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Infatuated by the game, they’d often play three hours per night. Minimum.
More in the summer when daylight hours allowed it.
Their mum Sonia was charged with purchasing tennis balls from a Hampton milk bar and the black tape necessary for swing. She had one clear instruction: “Only the Slazenger ones, thanks.”
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The cheaper balls didn’t bounce properly and were often too fluffy. This was serious business.
Their father John, himself a former barrel-chested grade fast bowler at Prahran Cricket Club, didn’t allow the boys to wear shoes on his fresh lawn, fearing it would become a dustbowl.
If the 10,000 hours rule is real, then the Agar brothers cleared it when they were still at De La Salle College in Melbourne’s south-east.
Ashton and Wes – born three years apart – grew up in the same household but today represent rival states and Big Bash franchises. They are completely different players.
One a slight, athletic, left arm finger spinner who has represented Australia in all formats and the other a strongly-built right arm quick who is starting to make waves at the first class level.
The middle brother, Will, batted left-handed and bowled off-spin in Melbourne’s Premier Cricket scene. A year older than Wes and two years younger than Ashton, he rides the professional fortunes of his brothers all summer. The current T20 series in New Zealand will be no exception.
In many respects, Will is like Danny Waugh, almost nine years Steve and Mark’s junior. He was a very good player himself for Bankstown, but his grade feats were overshadowed by his illustrious brothers.
Not that it concerns Will, 25, whose eyes light up when he talks about his siblings’ success.
“In footy you get so passionate about who wins and losses,” Will told Fox Cricket while enjoying his mother’s Sri Lankan curry.
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“But in cricket if Ashton or Wes does well then the game doesn’t matter. You don’t really care about the result. It’s hard. You get nervous because you want them to do well.”
The family’s dining room at their Parkdale house resembles something of a cricketing shrine. There is a photo of Will and Wes batting together as kids – thigh pads on the outside, deep in discussion mid-pitch – and another of Ashton in his Baggy Green nearby.
Pappadums are served. John pours the red wine. Even with two brothers absent pursuing their dreams, cricket is the topic of discussion for the evening.
THE AGAR NAME
John Agar commands attention when he talks. He boasts a booming voice and a meaty physique with axe-wielding forearms. He hasn’t bowled in years, but it’s not hard to imagine him sending down a heavy ball in the 1980s at Toorak Park.
An old teammate said he was a nightmare in the nets. Wildly unpredictable and aggressive. Add to that a razor-sharp tongue and you’ve got the ultimate fast-bowling archetype.
John openly admits he’s a passionate father – sometimes it gets the better of him – and fiercely loyal. His love for cricket is only bettered by his adoration for his family and their achievements.
A first generation Australian, the Agar name can be traced back to Essex in England’s south-east, less than three hours from the scene of Ashton’s Test debut in 2013.
John’s grandfather’s middle name was Ashton but when his father was born, they misspelt Ashton. Instead, his Dad’s middle name was ‘Austin.’
So when Sonia gave birth in October 1993 – six years after marriage – John was keen for his first born to pick up the family tradition. They had no hesitation in naming Australia’s future 434th Test cricketer Ashton, while Wes’ middle name is Austin. It is a nod to John’s father, who passed away two years ago.
On Sonia’s side of the family there is cricketing talent too. Her father – Nala Hewawissa – played for Dharmaarajah College Kandy. There is an annual trophy named after him.
She moved to Melbourne from Sri Lanka in 1974 to start high school, played high level junior hockey and met John in 1983 through a mutual friend at the cricket club.
It was Sonia’s hockey shin pad Ashton would wear as a two-year old while John under-armed him balls.
“If I was throwing balls to them these days, I’d be telling them to lace it,” John recalled.
“But back then it was ‘straight ball and straight bat’. At two years old they were holding a rounders bat. I was not training them to be superstars. I just loved throwing balls at them and they loved hitting it.
“If you throw the ball flat and hard and it lands just before the bat, they can’t miss it. When you know they are good, you throw it wide. That’s what I started to do with the boys.”
THE GROUNDING YEARS
The Agar backyard and front garden duals were legendary in bayside suburb Bentleigh. Even a neighbour once remarked to John how much he enjoyed watching the boys play on weekday afternoons.
There were several variations of cricket the trio tried, but Will’s favourite was a ‘spin only’ format where Ashton would trial deliveries he’d seen Graeme Swann and Ajantha Mendis bowl on YouTube.
“He was a wizard,” Will said of Ashton’s skills with a tennis ball.
“He experimented with heaps of deliveries in the front yard. He’d be watching guys on TV and the internet and he’s a genius at observing and then going out and doing it.
“He loves spin bowling. He’d flick one out and I had no idea. I couldn’t pick it. He just laughs even now because he knows I don’t know.”
The aim of one version was to face as many balls as possible without being dismissed. Attacking shots did not exist. One ball survived equated to one run. Making 25 was considered the first milestone, while surviving for 50 balls was a ton. A far cry from the T20 format Ashton and Wes have made a name for themselves in.
“All you had to do was block it and that wasn’t easy because the pitch was just five metres,” Will said before crunching on another of his mum’s pappadums: “If you hit any garden bed on the full it was out. It was like India or Sri Lanka. We’d play full Test matches.
“The funniest rule of the entire game was mandatory clap if someone reached a milestone. You’d be steaming and angry and still have to clap the batsman. Wes would not face up unless he saw the applause.
“Wes had a ball he called ‘the Adam Schneider’, I think because it sounded a little bit like ‘slider.’ It was that era where the Saints were up there playing in Grand Finals … For us, fun was coming home from school and playing cricket every night.”
They also played driveway cricket with full run-ups. Instead of touching off the sightscreen, Wes would touch off the gutter on the other side of the street and steam in, just as he does at Adelaide Oval. Sonia’s responsibilities were simple: Provide the tennis balls in the afternoon and dinner in the evenings. Curries were part of the staple diet. It didn’t matter whether it was January or July, cricket was the other constant.
“The boys were computer illiterate,” Sonia laughed. “They trained all winter and loved it. I used to go and buy tennis balls. Then the boys would tape them and have such fun.”
John added: “If you couldn’t bowl you wouldn’t get a bat. If you couldn’t bat you wouldn’t bat for long. That’s what Ashton said on live TV after his Test debut. The games were intense.”
MAKING THE GRADE
Ashton was widely considered a prodigy. He played alongside Cameron White when he was 16 in club cricket. GWS Giants captain Stephen Coniglio was a teammate too in junior representative teams. Soon enough he was off to Perth under the watchful eye of Justin Langer, then England under Darren Lehmann. And you know what he did in Nottingham that day alongside Phil Hughes, against Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann and James Anderson.
Wes, or Wesley as Sonia refers to him, was bowling right-arm medium pace in club cricket when he decided to move to Adelaide.
He debuted for Richmond’s 1st XI (alongside Dan Christian) aged 16 and had just bowled the club’s 2nd XI to a Grand Final victory against Fitzroy-Doncaster when he packed his suitcase.
His rise hasn’t quite been as meteoric as Ashton, but at 24 he’s now embedded in the professional system. A little more than 12 months ago he was the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year. Last weekend Ashton was named Australia’s T20 player of the year.
“It’s good because we played so much cricket together when we were young. It’s great to see them making the most of it,” said Will, who is a digital operations executive at Fanduel, which is Sportsbet’s US counterpart, and a passionate GWS fan.
“I look at it now, and I know there is no way I would walk out there. There is no lost opportunity for me.
“But I like to think I was half decent. Throughout cricket did I ever enjoy it like the others or dominate like they did? I don’t think I would have been a good professional cricketer. I am very happy doing my thing with study and work.
“It’s part of the reason why I get so nervous watching them. If I was on the field, I’d be so anxious.”
FROM BENTLEIGH TO BAGGY GREEN
For most cricket fans, their introduction to Ashton Agar’s talents did not come in the Big Bash but against the old enemy during the 2013 Ashes,
A shock selection for the first Test, it would be with the bat not the ball that a baby-faced Agar made an instant mark.
Coming to the crease at 9-117, his 98 remains the highest Test score by a No. 11. At 19 years and 269 days he was also the youngest Australian Ashes debutant since Archie Jackson in February 1929.
But John Agar believes the seeds for Ashton’s remarkable debut were sowed four months earlier in India.
On a trip more famous for the homework-gate scandal which saw four Aussie players sent home by coach Mickey Arthur, Agar was given an opportunity in a tour game in Chennai and came up against Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir at his peak.
“Shane Watson was his captain and I have a lot of time for Shane for the way he handled Ashton that day,” John said.
“They played at a school ground and Gambhir was getting stuck into Ashton, hitting him everywhere. Trying to hit every ball for six. Watto said ‘this is how you learn mate, here is the ball.’ And kept bowling him anyway.
He ended up for 3-107 off 20 overs and learned so much. That was the start of it.”
Gambhir smashed 112. Agar had his first taste of what was required to succeed.
Months later, Agar was widely considered the last player picked in the Ashes squad for 2013. Weeks before the series, Arthur was sacked and replaced with a more relaxed Lehmann.
Lyon was left out of the first two Tests – he recently said the selectors were concerned with his bowling to England’s right-handers – and Agar was given the nod. Unlike Lyon, he spun it away from right-handers. Lehmann and captain Michael Clarke liked what they saw. It was school holidays, so John, Sonia, Will and Wes flew to Heathrow without a second thought.
Sporting braces and wearing a pink Hawaiian shirt, Wes was in the crowd that day in Nottingham.
“Less than a year earlier we were playing with a tennis ball and then all of a sudden Ashton was part of the Ashes,” Will said. “It was so awesome.”
The oldest Agar boy has played a further three Tests, 14 ODIs and 27 T20Is since. At 27, good judges in the Australian camp believe his best years are ahead of him.
And while his 163-run partnership with Phillip Hughes at Trent Bridge won’t be forgotten any time soon in or outside the Agar household, it is with the ball that Australia sees rich potential. Cricket Australia spin bowling guru Craig Howard first in the fan club.
“In the last 18-24 months there has been a real shift in Ashton’s bowling ability and his shape,” Howard told Fox Cricket when quizzed on the oldest Agar boy’s potential.
“He spent a long time trying to perfect his seam position for the subcontinent.
“That may have impacted his ability to bowl in our conditions, where pitches are less abrasive.
“Now he bowls with more over spin and tries to beat people in the air. This has transferred into all forms and all conditions. He has made some adjustments with his shoulder path, leg drive and energy levels too and doesn’t just rely on his accuracy and side spin anymore. It’s easier to bowl with side spin. There aren’t too many Nathan Lyons out there!
“He’s always had a very clever wrist and athletically he’s phenomenal too. He’s got a bright future ahead of him as someone who can bowl well and potentially bat in the top seven in all formats. He will be an enormous asset.”
A FAMILY AFFAIR
While they had countless duels in the backyard, Ashton and Wes have only played against each other a handful of times.
The first encounter took place in January 2018 in the last BBL game at the WACA. They became the second brothers to face off in Big Bash history, following David and Michael Hussey.
Sonia flew over and was “very nervous,” watching on as Ashton milked Wes for two singles from two deliveries.
It was somewhat of an anti-climax. A 0-0 draw.
“It certainly did (feel like the backyard) when he was running into bowl,” Ashton told journalist Louis Cameron from cricket.com.au post-game.
“You’re absolutely spewing (if) you get out in the backyard as well. It felt exactly the same, which is really nice.”
Almost two years later, the battle of the brothers drew blood in an unexpected way.
It was an otherwise nondescript Marsh Cup one-dayer in November 2019. In the morning session, Wes cleaned bowled Ashton en route to a five-wicket haul at Karen Rolton Oval. It was his second consecutive five-wicket match.
But in the afternoon, Wes flat-batted a delivery straight to his older brother at mid-on, who, despite a lofty reputation for making fielding look simple, made an easy catch appear difficult, got himself tangled and missed the ball completely.
It thudded into his face and left him covered in blood. Wes dropped his bat and sprinted over to his senior brother.
“I was pretty rattled,” Wes said post-match.
“It looked really bad. I was just worrying about his health to be fair. I wasn’t thinking about anything else.”
At home in Melbourne, Sonia, Will and John were glued to the TV.
“When Wes hit a ball that hit Ashton in the face, we were watching it at home and felt terrible,” Sonia said.
“Poor Wes was almost in tears. He thought he killed him.”
Luckily Ashton was OK, but he required stitches which spoiled his engagement party photos days later.
Sonia added: “I always get quite nervous when Wes bowls to Ashton.”
Will doesn’t always watch when his two brothers and best mates face-off. He’s never seen them play against each other live and grimaces when recalling encounters on TV.
“When they are doing well I enjoy it. If not, I leave it,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s easier to not watch. It’s too stressful.
“If you look at the way they play, their personalities are expressed in the way they go about it.
“Ash is a smooth operator. Even when he bats he never looks like he is stressed. He’s a cool cat. Because he’s been through a bit he knows how to deal with stuff.
“Wes is a big larrikin. He is quite an emotional guy. He doesn’t want to let the team down. You see his celebrations. He is also obsessed with country music.”
TAKING A PUNT
In early 2015, Wes moved to South Australia with barely $500 in his bank account and no assurances from state selectors.
He worked on a dairy farm to pay board to his host family and joined Adelaide University Cricket Club.
“I was 18 and if it all failed I’d go back home and eat a few more of Mum’s curries,” Wes told the Herald Sun later.
“Sometimes it’s scary thinking I nearly didn’t go because it’s the best thing I’ve ever done and it’s completely changed my life around.”
He won a rookie contract, debuted against Ashton in a domestic one-dayer and was learning the ropes.
But in early 2017, Wes returned to Victoria to play for Melbourne University citing mental health concerns.
“I couldn’t sleep,” the then-teenager said of his battle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
“I couldn’t get into bed. I couldn’t do normal daily things that everyone just takes for granted … I’ve never really shared it before that. Right now, at this time in my life I’m able to share it. Until now I haven’t really been comfortable, and this is actually the first time I’ve ever said it to any media outlet.”
The brave public admission came in Men’s Health Week.
“I guess hopefully one day if I’m successful, I can be a role model to young kids or other men who are experiencing either mental health or OCD as well, and give them confidence to speak out about it and get help and to realise that it’s not a problem,” he added on the Cricket Unfiltered podcast.
“It’s something that they can get better and something that they can manage.”
Two years later, he was back in South Australia. This time on a full contract.
And last summer Wes was the equal highest wicket-taker in Sheffield Shield cricket, snaring 33 victims at 24.3.
He was the only bowler in the country to be among the top-10 wicket takers in all three domestic competitions. The Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award was suitable recognition for his achievements.
Former teammate and now assistant coach at the Strikers Cameron White didn’t mince his words when asked about Agar’s improvement.
“He left for Victoria a bit lazy and overweight, but he’s had a great season for South Australia and the Strikers” White told RSN radio in February last year.
“He got himself fit and strong and as a fast bowler, that’s important.”
Cricket Australia bowling coach Troy Cooley shared a similar sentiment when contacted by Fox Cricket this week.
“Mr and Mrs Agar have put some good genetics in their boys. So we will thank them first up,” Cooley said.
“When I first saw Wes, he reminded me of a big, slinging side-on bowler like Wasim Akram or someone like that. He ran in hard and let it go. I thought ‘I like that.’
“He’s a great bloke, a competitive spirit, a growth mentality, and he loves bowling fast. That’s his mindset. He’s been tinkering around the mechanics side of it. He’s working really hard and he’s getting better with age and is a professional fast bowler now.
“They are a very tight family and I met his Dad when Wes was unwell up in Queensland once. He told me how all his kids played underage for Victoria.”
BEST IS STILL TO COME
Both parents speak glowingly of Justin Langer, who called to introduce himself as West Australia’s coach when Ashton moved interstate as a teenager, dreaming of a professional contract.
John regards coaching as the most important element in any young cricketer’s development. And Langer’s phone call ticked a critical box.
They say Ashton and Wes will not come back to Victoria any time soon. Both boys have state and BBL contracts and are settled with partners in Perth and Adelaide respectively. And they are fine with that, although COVID-19 bubbles and border restrictions meant the family hasn’t been in the same room for more than a year now.
John’s main advice to his three boys in their cricketing pursuits is to “remember the good days and let the bad days go.”
He added: “Performance wise I ride each ball. But I also understand I am not bowling or batting myself. The other side of me knows it’s not me. I am pretty emotional.”
Sonia’s dream is to have Ashton and Wes represent Australia in the same XI. And she’d love all three boys to play a game together one day, however long she must wait for it.
But above these goals, she has more lofty ambitions for her three kids.
“I have always raised the boys so that they are good people and it doesn’t matter how they are as cricketers.
“That’s really important to us. Actually, it’s the most important thing to us. And they are.”