for his first wicket and completing a regular do-si-do for a national place with his best man Andy Bichel. The recent success ensured they became old-school memories, and he will be around for a while longer.