Siddle vows to stick to his vegetarian diet no matter what anyone says or thinks
Australia pace bowler Peter Siddle has lashed out against his critics for saying that his vegetarian diet played a key role in hindering his recuperating process for the pivotal third Test against South Africa after an exhausting bowling spell during the second Test at Adelaide.
Legendary Australia pace bowler Dennis Lillee has been one of Siddle’s harshest critics, but Siddle has refused to believe in the former seamer’s philosophy that all quick bowlers need meat to survive.
Siddle attributed his ability to bowl at a quicker pace with an increasing amount of accuracy for longer periods of time to his newfound lifestyle.
“I struggled to bowl over 50 overs [before becoming vegetarian] so, to bowl 64, I think that’s an improvement,” Siddle said. “”So I’m probably in a better place than I ever was. For people to say that’s the problem and that’s the reason why [I withdrew], they’re the ones kidding themselves. They’re not the ones out there having to do it and having to go through it. To still be bowling 140 kmph in my 64th over at the end of the fifth day in a Test match, that probably shows the improvements.”
Siddle’s vegetarianism has been met with positive responses from Cricket Australia’s dieticians and other support staff.
However, during an interview with ABC radio, Lillee stated that he failed to understand how Siddle would be able to “rebuild muscle” after having bowled a large number of overs in a Test match.
“In India [at MRF Pace Foundation], our guys have got to eat protein even if they are considered vegetarian – they have got to eat fish and chicken,” Lillee had said. “I think you have to rebuild muscle after you have had a 50-over Test. I know there is more to it than clouds and grass but I have not seen too many (vegetarian fast bowlers) survive. [Colin] Croft tried it for 18 months and couldn’t do it. Sidds is trying it and good luck to him.”
Siddle also noted that he was getting ready for the upcoming Test series against India and hopes that he will not have to make another tough decision, like the one he had to after the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide, where a tight hamstring and fatigue made him pull out of the final Test at Perth.
“At the time we made the right decision,” Siddle said. “It’s one I didn’t want to have to make.
“It was just going to be the safest option. We didn’t want another circumstance like Adelaide that put us more out of the game.”
To ensure that he is never faced with this dilemma again, Siddle refused to participate in the Big Bash League and his sole concern remains on preparing for the India Test series next month.
“At the moment I didn’t want to play in the BBL,” Siddle said. “It was part of wanting to concentrate on Tests, the same thing I spoke about earlier in the year leading into the Test matches, I wanted to miss the one-day games and concentrate on the red ball. Just with the 12 months we’ve got coming up from now, it is such a big time for us as a Test team. The best thing for me was to focus on that, try and bowl as many overs as I can throughout trainings, in games and get the body ready and raring to go for Test cricket. That was my plan and that’s the one I want to stick with.”