It wasn't that long ago when Corey Rocchiccioli was a team member at Bunnings, while trundling away for University's B-grade.
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Today, he's a three-time Sheffield Shield winner for Western Australia - from as many seasons - and regarded by many as Nathan Lyon's spin-bowling heir apparent in the Test team.
"I worked at Bunnings when I was 20, I was studying a sports science degree when I was 21, I was still playing Uni twos at 21, 22 and I've now got three Sheffield Shield flags at 26," said Rocchiccioli, whose match haul of 7-103 at Perth spun WA to a 377-run demolition of Tasmania on Sunday and a third successive Shield triumph.
"Winning three is pretty incredible.
"The role I had to play the whole year has made it the best one out of the three."
Rocchiccioli collected 46 wickets this summer, breaking Bruce Yardley's long-standing record for a WA spinner of 39 back in 1982-83.
The hype about the skilful offspinner is real, but he's not letting it get to his head.
"Gaz (Lyon) has got the spot and (Todd) Murphy's probably in front of me at the moment," Rocchiccioli said.
"That's great that I'm being talked about as being Gaz's heir.
"But my job is to take wickets for WA and do it for the next 10 years.
"That's all I'm worried about."
Rocchiccioli's spellbinding display against the Tigers came despite being hampered by fever and cramps in the early stages of the final.
"At about 4am on day one there was a stage when I was a little but iffy," he said.
"I woke up with a bit of a fever but came to my senses that if I pulled out, I'd have five days of watching.
"At one stage, I went through a litre of lemonade to try to get some sugar back into me. I was struggling, cramping in both calves.
"But you're playing in a Shield final ... you've got no excuses. You roll up and do your job.
"Luckily we batted on day one and I didn't have to do anything. The sleep on day one got me back.
"I'm super stoked to be standing here now."
Australian Associated Press
